Best Simple Delay pedal

[Sam SG]

I'm looking into getting a new delay. Simply the only thing I use a delay for is an echo trail for certain lead solos. Nothing more nothing less. No dotted 1/8 no infinite echo no rockabilly stuff. No tap tempo PLEASE NO.. Just an old fashion repeat and a half or so trail.
I currently have an EH memory toy and it does the job but has a weird artifact in the tone when i play certain licks.
Befor that I had a Digitech X series, on tape echo it sounded nice BUT... it would periodically go into tap tempo if I pressed it too long when turning it off, then I'd end up with a horrid mess of out of time delay I couldn't turn off( which may or may not have resulted in it getting unplugged and thrown off stage)lol
So what is a good simple on trick pony delay. True bypass is a HUGE plus, as I have 2 buffered pedals on the board allready.

 

[Securb]

Great delay and they can be found under $100 used

 

[Mincer]

I'd think you'd want a digital delay, not the darker, grittier analog stuff.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Carbon Copy is a great answer. In fact, I'm looking to do away with my Carbon Copy Deluxe in favor of the original for a couple of reasons.

 

[jeremy]

i like the carbon copy and still have one, but i like the duncan vapor trail better. i have two of those. for what you are looking at, id get a boss digital delay unless you want the analog artifacts that come with bucket brigade tech

 

[Securb]

Carbon Copy is a great answer. In fact, I'm looking to do away with my Carbon Copy Deluxe in favor of the original for a couple of reasons.

I love mine, it is so easy to use. However, since getting the H9/H90 I use the Eventides for delay, and the Carbon Copy is on my bass player's board. I love the H9, but I sometimes miss the ease of use of the Carbon Copy and the ability to quickly tweak settings on the fly. My bass player is loving it.

 

[GuitarStv]

The carbon copy can sound great in some circumstances. It tends to be a little dark for my tastes though. Honestly, I've heard some decent dirt cheap 20$ Chinese delay pedals - if you don't need any bells/whistles, there are several I've tried that come with true bypass and do the simple delay thing really well.

 

[Mincer]

I'd go with a Flashback Mini, as you have a lot of choices how you want your delay to sound...and it is cheap.

 

[Hsb]

Ill throw another vote in for the Carbon Copy, I have the mini when Im using my amp and very happy with it.

 

[Seashore]

Carbon Copy only works in some situations. I am among those who find it too dark to work everywhere. I actually prefer the sound of the Memory Toy (although its output level is a bit different from the bypassed signal, which ticks me off).

Barebones clean repeats - Boss DD3. This is plain Jane but it works basically everywhere if you dial the level in right.

 

[beaubrummels]

I use an Alter Ego for this. It has a programmable slot where I can inject a Tone Print. I use a digital TC 2290 Tone Print and have the knobs set to combine modulation amount, depth and rate on one knob. So I just shift it to the tempo I want and it's perfectly set for what I use for that tempo.

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, any TC Electronics Delay that allows you to store a Tone Print is a great choice. Just add the kind of delay that you want, and store it. Then just plug and play after that. Want a dark analog delay? What a superclean digital delay? Your choice.

 

[marcello252]

Yeah, any TC Electronics Delay that allows you to store a Tone Print is a great choice. Just add the kind of delay that you want, and store it. Then just plug and play after that. Want a dark analog delay? What a superclean digital delay? Your choice.

^ THIS

if you can find a 2nd hand Alter Ego 2 you can get one of the best delay pedal around, loaded with beautiful vintage delays and, in case you want a plain one, just download it in the toneprint slot (I have te 2290 with no modulation for example), but hurry up, TC is going to disappear soon in the form we all know, eaten by behringer, and I don't know how long toneprints will be supported

 

[Mincer]

^ THIS

if you can find a 2nd hand Alter Ego 2 you can get one of the best delay pedal around, loaded with beautiful vintage delays and, in case you want a plain one, just download it in the toneprint slot (I have te 2290 with no modulation for example), but hurry up, TC is going to disappear soon in the form we all know, eaten by behringer, and I don't know how long toneprints will be supported

Oh, I hadn't heard that. I liked their Plethora pedals, but they should have had drives on them.

 

[Sam SG]

Hum ill have to try the MXR out. Maybe the DD3 too. Not sure if I want analog or digital. All I know is I liked the tape echo on my old digitech and I like real tape echo. So im assuming analog

 

[Securb]

Hum ill have to try the MXR out. Maybe the DD3 too. Not sure if I want analog or digital. All I know is I liked the tape echo on my old digitech and I like real tape echo. So im assuming analog

The MOD button on the Carbon Copy adds tape wobble

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay pedal is known for adding tape wobble to its repeats when the modulation switch is engaged. This feature emulates the imperfections of vintage tape echo units, creating a "wow and flutter" effect. The modulation can be subtle or more pronounced depending on the settings of the pedal's internal trim pots for depth and rate

 

[Mincer]

Hum ill have to try the MXR out. Maybe the DD3 too. Not sure if I want analog or digital. All I know is I liked the tape echo on my old digitech and I like real tape echo. So im assuming analog

It isn't as clear as that, as modern digital delays can mimic the analog sound pretty well. There is also a difference between an analog tape delay (which has tape saturation and 'wobble') and something like a Deluxe Memory Man, an analog delay that adds sort of 'chorus' to the delay repeats. My thought is get an all-around digital delay that can mimic all of the types well.

 

[jeremy]

i find there is a quality to a good analog bucket brigade delay, like the duncan vapor trail, that digital delays dont capture. though they get pretty close, and the more processed your sound, the less youll notice it. your audience wont notice it at all if you want simple, i really think a three knob analog or 4 knob boss delay is the way to go here depending on how clean you want the repeats.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Except for my old DD-6, I’ve found digital delays to have more unpleasant noise than my analog ones. It’s not a large sample size.

 

[Mincer]

For actual analog delays, I love the Vapor Trail. For more fancy delays, my favorite has been the DL4, either the old one or new one. I usually use mine hooked up to an expression pedal to control the level and feedback. But I get that many people just like simple delays, too. Thing is, the world of delay isn't really simple when you start digging into it. The Edge and Pink Floyd are very different and use delays in very different ways.
I usually use some sort of analog-ish slap back for old school rockabilly playing, and more fancy modulated delays for regular playing.