tell me all about your favorite delays!

[PFDarkside]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I'm a fan of analog and analog voiced pedals, The Boss DM series sounds great to me, I need to try the RetroSonic version. I also love the EHX DMM, that sound is just classic. HOwever, the delay that's always plugged in is the Echo Park. Sounds good, with a quick flip of the switch and a twist of the knob I can dial in digital style, modulation, analog or tape sim, tap quarters or dotted eighths. (not many pedals do that)

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

In a matter of months I went from having never played through a delay to having:

DD-3 (broken)--I bought it used from a guy and the power section went bad.

Line 6 Echo Park--also bought used. Very heavy for such a small pedal, but a lot of power.

DanElectro FAB Tone Echo--For 15 bucks, this thing is amazing. Cheesy as heck, but it does some pretty credible slap-back.

Rocktron Short-Timer--Absolutely one of the best delays out there. Limited in what it can do, but what it does--it does it very, very well. An incredible "BEST BUY" rating.

DD-3--I found another used one, but haven't even fired it up. I hope it holds up better than the other one.

DD-20--I bought this new pedal several months ago as kind of a throw-in to make a deal work, and been so busy that I haven't really scoped it out yet. One of the ideas in getting the DD-20 was to replace the Echo Park and the Rocktron with something that could do the job of both, and be lighter, and smaller.

But the Rocktron is SO good and so easy to use, it may not be coming off the pedalboard.

Bill

 

[wahwah]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

My favorite delays are some really old-school 12-bit rackmount things with a blue face plate. State of the art circa 1983.

Rid & WahWah... they probably know what I speak of... hahaha

Not gonna mention the name!

Old Korg SDD & the Rolands are really great too...

TC2290... killer. No filler.

That Echotone looks really hip... I haven't tried too many of the "new" delay stompboxes, my old Ibanez DDL keeps going & going... though it is getting a bit worn these days.

Hmmm....when I read "blue face plate," I immediately thought of the old MXR digital delay rackmount, then I thought maybe Delta Lab, although I don't remember them being blue. For state of the art early/mid 80's, I would have said AMS S-DMX, although that may have been a little later. I'm gonna stick with my first guess, the MXR!



Cheers....................................... wahwah

 

[Mincer]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I use a few:
A Line6 DL4 from the first year- I know people have problems with theirs, but as long as i replace the switches every year, it has been great. I love the looping, the tap tempo, the fact that it can double as a slow gear, chorus, auto-wah and overdrive (if set right). Expression pedal control over loop and delay volume is great- kinda the way steve morse uses his echos- the volume varies as he plays.
I also use a DD-20 Gigadelay, which is great for non-rhythmic looping, and some spacey sounds. The tap tempo is a little awkward, but it has lots of possibilites.

 

[vladmarr]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

has anyone given the MRX carbon copy a try? i'm thinking of replacing my Digidelay with one.

 

[vladmarr]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

My favorite delays are some really old-school 12-bit rackmount things with a blue face plate. State of the art circa 1983.
QUOTE]

are you talking about, the rockman SR&D stereo chrous and delay? i'm probably wrong

 

[gnoj_LL]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

i love my Guyatone MD-2. it's my best delay as for the moment. it's digital but very warm. well not technically.. actually its repeats is exactly the same as the original sound, not harsher nor rounder. it seems warm because it exactly replicates my amp's warmness. it's like having a 2nd guitarist exactly playing in delay with you.

i also use the echo of my Boss RV-2. altough you cant adjust the delay mix. i wish it does, but its perfect for what i play.

i usually use these two for a sublte delays, for slapback or just making my sound thicker. but they sound good in extreme settings specially the MD-2 :biglaugh:

for recording or headphone jamming, i always use my Boss GT-6. i love it in stereo-panning or what not. lots of features. delays can go extreme and over the top. it's fun to mess with.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I have an MD-2 too - it's perfectly decent. Does some nice near-oscillation sounds too.

 

[gnoj_LL]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I have an MD-2 too - it's perfectly decent. Does some nice near-oscillation sounds too.

the MD-2 self oscillation scares me men! hehe in a good way. wierd synth- like UFO sounds. not my sound, but fun to mess with. hehe

i also want to try out the newer MD-3. the only difference is the longer delay time. but i seldom use long delays. so im satisfied with the MD-2 =) actually the 30-800 msec is perfect for me

i also heard good reviews of the rocktron short-timer but never tried it yet. i also with i could try a real space echo like what milsart has...

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I don't like the runaway oscillation, but the MD-3 seems particularly easy to set just shy of that - you get these funny metallic trails that work well in ambient pieces without too many notes.

 

[gnoj_LL]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I don't like the runaway oscillation, but the MD-3 seems particularly easy to set just shy of that - you get these funny metallic trails that work well in ambient pieces without too many notes.

does your MD-2 distort when you set the feedback to max then let it self-oscilate. mine does, if you leave like that for 5 secs. the infinite loops then distorts. it could be an overload to one of the op-amps. that sound really scares me, to be honest. wierd! hehe

i hear they fixed that with the MD-3

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I don't recall it distorting - I'll dig it out and have a go.

 

[lex666]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I'm currently using a Boss DD3 - it sounds great and has served me well. The hold function is a neat feature and I use it sometimes to create a loop style effect.

I'm thinking about getting a MXR Carbon Copy tho, just to see what analog delays are like...

...and what I've been missing...

 

[Rich_S]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I've used a bunch: DM-2 back in the 80's (stolen), DD-2's, rack stuff. The DD-2 and DD-3 are great, bullet-proof pedals, but their repeats tend to be a bit bright and squeaky-clean. On the other hand, the 300msec you get out of many old-school analog delays can be a bit limiting at some times.

I presently have a Rocktron Short Timer on my board, and a DD-3 in the closet waiting to be installed. I might do a high-cut mod on the feedback before putting it into service, or maybe just leave it "digital" sounding to have a contrast with the Short Timer.

But seriously - pay attention - if you're just getting into delay and want to play around, the Short Timer is a great bargain. It's digital, but voiced kind lo-fi for a more analog sound. If you shop around, they are cheap used on eBay. Buy one, play around with it, figure out what you do and don't like, then spend some more $$$ if you're not happy. I've been quite satisfied with the two I've owned.

That said, I really want to try out a new MXR Carbon Copy. I could mount that AND my DD-3 in the space the Short Timer takes up.

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I'm trying to use the Ibanez DE-7 but I have big reliability issues with it... sometimes (like today on rehearsal) it decides to fail... I need to go and talk with the guys in the store - they claim they never found a problem with it... they should try running it for more then half an hour.

when it does work - it sounds pretty good, very warm and organic.

Something just doesn't work for me with Ibanez gear, not saying anything about the company but me and them we don't click, never got a product from them I like.

 

[J Moose]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

Hmmm....when I read "blue face plate," I immediately thought of the old MXR digital delay rackmount, then I thought maybe Delta Lab, although I don't remember them being blue. For state of the art early/mid 80's, I would have said AMS S-DMX, although that may have been a little later. I'm gonna stick with my first guess, the MXR!

Cheers....................................... wahwah

Well those are all pretty cool...

Though I wouldn't buy an AMS these days. Lovely sounding... but I don't think the parts are around anymore. That'd be an expensive boatanchor!

I forgot to mention the PCM41 & 42... the big guns. Never really topped, certainly not by anything Lexicon made afterwards either!

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I want to try an oilcan delay sometime.

 

[millsart]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I want to try an oilcan delay sometime.

Good luck finding the oil material to refill it with. Thats the big problem with those, they are next to impossible to service. You can pick them up fairly cheap but thats because they aren't working well.

I've been through a few Tel-Ray type units and could never find a suitable fluid for the canister.

They have a cool retro look, especially the Morley ones, but soundwise I was never impressed as I could never get oneto work correctly.

Unless you know what your getting into buying one, I would suggest they be avoided

 

[heymcz]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

I will...in a little while.

I really like the vintage Ibanez DL10, it's digital but not harsh at all. Only does 400ms and has tiny headroom issues, but that was enough for me...I need to pick up another at some point....

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: tell me all about your favorite delays!

Good luck finding the oil material to refill it with. Thats the big problem with those, they are next to impossible to service. You can pick them up fairly cheap but thats because they aren't working well.

I've been through a few Tel-Ray type units and could never find a suitable fluid for the canister.

According to Geofex, Tel-Ray sell the stuff - Union Carbide "Ucon" LB-65 - for $25 a can.