The VHT Melo-Verb is a tremolo and reverb pedal from VHT Amplification, first introduced by Premier Guitar in January 2013 as a pedal recreation of the tremolo and reverb effects that were first built into 1960s amplifiers1. It is an all-analog design, and it packs two completely independent effect sections into one enclosure, each with its own true-bypass footswitch, so the tremolo and the reverb can be used separately or together2. Players looking at tremolo pedals or reverb pedals get both in a single box.
What it does to your sound
Premier Guitar's press material describes the Reverb section as replicating the classic built-in tube-driven spring reverb tone, with tones ranging from soft, warm and round to bright splashy "tile wall spatter"1. In other words, the pedal is aimed at the spring reverb sound of a vintage amp rather than the ambient, washy reverb of a digital unit.
The tremolo side covers a wide range of characters. The Shape control adjusts the tremolo character, in Premier Guitar's words, "everything from retro floating undulations to modern square-cornered chop"1. That spans the gentle, slow throb of an old amp to a hard, gated pulsing.
Controls and switching
- Shape: adjusts the tremolo character, from retro floating undulations to modern square-cornered chop1
- Depth: sets tremolo intensity; turned down, it turns the tremolo section into a clean boost2
- Independent footswitches: one true-bypass switch for each effect1
With the Depth control turned down, the tremolo section can also serve as a clean boost pedal, with up to 9dB of boost, according to Delicious Audio2. That gives the pedal a second use on a board as a straightforward boost when the tremolo is not wanted.
Power
The Melo-Verb runs on an external 9-volt DC power source with a tip-negative plug1. No battery compartment or current draw figure appears in the published material, so plan on a standard center-negative-style supply that matches a tip-negative plug.
Price and what reviewers said
Premier Guitar's introduction gave the pedal a street price of $119.99 in 20131. Delicious Audio later listed it at $1052.
Delicious Audio's review, by Paolo De Gregorio and Brandon Stoner, was enthusiastic:
"With great tone, amazing build quality, and a price point to die for (street price around $120), VHT has a little gem on their hands here."3
Videos
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Questions
Is the VHT Melo-Verb true bypass?
Yes. The Melo-Verb has two completely independent effect sections, and each one has its own true-bypass footswitch. That means the tremolo and the reverb can be switched in and out separately, and when a section is bypassed it is removed entirely from the signal path.
Can you use the tremolo and reverb separately on the Melo-Verb?
Yes. Delicious Audio describes the Melo-Verb as two completely independent effect sections with separate true-bypass switching, and Premier Guitar's press material lists an independent true-bypass footswitch for each effect. You can run tremolo alone, reverb alone, or both together.
What power supply does the VHT Melo-Verb use?
The Melo-Verb runs on an external 9-volt DC power source with a tip-negative plug, according to Premier Guitar's introduction of the pedal. No battery option or current draw figure is given in the published material.
Is the VHT Melo-Verb analog?
Yes. Delicious Audio's product page describes it as an all-analog trem-reverb effect with plenty of controls and two completely independent effect sections.
How much boost does the Melo-Verb's tremolo section give?
With the Depth control turned down, the tremolo section can serve as a clean boost pedal with up to 9dB of boost, according to Delicious Audio. That makes the tremolo side of the pedal usable as a straightforward level boost when you do not want the wobble.
Sources (3)
- VHT Launches Melo-Verb Vintage Tremolo Reverb Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2013-01-24
- VHT Melo-verb, Delicious Audio, 2018-03-04
- New Pedals: VHT Melo-Verb Tremolo + Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2016-03-08