The Sky Pedals Cloud 9 Reverb was a reverb pedal designed by Jim Coleman and built by his company, Sky Pedals, in small batches12. Pedal of the Day called it the flagship pedal from Sky Pedals, and its reviewer Mike B wrote that "the Cloud 9 has become an industry standard reverb, and with good reason"1.
What it does to your sound
Pedal of the Day's review describes the Cloud 9 as producing "Big, bold, cavernous reverb," adding that "it does a great job of laying back in the mix and adding" a touch of sparkle to the guitar signal1. In other words, it is a reverb that can fill a room without pushing your dry tone forward, which is why the reviewer found it had become an industry standard1.
Controls
The pedal keeps a simple face: four knobs and two switches1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Verb knob | Controls how much of the effect is mixed in with the guitar's dry signal, from little to no effect up to huge, room-filling lush reverb tones1 |
| Two switches | Part of the four-knob, two-switch layout1 |
Pedal of the Day summed the layout up in its own words:
"Four knobs, two switches, done-and-done"
What happened to Sky Pedals and the Cloud9
In a 2014 video, Josh Scott of JHS Pedals sat down with Jim Coleman, who explained that he had started building the Cloud9 a couple of years earlier and that "he was closing down shop at Sky Pedals"2. Pedal of the Day later put it plainly: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, Sky Pedals is no longer creating gear for us to enjoy, but passed along the basic concept"4.
JHS Pedals took the design forward. Its product page for the Alpine Reverb explains how and why "JHS Pedals acquired Sky Pedals and re-designed and improved the Cloud9" to create the Alpine, and thanks "Jim Coleman of Sky Pedals for giving us a great foundation to build on"3.
The Cloud9 is no longer in production. Players looking for its sound today would be following the design's later life in the JHS Alpine Reverb, which JHS describes as a re-designed and improved Cloud 93.
In this 2014 video, Josh Scott of JHS Pedals talks with Jim Coleman of Sky Pedals about the Cloud9, how Coleman built it in small batches, and his decision to close down Sky Pedals, which led to JHS acquiring the design2.
Videos
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Curtis Kent
Questions
Who made the Sky Pedals Cloud9?
The Cloud9 was designed by Jim Coleman and built by his company, Sky Pedals. Josh Scott of JHS Pedals described Jim Coleman as producing small batches of the reverb pedal, and JHS later credited Coleman for giving them a great foundation to build on when they took over the design.
Is the Sky Pedals Cloud9 discontinued?
Yes. In a 2014 video, Jim Coleman said he was closing down shop at Sky Pedals, and Pedal of the Day later reported that Sky Pedals is no longer creating gear. The design passed to JHS Pedals, so original Cloud9 units are no longer made.
What pedal came from the Cloud 9 design?
JHS Pedals acquired Sky Pedals and re-designed and improved the Cloud 9 to create the Alpine Reverb. JHS's product page thanks Jim Coleman of Sky Pedals for the foundation, and Pedal of the Day noted that the basic concept was passed along when Sky Pedals stopped making gear.
How many knobs does the Cloud9 have?
The Cloud 9 Reverb has four knobs and two switches. Pedal of the Day summed up the layout as "Four knobs, two switches, done-and-done," with the Verb knob controlling how much reverb is mixed in with the dry signal.
Sources (4)
- Sky Pedals Cloud 9 Reverb, Pedal of the Day, 2014-09-17
- the story of the JHS Pedals Alpine, JHS Pedals (YouTube channel), 2014-11-25
- ALPINE - JHS Pedals, JHS Pedals
- JHS Pedals Alpine Reverb Pedal, Pedal of the Day, 2015-09-01
