Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Any experiences with this pedal?

Reliability issues?

I'm not sure what to think because you have some people saying they have been using the pedal 10 years without a problem, and others saying they went through 4 in 2 years. It seems its either really good reliability or really bad.

I am looking at getting a delay in the future (don't have one now) and looking at 2 of my favorite delay tones, both guitarists used the DL4 on the recordings.

 

[SteveAlysis]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

The switches are crap. I used to use two at once, and had switches go on both. The swell delay setting is kick arse. The analog and echo settings are ok. The digital has this weird, metallic decay that bothers me. The looper great.

If I ever have to downgreade the board again, I wouldnt mind using one as the main.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

I love mine. The switches go bad after about 5 years- I replaced them myself (and put super cool blue LEDs in). I love the looper. I have also owned many more expensive delays and keep coming back to the DL4.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

All the 4 button L6 pedals are prone to issues...

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

The guitar player in my daughter's band has gone through three of them due to switch failures. Before he bought the third one I tried to get him to contact one of the dudes (suggested by Christian) that replaces the switches on DL-4s. He didn't do it.

DL-4s are on all the pedal boards at the church I attend and they sound very good. In a band mix with everything mic'd any possible Line 6 tone suck isn't really evident.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

I never had a single problem with my DL-4 in terms of reliability.

But in terms of tone and ease of use I like my Deluxe Memory Man much, much more and sold the DL-4 after getting the Memory Man. Love those knobs - so much easier to adjust during a live performance. And I like the tone of the MM much more and the way I can use it as a clean boost.

The MM doesn't do the loop thing but as it turned out I got tired of that function of the DL-4 anyway.

 

[thespricket]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

I work for GC and I've sold quite a few of them, I've also heard a great deal about their reliability issues. People buying several of them, because of them breaking down. There are a few other delays that give you some of the same options. I use the Duncan Dejavu Delay, you don't have the option to save presets but its got TRUE analog delay and digital delay that you can blend. It's also got a very limited looping feature and tap tempo delay time. Ever since GC was blowing them out they may be going for a bit cheaper. I got mine for 50 bucks.

 

[Kam]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

Here's a thread I started a while ago, when I was concidering getting one. There's some valuable posts in there.

For what it's worth, I ended up getting a Boss DD-20, pretty much by accident. I'm totally happy with it and have no plans to replace or sell it. I use it every day for looping and every delay sound you can imagine, and I've still barely scratched the surface of what it's capable of.

I've never played a DL-4, but I'd really love to take one for a spin sometime.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

The DL-4 is no longer the new kid on the block, so disrespect is sometimes thrown its way.

I've had mine since 2001. No problems. It's permanently in the effects loop of my Princeton Recording Amp, but I've used it with success in front of my Class 5, my Blues Jr. and other amps.

When it came out, it was something (relatively) new for a pedal: Digital emulations of classic delays, the ability to save presets and a looper to boot. It was something of a game-changer. These days, that sort of thing is taken for granted, or at least expected. But I remember being skeptical that this then-new company, Line 6, could do everything it said it could do in a pedal.

The DL-4 is all about options in the land of delay. The looper is fun, too.

 

[B2D]

Re: Line 6 DL4 Opinions/Reliability?

Here's a thread I started a while ago, when I was concidering getting one. There's some valuable posts in there.

For what it's worth, I ended up getting a Boss DD-20, pretty much by accident. I'm totally happy with it and have no plans to replace or sell it. I use it every day for looping and every delay sound you can imagine, and I've still barely scratched the surface of what it's capable of.

I've never played a DL-4, but I'd really love to take one for a spin sometime.

Back in about 2005, I decided to get a new delay pedal and it came down to the Boss DD20 and the DL4. I went with the DD20 as it was lighter, smaller, and tonally a tad better to my ears. However, the DL4 was and is much easier to use.

The switches are the weak point... thought I think Line 6 has tried to correct this in later years. It's a great pedal overall. You see it on so many boards for a reason.