Looking for a delay...delay....delay

[totallyfrozen]

Any preferences or experience you have to help me select a delay pedal. I'm not interested in a rack. And I'm not too interested in a multi-effect pedal. Just needing a good delay pedal...but I'm open-minded about it because I don't know which one(s) are the better one(s). I have only used the Alesis MIDIVerb II rack unit (yeah...it's old), and I have never used a multi-effect pedal. So, if I'm over looking something, I'm open-minded. Tell me what's up.

Thanks for your help.

[konu57]

I have a boss DD 20 and I can say it's excellent. If you would like something cheaper you could try the digidelay by digitech.

[totallyfrozen]

That Boss DD-20 does look impressive. I don't need 23 seconds of delay but the other features sound like they might be good. Still, at around $180 or more, it's out of my range.

I've never tried a DigiDelay. Do you think it sounds better than the other Boss delay pedals?

I am also looking at the Danelectro Dan Echo since they're cheap and can mimic some vintage style effects. The reviews on Harmony seem decent. Anyone know anything about these cheap Dan Echos?

[Strat-Talk]

I love my Delay Modeler from Line6. It has so many different delay options it covers all the bases and then some.

It's a couple hundred bucks I think, but as a guy that used to own a Tube Echoplex I'm just as happy with the Delay Modeler. Make that happier.

[Jackie Treehorn]

I would choose the Boss DD3 over the Digidelay or Dan-Echo. The DD3 sounds better than the Digi and is more reliable than the Dan-Echo IMO.

[konu57]

Yes, the dd 3 is a good choice. However between digidelay and the dano delays I'd choose the digidelay.

[jaybee]

I have an Ibanez DL-10, this is an older pedal that you can find for little money on eBay. It's comparable to the early Boss DD series, but much cheaper

Also very good is my Visual Sound H²O - this is a digital delay coupled with a chorus. I'm not too wild about the chorus, but since I hardly ever use that and the delay is super, it's a keeper

[hans-jürgen]

Did you also think of an older tape echo perhaps? I still like my Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo, because it sounds so "natural" to me. Here's an old band demo of "El Diablo" using my self-built Strat, a Mesa Boogie Mark IIB head with Marshall cab and the Roland:

http://home.arcor.de/hans-juergen.ba...diablo-pro.mp3

[Stratosaurus]

That sounds great, Hans. Just had to say something.

[hans-jürgen]

Originally Posted by Stratosaurus

That sounds great, Hans. Just had to say something.

Thank you, that one actually is our oldest recording on my homepage done in 1982 with two cassette recorders in our rehearsal room. Here are two others, "Every breath you take" with a shorter delay and "Swingtown" with an even shorter slap-back echo on the guitar solo (same gear as above):

http://home.arcor.de/hans-juergen.ba...ery_br-pro.mp3

http://home.arcor.de/hans-juergen.ba.../swing-pro.mp3

The "-pro" in the file names means that they are encoded with mp3PRO at 64 kbps, so you don't hear the highs above 7.5kHz without the proper decoder. But they still sound OK with a normal MP3 player, a little bit better than AM radio then which doesn't change the guitar sound too much. A free Winamp plugin and/or the free Thomson mp3PRO player/encoder is available here:

http://www.mp3prozone.com/

Back on-topic: I'm also amazed how durable these tapes are, I changed it only once since I bought it in the early '80s, and it still sounds great, although it has to run full 2 hours every week at our rehearsal (doesn't have a stop switch for the motor like the RE-201). When I checked the heads for dirt before our last gig they still looked fine with only a bit of rubbed-off tape coating.

[mrfuzz]

dd 20

[imwjl]

I see it's an old post brought new, but I am pleased with my MXR Carbon Copy. It has a characteristic I'd describe as junkiness or lack of precision (meant as compliment) vs. sterile repeating of same tone that I noticed between expensive analog models and cheaper digital models, and it's a US made true bypass unit that doesn't doesn't break the bank.

That said I would also look at the Electro-Harmonix models. I liked them, but didn't want to spend any more nor did I need any looping capability because I have a looper.

[Axis29]

+1 for Carbon Copy! Love mine! SO rich and organic sounding.

I have a Dan Echo, which does sound good too, just not as good as the Carbon Copy. worth the difference in price? Maybe not... but my Dan Echo developed a funky sound when it was plugged in for more than about 30 minutes or so.

I also had a DD-3... too sterile for me... It was a nice echo for doing the Pinkest of Floyds and U2 stuff, but I don't do that except when I'm just goofin off. So I sold it on eBay yesterday.

[Del Pickup]

Try to get an old DD-2 - one of the MIJ models. Very similar to the DD-3 but gives a slightly warmer analog type tone. And it has enough delays in there to suit most tastes.

[FenderGuy53]

+1 for the Carbon Copy. Ya gotta hear it to believe it. Very Gilmourish...

[dtfan4ever]

I have a Carbon Copy right now and it is pretty awesome.

I'm waiting for the Joe Satriani Vox Time Machine Delay to come out. It will be released at NAMM and is supposed to be shipping this month. So maybe I'll see them in stores here in April.

[boujsquier]

I have a Marshall Echohead right now and sound quality wise it is excellent; has true bypass and an analogue mode that sounds very much like early 70's Pink Floyd like delay.

That said, I would give a thumbs up for the Boss DD-20.

If you at all are planning on using a delay pedal live with a band, the tap tempo abilities of the DD-20 are very good; you can configure it for straight quarter note delay or dotted eight note like the Edge of U2 and some David Gilmour textures.

You CAN do this with other pedals but it's so much harder to tap in a dotted eight note pattern on these as compared to tapping in quarter notes on the DD-20 but getting the dotted eighth notes out of it.

Not to mention the DD-20 is actually 2 delay units in one so you can have two seperate delay times.

Lastly, the DD-20 has a Sound on Sound feature; this allows you to record in up to 23 seconds of material and then play on top of it later or in real time.

I am looking to pick one up this weekend and trade in my echohead as I am running into major challenges tapping in dotted eight note tempos !

[Poseidon9447]

I got the hardwire delay on ebay new for $100. It is awesome. If you look around for a while you can get a good price on anything. Listen to samples on youtube there are many of all pedals out there. And do some research too, you will learn what ones will work for what you want and some that won't.

[stratagem]

Another vote for Carbon Copy.

[fatstratdeluxed]

man screw the carbon copy go try out a TC Electronic Nova Delay. Incredibly simple yet there's incredibly so much you can do with it. it's like having 2 delay pedals, maybe even 3, in one. it's not too big, quite compact for a high-end delay, has a tap/tempo switch. for the price it's unbeatable. it costs around $250-$275 USD. I have a Boss DD-20 right now and it cost me $230 but i'm highly considering trading it in and paying the difference for a Nova Delay. A little background on it, it is acclaimed by critics and has won a few Guitar World awards. before you buy your delay try this one out. you just might fall in love with it like i did.

[midifarm]

I understand that price is a consideration. At the $180 and under range I would suggest the MXR Carbon Copy or the TC Nova Repeater. If recording and super long delAys aren't necessary then you can't go wrong with either. I'm going to bite the bullet and get an Empress Effects Superdelay.

[countryroads]

I've gone through several delay pedals....$80, $120, $100. Add them up and they are $50-100 more than if I had bought a TC Nova Delay to begin with.

[gitterfidder]

Unless you are starting the next radiohead get an Ibanez AD9 or cheaper rip off

[midifarm]

So I pulled the trigger on the Empress and I can say that I'm empressed! For all the money I'd shell out trying various delays, the time, etc. paying the $450 for this beast is money well spent. Easily one of my favorites. Permanent spot on my board.

[thaus]

I too owned the Empress and it is probably in the top 3 of all delay pedals even though price is kind of high. A very musical pedal but I just wasn't using it to its potential so I sold it and opted for the Hardwire Delay from Digitech. Great delay pedal and inexpensive to boot..........

[jmiller475]

Check into Cmatmods Deeelay. It's a digital delay but it's knida got an analog vibe to it. Also Boss DD3, Digidelay, Visual Sound H2O. There's a Danelectro Fab Echo which is around $20 or less and it's decent for the price.

YouTube- CMATMODS Deeelay

YouTube- CMATMODS Deeelay

YouTube- Danelectro FAB Echo Demo

YouTube- Danelectro FAB Echo Demo

[Hugh]

MXR Carbon Copy rules in it's price range

[donnyjinkens]

I have a Boss DD-7 and it's my favorite pedal. It can record up to a 40 second loop, which is what I mostly use it for. I can also hook a footswitch up to it to use as a tap tempo, which is very useful when playing with a band. Also, I haven't tried it, but I know that Omar Rodriguez really likes the Memory Man.

[ToneRanger]

I’m a bit of a delay junkie myself – my primary, always on is an Ibanez DE-7 with the switch set to “echo” mode – very cool, degrading repeats that don’t compete with your direct signal. In my lead loop I’ve also got a DanEcho to give a little more spaciousness – I like the hi-cut knob, and within the loop it’s also “always on” so it’s not subject to a lot of abuse and hopefully will last.
Finally I have a Line6 DL4 – the first two presets are set to the “EH Memory Man” setting (one subtle, the other more pronounced) and the 3rd set for Floydian/U2 style repeats.
One of these days I’ll be a man and learn to play without delay…

[still_fiddlin]

Originally Posted by ToneRanger

...
One of these days I’ll be a man and learn to play without delay…

Ha. I just ordered a 2nd delay pedal, and it may not be the last.

What I've discovered, maybe 30-40 years too late to become that rock god, but at least in time to have some fun, is that for a lot of people (i.e., those listening), the electric guitar sound they expect to hear has delay in it. Not that they know that, and, maybe, not that you realize, until you start to use it here and there. Next thing you know, it's like the compressor or light OD/boost - it's part of your sound.

If you're feeling guilty, just clip the LED leads . Nobody has to know.

[VENTgtr]

Boss DD3 or DD7s are both good. Depends on how long of a delay you want. I use the DD3. Boss stuff is always solid. For example, DOD delays, effect-wise, are great, but the switches tend to go. I have 3 of them in my basement just from the last few years that don't switch off and are a pain to fix.

The Dano PB & J Pedal (Light Blue one), for being so cheap, works really well and you can set it to have 2 delay types, one longer, one shorter. I got it as a quick fill in when I needed something in a pinch and still carry it in case of an emergency.

Have heard those little Guyatones are good, but not familiar myself.

[boof]

Originally Posted by midifarm

So I pulled the trigger on the Empress and I can say that I'm empressed! For all the money I'd shell out trying various delays, the time, etc. paying the $450 for this beast is money well spent. Easily one of my favorites. Permanent spot on my board.

ohhhh sweet....... Im impressed.. with that many features I am disappointed that it isnt midi to really take advantage of all the different modes. but the actual sounds from that thing are incredible.

YouTube - Empress Superdelay

YouTube - Empress Superdelay

and the vintage mod

YouTube - Empress Vintage Modified Superdelay

YouTube - Empress Vintage Modified Superdelay