Strymon Flint VS Bluesky (comparison)
Our pick: Either one
The clearest difference between the Strymon Flint and BlueSky is the Flint's split-duties between tremolo and reverb. Otherwise, it's a one-for-one reverb pedal comparison. How you feel about the tremolo inclusion in the Flint should play a major role in your decision between the two.
Strymon has built a lot of high-tech, digital ambient pedals, with several dedicated to reverb alone. In this comparison, we're looking at the Strymon Flint and the Strymon BlueSky, where the Flint is part tremolo and part reverb, combining the two effects into one unit, each with its own bypass switch.
The BlueSky is a dedicated reverb pedal, and essentially a smaller version of the larger BigSky.
In this comparison we'll put the two pedals side-by-side so you can look at all the features, listen to each pedal and decide for yourself which one is going to be a bitter fit for your situation.
Comparison to Other Reverb Pedals
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Note that we've added a couple similar reverb combo pedals to the list, just to provide some comparable pedals.
Pedal | DETAILS | RATING | TRY |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Strymon Timeline Digital Delay | 93.2 | |
 | Strymon BlueSky Reverb | n/a | |
 | Source Audio Collider Delay & Reverb | n/a | |
 | EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run | n/a |
Audio Comparison
The reverb algorithms in the two pedals are similar in tone quality, though the BlueSky Reverberator has more options since it doesn't share controls and switches with tremolo, like the Flint. I've embedded my own demo of the Flint followed by Reverb.com's look at the BlueSky.
The Basics
In our first table we're looking at some of the most basic information of these two pedals, including size and common price points.
| | |
|---|---|---|
New Price | $300 | $300 |
Size | 4" x 4.5" | 4" x 4.5" |
In Production | Yes | Yes |
Typical Used Price | $265 | $235 |
Builder | Strymon | Strymon |
While both pedals retail at $300, we did notice the Flint's used pricing seems to run a little higher. It's not immediately clear why the BlueSky's used price point is lower, since the Flint is the more popular of the two pedals.
The Flint splits its controls between a tremolo and reverb effect, each with their own bypass switch.
The BlueSky Reverberator is a dedicated reverb pedal that's a smaller and cheaper rendition of the BigSky.
Features
The BlueSky gives you some extra reverb modes to work with and even a "favorite" bypass switch which is essentially a single settings bank. In the Flint, the second bypass switch controls the tremolo effect. Those are the only significant feature differences between the two pedals.
| | |
|---|---|---|
Reverb Modes | 3 | 6 (three modes & three types) |
Tremolo Modes | 3 | 0 |
Tap Tempo | No | No |
Bank | No | 1 |
Stereo i/o | Outputs | Inputs & Outputs |
Expression input | No | No |
Analog | No | No |
True Bypass | Yes | Yes |
Both pedals have a true bypass connection and a digital signal processor without any analog components. Of lesser concern is the stereo inputs on the BlueSky that are omitted from the Flint.
The BlueSky adds a single "favorite" bank and throws in stereo inputs on the back panel.
The primary feature differences are related to the inclusion of tremolo in the Flint, leading to less reverb modes.
Controls
One of the problems with the Flint splitting its loyalties between two effects is that you get far less control over your reverb than you would in the BlueSky. For example, low damp, high damp, and pre-delay controls are all missing from the Flint, limiting the reverb controls to just a Mix and Color knob.
| | |
|---|---|---|
Intensity | Yes | No |
Speed | Yes | No |
Decay | Yes | Yes |
Mix | Yes | Yes |
Color | Yes | No |
Low Damp | No | Yes |
High Damp | No | Yes |
Pre-Delay | No | Yes |
In that respect, the control scheme leaves reverb in the Flint as clearly a secondary priority, which is fine if you don't want to do a lot of tinkering with your reverb tone and you like having the tremolo.
If you want more control over your reverb effect, and you don't care for the tremolo, the BlueSky is clearly the better fit.
If the tremolo matters to you, the Flint is an easy winner.
For those concerned more about reverb flexibility, we'd recommend the BlueSky.
Review Count and Community Feedback
The Flint gets reviewed more often than the BlueSky and seems to be the more popular of the two pedals. However, both have an almost identical ratio of positive to negative reviews, as we had to dig to find anything negative said about either one.
Most negative reviews seems to be one-offs about preference issues, bad tone fits, or shipping problems outside of Strymon's control.
| | |
|---|---|---|
Most Reviewed | Sweetwater, Reverb, Equipboard, and Thomann | Sweetwater, Reverb, Equipboard |
Total Reviews | 466 | 216 |
Positive | 460 | 213 |
Negative | 6 | 3 |
Percentage of Positive | 98.7% | 98.6% |
Conclusion
Those trying to decide between the Flint and BlueSky should be entirely focused on the tremolo feature in the Flint.
That alone should be the deciding factor since it's the largest and most significant difference between the two pedals. If you don't care about the tremolo, buying the Flint means you're just buying a less functional reverb pedal that won't give you as much flexibility.
Here's how we'd break each one down:
- Strymon Flint: Buy if the tremolo aspect is important to you
- Strymon BlueSky: Buy if you want a dedicated reverb pedal with more flexibility
Overall, both pedals are extremely good options, just with some varying functionality that you should be aware of.
Whatever you decide, buy confidently. Strymon knows their stuff.
Questions about the Two Reverb Pedals
Do you have questions about the Strymon Flint or the BlueSky Reverberator?
If so, give us a shout in the comments section below. I'll answer there and help out as best I can or - if I can't help out - get you in touch with the right people.
We'll see you there.
Credits and References
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