I need a delay - and your suggestions

[rossalex]

So i need a delay pedal but i've never bought one before. I'm not looking for anything fancy or boutique, and truthfully, it needs to be CHEAP.

The one I'm looking at right now it the Electro Harmonix Memory Toy - http://proguitarshop.com/store/effects-delay-pedals-c-602_9/electro-harmonix-memory-toy-analog-delay-p-1273
My concern is that it may not have a long enough delay time for some of the more psychedelic stuff my band plays, but otherwise it sounds pretty good to me. I need something that will work well with clean tones and medium to high gain.

Is there a major preference of analog delays over digital delays? I know the Boss DD3 is very popular but the word digital scares me. What are your delay experiences?

Thank you,
Ross

 

[Cagey]

I'd worry about that delay time, too. 550ms is only a half-second, not much longer than a slapback. That's a useful effect in itself, but it pretty much leaves out any kind of psychedelic stuff. Thing is, longer delays in analog devices require additional "bucket brigade" chips, and in digital delays, more memory. Either way, price starts climbing.

If price is a concern, start scrounging around Craig's List or eBay. I just had a quickie look on Craig's List, and found a Digitech RP350 for $100. One of those would not only get you a 5 second delay, it gets you about a million other things as well. Also found a Boss DD-5 for $70, and a DD-6 for $75 before I quit looking.

Personally, having had tape, analog and digital delays starting from back in the days of the Maestro Echoplex...

... I don't care if I ever have another tape or analog device. The frequency response, signal-to-noise ratio, dynamic range, etc. are just abysmal on most of those things. The digital stuff is much better if you want to preserve your tone as well as keep from adding any kind of noise.

 

[Velcro]

Most cheap delays are quite bad, so I would save up for a better one. Also hopefully if you type memory toy or just delay mods into google you should get some diagrams of how to wire a pedal for longer delay. I learnt how to do it years ago. That could be a possibility but might void any warranties.

 

[AutoBat]

I still like my Danelectro Dan-Echo DE-1
I've been using it for about 13 years or so, It's got a very wide range to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW9RhBkHPzg

 

[Superlizard]

True, with the analog esp. you gotta fork over more $$$ for longer delay times.

~200ms "slapback", ~300ms "Boston-delay" and ~400ms "standard delay w/ separate, discernable repeat".  Anything past that and you're talking "spacey".

Unless you're shooting for "that 80's sound" I would avoid digital delay.  Digital certainly
has its uses and niche but overall nothing beats the smooth elastic warmth of analog delay.

Consider the MXR Carbon Copy - try it out at your local store; they're everywhere.  Note that
as you up the delay time, the repeats are less discernable, so you have to up the mix amount.

For more $, I hear the T-Rex Replica or Reptile are great.

 

[Justinginn]

If you like to do anything with rhythmic delay (think the Edge) or if you play music in Church ever, you MUST have a delay with tap tempo. To be honest, I can't imagine using one without. It's very important for a lot of delay styles to be in sync with the music and it's rude for the guitar player to insist on starting every song just to keep the band in time with his delay. It makes sense to have tap. Which means you'll need something digital and probably over $120, but those have models of analog delays which will sound more than good enough in almost any situation.

 

[reinhold]

Check out the Digitech Hardwire DL-8.  It's a true bypass, analog delay/looper for only about 150 dollars.

 

[smavridis]

line 6 dl-4 is my favorite and the favorite of everyone who works in my Musical Instruments dept. it just sounds right for a digi and it has lots of options. clapton uses it.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

The MXR Carbon Copy is the analog delay that gets the most verbage around my parts.  Nice thing that goes for 150 new or 100 on ebay if you wait for one.  You can crank the delay time back so it sounds like slapback reberb, or have it do more of the psychedelic stuff (goes to 600 msec delay time).  In general delays are not cheap due to the high part counts.   I have built one and the kit was around 100 bucks, and it had an insane amount of parts in it.  Beyond that there are a couple of analog delays you can make with delays of over a second.  But as stated before, there are a lot of parts and the cost is still pricey.
Patrick

 

[TJD]

I'm really hot for the Vox Time Machine...really useful and has some unique features..you can check it on youtube yourself of course.. but it has a switch that lengthens delay time in exact increments so you can switch on the fly during a song and still match it to to beat/tempo. It also has a switch for classic/analog and digital (like the awesome 80's!!). I think around 3 seconds of delay too...kinda expensive but seems worth saving up a little.

 

[jalane]

Consider the MXR Carbon Copy - try it out at your local store; they're everywhere.  Note that
as you up the delay time, the repeats are less discernable, so you have to up the mix amount.

For more $, I hear the T-Rex Replica or Reptile are great.

+1 on both.  I have the T-Rex Replica, sounds like you're looking for something cheaper but it sounds incredible.  it blows me away how good it sounds in so many different applications: clean delays, slap-back, analogue decaying, multi-rhythmic stuff, and if you're into that sort of thing, the crazy feedback infinity thing.  Basically, it will be as bad as you wanna be, and will do so sounding better than any other delay i've ever heard.

For about 1/3 of the price, the Carbon Copy is no slouch.  It's more of a one-trick pony (i.e. warm sounding analog repeats with less available delay time) but it does that trick very nicely. 

 

[rossalex]

Thank you all for your responses/input/knowledge! I sincerely appreciate them. The reason I'm trying to keep the price down is because im in school right now, and not working, so my income is shitee. The Dan-Echo sounded great! I'm getting a lot of reponses for the Carbon Copy delay, and i must admit it also sounds great, but my concern is that i've heard it sounds bad with distortion. I'm also getting a few suggestions for the Digitech Hardwire DL8. I'm starting to think this is the one for me. It has 11 delay types/seven delay algorithms (Digital, Analog, Tape, Modulated, Lo Fi, Reverse, and Loop). 8 seconds of delay and 20 seconds of loop.

Check out PGS video demo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSBmy9mGeb0
IN ANDY WE TRUST.

I haven't made a decision yet, i have more research/field testing to do, so please keep delay info coming!

 

[tfarny]

I recently got an MXR carbon copy and it is simple, sounds great, quiet, and awesome. Not sure if the delays are long enough for you, but it sure sounds good.

 

[pabloman]

Definately go analog. I have a Retro-Sonic delay and it is great. It is really quiet too. The biggest knock on it is price. Without checking specs on it, If I remember correctly I'm pretty sure it has 600 ms of delay from 2 chips. I liked it because it's quiet. I'm thinkin about pickin up one of the Carbon Copy pedals too. Those are really nice and I seem to be on my way to having a second pedalboard with nothing but MXR and Dunlop stuff.