Delay suggestions?

[buzzy]

I am slowly building a collection of pedals and am interested in delay opinions.  We play so infrequently now that this effort is geared (pun!) more toward fun & home recording.  

I haven't set a budget and I'm not constrained by space, yet.  I plan on buying the delay after I get a board that will fit all of my stuff.  Right now, I'm using a Roland Space Echo RE-201 that I bought new in the early 80's.  It's fine for home but I don't like lugging it around.

Will just any delay do both a good slapback and a long delay?

[rockabilly69]

6 hours ago, buzzy said:

I am slowly building a collection of pedals and am interested in delay opinions.  We play so infrequently now that this effort is geared (pun!) more toward fun & home recording.  

I haven't set a budget and I'm not constrained by space, yet.  I plan on buying the delay after I get a board that will fit all of my stuff.  Right now, I'm using a Roland Space Echo RE-201 that I bought new in the early 80's.  It's fine for home but I don't like lugging it around.

Will just any delay do both a good slapback and a long delay?

The pedal version of the vintage Space Echo, the Boss RE20, is fantastic at replicating that tone. I've been using it for years!

 

The Keeley Delay Station is a great pedal that does Reverb and Delay! The Keeley does 8 different reverbs and as many delays. I've been using it on my acoustic board since I started my winter season this Dec and I LOVE It! The top row of knobs are for the reverbs, and the bottom row is for the delays.

 

Both of these Delays are fantastic at slapbacks and longer elays. And both also feature Tap Tempo.

[buzzy]

Thanks, I really appreciate your input.  I am biased toward the Roland and now I'm more comfortable if I eventually choose the RE-20.

[notbillgelder]

My two favorite delays are MXR carbon copy, and the Wampler faux tape echo. I use the MXR for short slap back delays, and the Wampler for long spacey stuff.

 

 

[buzzy]

Thanks

I'll be borrowing a Carbon Copy before I buy anything.  It's the only other delay for which I have access.

 

Many, many years ago, I was inspired by a Pat Travers gear rundown and used a slapback on a clean channel to accent my dirt channel.  So long ago that I don't remember if I really liked it or just the idea that I was trying to be like Travers.

[Kuz]

Strymon Timeline, boom period!

[Yooper]

If budget and space matter, the Carbon Copy does the trick, and is still the choice of many pros.

[DetroitBlues]

there are a lot of guys here with very distinctive tastes and needs for somewhat complicated Delays.

 

I use a very cheap, simple, quiet DeltaLabs Digital Delay.

[goSteelers]

I think the first thing you need to decide is analog vs digital.  Digital delays are more flexible and configurable, and you will think they sound great -- and then listen to an analog delay, and you may change your mind.

Everyone has different preferences and ears, but to me, I think most anything analog sounds better than digital.  They sound different, to be sure, so it's all a matter of what you like.  Digital delays will tend to be cleaner, have more high end, etc, but analog will sound warmer -- perhaps more appropriate for guitar.

Now there are digital delays on the market that have "analog emulation" settings.  I haven't heard any of those -- they may do a "good enough" job -- but again, to my ears, anything digital that tries to emulate analog falls short.

Digital delays will tend have more options and be more configurable -- even programmable, which is important if you need to change settings quickly and reliably.  As much as I think it sounds better, I just swapped my analog chorus out for a digital one, because I need that programmability.     There are some companies out there (Chase Bliss being one of them) that specialize in digital control of analog circuits -- maybe offering the  best of both worlds -- but usually at a steep price.

Some of the major retailers web sites will allow you to view delays, choruses, etc, distinguishing between analog and digital, so you can get some idea.

[ElNumero]

BOSS DD-7 

[buzzy]

5 hours ago, ElNumero said:

BOSS DD-7 

 

Ummm, after seeing the price on that Strymon (which looks incredible)

maybe I should pick the Boss and pay for some lessons until the skill justifies the gear.

 

Thanks for the many responses.  

[buzzy]

17 hours ago, goSteelers said:

I think the first thing you need to decide is analog vs digital.  Digital delays are more flexible and configurable, and you will think they sound great -- and then listen to an analog delay, and you may change your mind.

 

Thanks.  You've hit an unintended target!  In my case, listening may be a diminishing skill that I will need to sharpen with more frequent practice at volume and especially in the mix.  Either I've had a couple of off days or I stink at dialing in the sound in my head.  But it's been almost six months since I've regularly plugged in and turned up.  

 

Could be a knee-jerk reaction to a couple "Yikes, is that me that sounds so bad?" moments.  

[cobo]

My two favorite delays are MXR carbon copy, and the Wampler faux tape echo. I use the MXR for short slap back delays, and the Wampler for long spacey stuff.

 
 

Hey, I recognize that Wampler ... [emoji57]

Glad to hear that’s working well for you, Bill.


Colm

[RJLII]

I used to have a Carbon Copy. I'm told it's a great pedal. I could never get the hand of it and sold it to a fellow HOC member.

[bolero]

I have a bunch of delays including real tape, but if I were to buy one unit for home recording, it would be an Eventide Timelfactor

stupidly versatile, stereo in/outs, MIDI, CV controllable, patch saving, and sounds incredible on much more than just guitar

try one out

ah here is a link:

https://www.eventideaudio.com/products/stompboxes/delay-stompbox/timefactor

ps that is good to know about the Roland RE20 pedal, I've always wondered how they compared to the real thing!

[Anthony]

I am very happy with the Moog Minifooger analog delay. It has a great decay where the repeats "become darker, naturally trailing into a beautiful warmth and character..."

The expression pedal varies either the time or feedback. There is an internal switch to choose either. (I just wish the switch was on the outside).

I keep it set to a very light single short repeat then I can swell to a longer single repeat for solo stuff with the expression pedal.

[greatmutah2112]

I absolutely LOVE my Strymon El Capistan.  More based off a digital model of an old tape delay, but it sounds fantastic and is built well.  I use it for beefing up solos or for running dotted 8th repeats on cleaner things.  

[les paulverizer]

I hate stating the obvious as it seems to be the delay of choice of 1.000.000 players, but hand on heart I can honestly say that the MXR Carbon Copy (which I have on my "big pedalboard for big gigs") satisfies all my Delay/Echo needs; I found a setting on it that simply NAILS the "Van Halen 1" echo-thing, I just leave it there and it's very dynamic so I can adapt it to whatever tune I'm playing  just by hitting the strings slightly differently just like that record where Ted Templeman set the echo and kept it for every tune and it fits everything, wether the guitar parts are loud, quiet, fast, slow etc. etc.

I have to say that 70/80% of the time I go dry with only a tiny hint of reverb from the amp, however when I need some Delay/Echo, whether I'm playing a Rock, Reggae, Blues, Funky passage or anything else, I step on the Carbon Copy and it's just...right! What also helps is that the sound is so warm it could melt ice creams within a 4 miles radius, so it complements that Les Paul + Marshall or Vox combination beautifully.

Another unit I really like is the TC Electronic Alter Ego. It's definitely a different beast altogether as A) it's digital B) there are so many more options available on that pedal it's crazy(!) however it sounds very delicious, it's very compact so I have it fitted to my "fly gig" pedalboard and although way more "pronounced" than the MXR it serves the purpose very, very well indeed! 

Neither of those units is what I would call "expensive" and I highly recommend either one of them or, as in my case.....both!