Boss · Reverb

Boss RV-6 Settings Guide

Eight reverb types in a compact unit. Industry standard for every context from subtle room ambience to cavernous shimmer.

The best Boss RV-6 settings start with: Mode at 3/10, Time at 4/10, Tone at 5/10, Level at 4/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Blues: Mode 4/10, Time 3/10, Tone 5/10, Level 3/10.

What Each Control Does

Mode
Room
Shimmer
Reverb type: Room, Hall, Plate, Spring, Modulate, Dynamic, Shimmer, +Delay.
Time
Short
Infinite
Reverb decay time. Shorter = intimacy; longer = space.
Tone
Dark
Bright
Colour of the reverb tail. Darker = vintage; brighter = studio.
Level
Dry
Wet
Mix of reverb vs dry signal.

Recommended Starting Settings

Safe starting positions for any style. Adjust from here based on your amp and room.

3
Mode
4
Time
5
Tone
4
Level

All values on a 0–10 scale. These are starting points — fine-tune by ear.

Settings by Genre

Blues
Mode4
Time3
Tone5
Level3

Spring reverb, moderate time, subtle level. The vintage spring character suits single-coil pickups.

Ambient
Mode3
Time8
Tone5
Level6

Hall or Plate with long decay. Let chords wash into each other.

Jazz
Mode1
Time3
Tone4
Level2

Room reverb, short decay, subtle. Jazz players often prefer minimal reverb.

Tips & Common Mistakes

  • Spring reverb (Mode 4) suits single-coil pickups and classic rock/blues best. Plate suits any pickup type.
  • Place reverb last in the signal chain (or in effects loop). Reverb before overdrive muddies the sound.
  • The Dynamic mode automatically reduces reverb during playing and lets it bloom in pauses — professional technique.

Boss RV-6 — Common Questions

Best starting settings for Boss RV-6: Mode at 3/10, Time at 4/10, Tone at 5/10, Level at 4/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.

For Blues: Mode 4/10, Time 3/10, Tone 5/10, Level 3/10. Spring reverb, moderate time, subtle level. The vintage spring character suits single-coil pickups.

For Ambient: Mode 3/10, Time 8/10, Tone 5/10, Level 6/10. Hall or Plate with long decay. Let chords wash into each other.

Mode: Reverb type: Room, Hall, Plate, Spring, Modulate, Dynamic, Shimmer, +Delay. (Room to Shimmer). Time: Reverb decay time. Shorter = intimacy; longer = space. (Short to Infinite). Tone: Colour of the reverb tail. Darker = vintage; brighter = studio. (Dark to Bright). Level: Mix of reverb vs dry signal. (Dry to Wet)

Spring reverb (Mode 4) suits single-coil pickups and classic rock/blues best. Plate suits any pickup type. Place reverb last in the signal chain (or in effects loop). Reverb before overdrive muddies the sound. The Dynamic mode automatically reduces reverb during playing and lets it bloom in pauses — professional technique.