Delay - What do I want?

guitarmanessex89

Hi guys and girls,

I'm not new to playing and have played in a semi-pro context, but am struggling to work out which delay pedal I want on my board.

I play a lot of genres and like rich,organic sounds. However, I hate kicking a pedal on and feeling everything get a bit muffled.

I had my main pedalboard stolen from my car a while ago and have since replaced most of it - I used to have an MXR Carbon Copy.

Today I tried:

Strymon 'Dig' - very transparent with nice repeats, but £300 for something which doesn't add much to your tone makes me wonder (I probably liked this the best, and a guy came into the booth to tell me how good it sounded).

TC Electronic 'Flashback' - I liked the modulated setting at the top and the first 2290 setting, but it really felt quite digital - there was a certain harshness I couldn't dial out.

Dunlop 'Echoplex EP103' - nice repeats, but it seemed excessively bright.

Boss 'DM2-W' - I liked the core tone. Very thick sounding, but the delays were limited.

My primary intention is to add ambience to clean and driven sounds, and body to driven lead sounds without everything getting muddy. I always run delay in the effects loop.

I'm considering a Belle Epoch, but again worried that I'll lose clarity - I have an EP booster so perhaps a transparent delay in the loop and the EP in the front of the amp with the gain set very low will be my best option for those sounds?

I love cheesy 80's delays. The stadium thing, and guys like Dann Huff and Mike Landau, Steve Rothery, Steve Lukather, John Norum, Neal Schon, Michael Lee Firkins and SO many more.

I occasionally go stereo with two amps, which I know contributes toward that spread.

I have no inclination or use for washed out sounds and will never try to emulate The Edge or Jonny Greenwood etc. 

In short, I want a really great sounding delay that doesn't get in the way, and works well with a variety of sounds. That certain  polish and magic it can add to a lead tone without taking over, especially.

What do you fine people recommend?

Thanks in advance!

sweepy

For the artists you list, I’d go for a s/h Strymon tbh although a TC Flashback or Boss DD500 would be a good alternative.

Wazmeister

If I were you, Id go for one of the cleaner 2290 type digital based delays; the Dig will get you there, and the best in this field is the Free The Tone Flight Time. Very clear and 3D.

Avoid Analogue types, as a general rule.

Also, not all effecs loops are ‘equal’; I generally prefer running before my amps, as the loop can muddy some delay sounds, imho...

Keefy

It might help us to know what else is in your rig - guitar(s), amp, and particularly drive pedals.

Are you also using reverb? If so, from the amp or from a pedal? Reverb would be another way to create ambience.

I'm a bit puzzled when you say of the Boss DM-2w that 'the delays were limited' - do you mean the max delay time? The 'S' mode gives you up to 300ms like the old DM-2 and DM-3, but the 'C' mode can produce delays up to about 800ms and is voiced somewhat brighter. 800ms will give you an echo on the beat at tempos as low as 75bpm, plenty slow enough for a ballad.

Although most analog delays give significantly darker repeats than digital, I find this lets them sit behind the dry signal without cluttering it up.

kennedydream1980

Digitech Hardwire DL8, works for Lukather :-)

ab2017

Boss DD-20 for around £100 if you look s/h although I was having the same kind of request a few weeks back look at my thread. I went with tech 21 boost DLA and that works for me. I too was considering belle epoch as Richard Fortus uses one and I liked the sound of it. Tap tempo is an important consideration. Wouldn't bother with Strymon too many bells and whistles and had no mojo with me.

Beexter

I know you tried it but be aware that you can make a lot of changes to the Flashback via the software tone editor. You can really deep edit to get what you want and then save it as a preset so you only need to do it once. 
I'd be really surprised if you couldn't get what you want from it once you go into the software . You might even find a toneprint already exists .

Majorscale

Try and pick up a used T-Rex Replica... probably exactly what you are looking for from a delay, with a beautiful tone and these are quite reasonable on the used market compared to to the new price.

Majorscale

P.s. I have a Replica and a Belle Epoch. The Belle is very nice too but adds a tonne of EP warmth and is a lot darker/fuzzier than the Replica so based on your needs I’d not do the Belle.

Zoolooter

A secondhand Strymon Brigadier - analog voiced without the noise. My search stopped with this one. 

EricTheWeary

If you liked your CC but maybe it was a bit dark then there’s the CC Bright or the CC Deluxe which would give you the choice and a few other options. 

I’m not sure I quite get the Dig ( just from YouTube demos), certainly seems to need some knob twiddling to get it to do interesting stuff. And perhaps not surprising that the shop guy thought the most expensive pedal sounded the best...

ICBM

Boss DD-7. It has a similar range of sounds to the Flashback but doesn't sound as artificial.

Or even an old DD-2/DD-3 - very simple, just does one thing, but has a very clear and yet warm tone.

Having just tried the Belle Epoch, you don't want that. I didn't try it in an FX loop but it's highly unlikely it would work, it adds a lot of dirt even in front of the amp - it's pretty much the opposite of that clean 80s delay sound.

Teetonetal

Empress Tape delay if you want tape style delay, a Boss DDx type if you want digital.

meltedbuzzbox

I'd say a boss of some sort if you want sterile clean or a rubberneck if you want all the perks of analogue/the carbon copy with a tone knob and other options

english_bob

Or even an old DD-2/DD-3 - very simple, just does one thing, but has a very clear and yet warm tone.

Yep. Absolutely no frills, but a really good sounding delay that should tick the "cheesy (in a good way) 80s" boxes. 

If having several preset sounds is a requirement, the DD-20 is a good step up from the DD-3- still sounds good, still very simple to use, but has some of the "mod cons" the DD-3 doesn't. 

FWIW, it's probably worth making a feature set "wish list"- do you need presets? tap tempo? stereo in/out?

Kebabkid

How you doing J and great taste in guitarists there

I'm surprised by the Flashback and agree with a comment here that it can be edited and just lower your level

Boss DD-500 will give you a lot and the Hardwire is a great delay for the money

Take a look at the Providence Chrono Delay. You get a choice of 2 delays via the footswitch and it's a small footprint.
You have a choice of tapping in the delay and a BPM or a milliseconds read out. The Mix selector and Echo Hardness controls are very useful for balancing how prominent or soft you want the delay to be. If interested, just note that the power supply is 12v DC (coaxial connection - negative pole inside, included) but Power Consumption is relatively low at 110 mA

I can also recommend the Diamond Memory Lane Jr for delay that adds something really nice but doesn't get in the way.

Other than that, a good Ducking Delay setting might be what you need.

All the best with your search and let us know what you settle on

fretfinder

It’s worth trying a Wampler Faux Analog Echo imho. 

ChrisCox1994

Boss DD500 / Strymon El Cap / providence chrono / Timeline 

Dopesick

Digitech Obscura is the best value for money delay out there. Tape, Analog, Lo-Fi, Reverse delay, Trails, Tap Tempo (albeit a pain to use) and all in a small package. The Tape and Analog settings are particularly excellent. Bargain.

I'm currently on my fourth! I can't help but go back to it every time...

For digital delay, get a Memory Man w/ Hazarai!

Travisthedog

Way Huge Supa Puss.....

UnclePsychosis

Another vote for one of: Boss DD-3 / DD-7 / DD-20/ DD-500.

My personal favourite delay is the RE-20 but that's not what you're looking for.