SolidGoldFX Ether

The SolidGoldFX Ether, called the Modulated Reverberator by its maker, is a compact reverb pedal that delivers what SolidGoldFX describes as "vast ambient and shimmering soundscapes"¹. What sets it apart from a standard reverb box is that the modulation happens on the wet signal only: vibrato, tremolo and harmonic tremolo are applied to the reverb trails, with tap tempo for timing control¹. It was announced in November 2021 and listed at $209².

The core effect is a long ambient reverb with an infinite hold, and holding both footswitches together engages a ramp mode that adds a ramping effect to those infinite tails¹³. It is made in Montreal, Canada¹.

An ambient reverb with modulation on the wet signal

MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley called the core effect "a cavernous ambient reverb"³, and the pedal's whole design leans into that territory. The reverb decay runs from small rooms to infinite sustain, and the modulation section, which SolidGoldFX says works on the wet signal, gives those tails movement: pitch wobble from the vibrato, volume pulses from the tremolo, and a spectral tilt from the harmonic tremolo¹.

The shimmer mode is a deliberate design choice rather than a generic pitch-shift patch. SolidGoldFX says it "created a shimmer algorithm that has a tendency to devolve as it decays, creating a sound drenched in an Ether induced dissonant haze"¹. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio heard it the same way, describing "an optional Shimmer mode that, in this pedal, sounds less angelic and slightly more dissonant, devolving with the reverb's decay"⁵. Players chasing a smooth, choir-like shimmer may find that character off-putting; players after something darker and less conventional may find it is the point.

Premier Guitar's reviewer found the pedal less convincing as a general-purpose reverb. They could "dial in a reasonable-enough facsimile of an old Fender black-panel spring reverb set to noon, as well as some really tile-like, fast-reflection sounds," but noted that in-between sounds are hard to nail reliably⁶. The Ether is built for the extremes, not for everyday room reverb.

The controls

The control set is small, but several knobs do double duty:

The Depth control is the one that rewards experimentation. Premier Guitar's reviewer found that depth also changes the shape of the modulation: "On one side of noon the pedal generates sawtooth waves; on the other side, softer sine waves"⁶. At the noon position the waveform depends on the mode: a quasi-random waveform in vibrato mode, a square wave in tremolo mode, and a flutter triangle wave in harmonic tremolo mode⁶.

The Level knob deserves attention too. Because it functions as the level for both the reverb and the modulation⁶, and because its extended range lets the wet signal overtake the dry¹⁵, high settings push the pedal toward full ambient wash rather than a subtle blend.

Vibrato, Tremolo and Harmonic-Tremolo modes

SolidGoldFX equips the pedal with three modulation types, each with three LFO shapes and tap-tempo operation¹⁴. The maker describes what each does to the reverb:

• Vibrato: "adds a melting fluidity and washed out chorus flavour to the verb"¹
• Tremolo: "can divide things up into subtle waves or absolutely chop up your tails for a more percussive decay"¹
• Harmonic-Tremolo: "adds a wonderful Push/Pull character that tilts the sonic spectrum between highs and lows"¹

Premier Guitar's reviewer found the three modes behave quite differently in practice. The harmonic tremolo reverbs "can span phasey washes and noirish throb," while vibrato settings range from surreal, robotic modulations to sweet near-rotary sounds⁶. They also noted practical differences in how much effect level each mode needs: harmonic tremolo voices "need a much wetter signal to stand out prominently," and regular tremolo settings tend to require high effect levels, which means minding the reverb decay settings alongside them⁶.

How it fits in the SolidGoldFX range

SolidGoldFX has a history in modulated reverbs. The Surf Rider line goes back to the relaunched Surf Rider Deluxe of 2012, through the Surf Rider III and the compact Surf Rider IV of 2022, and the company also built the dirtier Counter Current reverb shown at Brooklyn Stompbox Exhibit 2018. The Ether sits at the ambient end of that range, where the Surf Rider IV aims at spring tank emulation with flutter modulation.

That variety, plus the infinite hold, ramp mode and deliberately unruly shimmer, is the Ether's identity: a pedal for players who want a reverb that moves, decays and eventually falls apart on its own terms³¹⁵.

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