Product ReviewsElectro-Harmonix RAVISH Effects Pedal

Very interesting pedal

I've been looking for a while to find a pedal that would reproduce the sound of a sitar without having to set up a keyboard midi controller and a patch. This is out, right here. So easy to use, it's ridiculous. I love the different types of sitar configurations that it has as presets and the fact that you can bypass it and play regular guitar. I actually find it sounds better using an acoustic guitar with a piezoelectric pickup rather than an electric guitar. Try it! Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: citymusicsteve

SOOO COOL---- Felt like I was playing in the clouds

Just got my Ravish Sitar box. If you want an incredibly unique and exotic effect this is it. When used properly this makes your guitar really sound like a sitar. Very authentic sound. However there is a bit of a learning curve. Unlike many other effects it doesn't work very well if you just plug in and start playing. That's what I did at first and I was disappointed. Read the manual first you need to play the proper scales to get the full effect. That is, when played in the proper scale the sympathetic string sound will be heard on every note. I learned an exotic but simple scale it only took about 5 minutes and I'm no guitar genius. Once I got that scale down I was blown away. This thing is amazing. You can adjust the effect to play in various keys and scales (major ,minor, sharp, exotic) and you can adjust level of lead and sympathetic string sound as well as their sound quality (timbre)which adjusts how buzzy they sound.You can adjust decay rate on the lead strings for more sustain. You can also adjust modulation on sympathetic strings. When modulation is turned up it gives the effect of a tambura in the background almost as if you're playing two instruments yourself. You can adjust to your tastes and then store as presets. I was hypnotized by the sound of this thing I plugged my Strat into the effect and played through a Line 6 amp on a clean setting. Sounded best when played through the bridge pickup which is a humbucker on my guitar. I have coil tapping on the bridge pickup so I tried that but didn't sound as good. Don't know if it really matters It's probably because I prefer humbucker sound anyway. Anyway I played for three hours last night and an hour today. PROS= great sound effect realistic sitar sound hypnotic music maker and truly unique. Spiritual and fun playing through this box. CONS=bit of a learning curve to get all this box can offer ,you need to be able to play the right scales for full effect. Somewhat of a niche item you have to like the exotic Indian music sound also a bit higher priced than many simple stomp boxes. Overall well worth if you want a unique effect that works great.Read full review...

Great peadal.

This pedal produces some very unique sounds and tones. There is a bit of a learning curve due to the capabilities of the pedal. However, you want mind because it is a lot of fun to experiment with this pedal. I am very happy with the Ravish Sitar. Also, my buying experience with Music Square was awesome. The used pedal I ordered was checked and found to have a problem. So they sent me a brand new pedal. How awesome is that? Thanks Joel!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: music_square

Ravish Sitar - tremendous opportunities emulator

Ravish Sitar gives me unlimited scope for experiment with a sound. It's impressive achievement of EHX engineers. One part of device is compact guitar synth onboard. Another part is even more interesting, experiments with CUSTOM SCALE TUNING of sympathetic strings give unusual colors of a sound. Endless pedal. Having Ravish Sitar and amaze V256 vocoder I am going to find even more EHX original synth for sound production.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: lasalle_hifi_co...

How did they do it???????

Whoever was involved in making this Sitar emulator do and sound like it does is literally a genius!! And detail oriented as well. It really does sound like a Sitar!
tracks great. And it is deep in all the features it offers and the tweakability that it has.
If you are looking for a Sitar sound for recording or stage without out searching for a Vinnie Bell, or just want to get transcendent with your bad western self, you cant go wrong.
Not cheap for an effect that might not see a ton of use, but to have one might make you the coolest guitar player on the block!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: altomusicpro

A nice break from the ordinary

Electro harmonics makes a lot of nice little fx boxes like this which I assume are all based on the same DSP technology which replicate things like organs, mellotrons, synthesizers etc. I got this one because I like the sitar sound that it creates it's very realistic and moreover I like using the droning backgrounds that can be tuned and harmonized with multiple voices that sit behind your clean guitar or bass sound. Obviously can use the sitar sound as the main voice that your instrument produces and there are expression pedal inputs so you can get various pitch changing and pitch bending effects. It uses most buttons and knobs for several different functions so I suggest reading the manual or watching some tutorials. It's also built very solidly. You might not use it every day but it injects some novelty and creative stimulation when things get boring. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: f1es

Have Realistic Expectations

This is not a Sitar but the sound is close enough that I don't have learn to play a different instrument. It does just fine for Norwegian Wood and other songs. That way I won't sound like the record, I'll sound like me which is what I wanted. Thanks for a great, very robust product! Lots of experimenting to go, yet.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: music_square

Fake it to Prog Heaven

If you want a "Real" Sitar, just buy one - ebay has them. Also you can go to India and get lessons for them. Maybe big cities have people that will teach.

If you want Sitar like effects and drawing dots on a piano roll on music software with cheap or free VST plugins just doesn't feel like it - or want to play a "Sitar kinda like" effect live, I can't imagine any better than this. I'm getting this for a project I'm working on and I can sit for hours playing with the notes and reverbs, I'm in a bath of exotic sounds. It'd be questionable taste for saying what I find more fun that working with this pedal right now.

I'll probably get a tape delay effect pedal also, for this and another pedal I bought recently - a Carcosa - boy these are addictive...

Now, disclaimer, I'm mainly a keyboardist - getting back into guitar - no huge experience. But I love this machine and would have bought it at twice the price if it was available decade ago if I could have. My music interest is "Progressive Rock" mainly.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: sweetwatersound

Very fun

This is a very cool effect pedal but it is not a plug/play item like most are accustomed,i.e.: fuzz/distortion/wawa etc. You need to work with it and understand the instructions. and technique and the type of guitar,bass or keyboard that is input will change the sound. I wanted a cool sitar like sound without learning a new instrument. Like the very cool drone sounds and cathedral like organ sounds you can get from it. Think there is no other product that sounds like it. Again, there is a stiff learning curve to getting the sitar sound out of this pedal.Read full review...

Fun, Challenging and Inspiring!

This pedal really nails the sitar sound, and being able to tweak parameters to my heart's content makes the experience a great deal of fun. As a bonus, the process of making my instrument sound authentic encourages experimenting with new and unusual scales... My playing is improving. Fun, challenge, inspiration... it's all in there.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: citymusicsteve