Strymon Brigader users - simpler and cheaper alternative

Zoolooter

I've had two Brigadiers over the years and sold them as it was too much of a delay pedal for my needs (and I needed the cash at the time). But, it did sound perfect. The thing is that once I found my sweet spot with the setting I hardly ever altered it, so not utilising and benefiting from everything else it could do. I also didn't and still don't need tap tempo.

So, I'm after something that has to be silent, no hiss whatsoever, and sounds 'natural' like the brigadier. I probably used it most between 300 and 700. 

Any ideas?

RandallFlagg

Zoolooter said:

I've had two Brigadiers over the years and sold them as it was too much of a delay pedal for my needs (and I needed the cash at the time). But, it did sound perfect. The thing is that once I found my sweet spot with the setting I hardly ever altered it, so not utilising and benefiting from everything else it could do. I also didn't and still don't need tap tempo.

So, I'm after something that has to be silent, no hiss whatsoever, and sounds 'natural' like the brigadier. I probably used it most between 300 and 700. 

Any ideas?

That's what a lot of people do isn't it? If you liked the sound of the Brigadier I would of thought you would want to keep it. Strymon are very high quality sounding pedals with a very low noise floor and nothing is going to sound exactly like it, maybe similar but not the same. 

NorthernStomps

In my opinion, if you like the brigadier get the brigadier

I’ve never really bought into this frame of mind where people say “I have X pedal and I’m selling it cos I don’t use every single function. I only use a handful which I absolutely love, but the options are too much for me”

Options aren’t there to be all used, they’re there so a wider audience can find the exact sound they’re looking for 

do you watch every single channel on your tv equally, at every single different volume, brightness, contrast and colour?

Do you play every single chord in every different tuning on your guitar?

Zoolooter

Doesn’t matter. I was Just asking if there is something similar in sound but cheaper because it has less options. 

DarnWeight

Alexander Pedals used to do an analog-style delay called the Amnesia, with a couple of different voicing options and DMM style modulation.  Might be worth keeping an eye out for a used one.

jellybelly

When I had one my Digitech Hardwire DL-8 compared very favourably on both the analog and lofi settings...

NorthernStomps

Well the Brigadier is a BBD so might be worth checking out the good old Carbon Copy. There’s a mini version and a deluxe version now, the latter having tap tempo 

or try and find a Malekko Ekko 616

Fuengi

I went through a similar quandary, but had both the Dig and the El Capistan.

I really liked both pedals but could not really justify having £500 worth of delays on my board to only occasionally use them. 

Eventually sold both and bought a EFX Grand Canyon which covers loads of ground very well and does everything I need and more for the price of one Strymon and is actually easier to store and recall presets.

I'm not sure you are going to gain a lot financially buy selling the Brigadier and buying another pedal unless you go for something like a used Memory Toy or maybe a Boss DM2 or even Mooer Ana Echo? All decent pedals. 

joetele

jellybelly said:

When I had one my Digitech Hardwire DL-8 compared very favourably on both the analog and lofi settings...

Seconded - really fantastic analog and lofi settings on the Hardwire, and free of any excess noise too. I actually prefer the analog setting to most of the analog pedals I've had. 

Fuengi said:

I went through a similar quandary, but had both the Dig and the El Capistan.

I really liked both pedals but could not really justify having £500 worth of delays on my board to only occasionally use them. 

Agreed with above. It's perfectly reasonable to not want to have £500 sitting on the board, most of which is being unused. It doesn't justify the price tag. Which is why I sold my Meris pedals and have gone for cheaper options which produce similar effects (especially when combined with other pedals). They're too much of a luxury for my current income/cash

mbwhite

I'm thinking about buying my third Brigadier. I've sold it two times for the same reasons you're looking for a cheaper alternative.
Between the first two I've bought and sold:
- Diamond Memory Lane jr. Way too much reverb on repeats.  I've had to set the mix really low in order to enjoy it.
- Chase Bliss Tonal Recall. I didn't like it at all because of the first repeat not being integrated into main sound the way I like it to be.
- Boss DM2w and MXR Carbon Copy. Same here, I've issues with the first repeat, and I was missing tap tempo.
- Strymon Timeline. It made sense, I spent more, but I had more. Really nice, but still not perfect as the Brigadier is.
- Strymon El Capistan. Almost same price, but more function and versatility, I was hoping to get two nice sounds with the favorite switch. Well, I didn't enjoy it.
- TC Flashback 2. Too many options.
- Boss DD7.  I'm using it right now. It's nice, versatile and reliable. But I must use an external tap tempo 


I know, it's expensive, it's the only Strymon pedal limited to a single sound and modulation is not good. But it's not easy at all to find a better sounding delay.

Zoolooter

mbwhite said:

I'm thinking about buying my third Brigadier. I've sold it two times for the same reasons you're looking for a cheaper alternative.
Between the first two I've bought and sold:
- Diamond Memory Lane jr. Way too much reverbs on repeats.  I've had to set the mix really low in order to enjoy it.
- Chase Bliss Tonal Recall. I didn't like it at all because of the first repeat not being integrated into main sound the way I like it to be.
- Boss DM2w and MXR Carbon Copy. Same here, I've issues with the first repeat, and I was missing tap tempo.
- Strymon Timeline. It made sense, I spent more, but I had more. Really nice, but still not perfect as the Brigadier is.
- Strymon El Capistan. Almost same price, but more function and versatility, I was hoping to get two nice sounds with the favorite switch. Well, I didn't enjoy it.
- TC Flashback 2. Too many options.
- Boss DD7.  I'm using it right now. It's nice, versatile and reliable. But having an external tap tempo 


I know, it's expensive, it's the only Strymon pedal limited to a single sound and modulation is not good. But it's not easy at all to find a better sounding delay.

Just bought an Obscura and trying not to be disappointed before I plug it in when it arrives. The invaluable thing I thought with the Brigadier was in the 'secret settings' you could have the mix low but turn the volume up separately on the delay so you had more of the dry signal coming through unaffected. 

Sassafras

Zoolooter said:

mbwhite said:

I'm thinking about buying my third Brigadier. I've sold it two times for the same reasons you're looking for a cheaper alternative.
Between the first two I've bought and sold:
- Diamond Memory Lane jr. Way too much reverbs on repeats.  I've had to set the mix really low in order to enjoy it.
- Chase Bliss Tonal Recall. I didn't like it at all because of the first repeat not being integrated into main sound the way I like it to be.
- Boss DM2w and MXR Carbon Copy. Same here, I've issues with the first repeat, and I was missing tap tempo.
- Strymon Timeline. It made sense, I spent more, but I had more. Really nice, but still not perfect as the Brigadier is.
- Strymon El Capistan. Almost same price, but more function and versatility, I was hoping to get two nice sounds with the favorite switch. Well, I didn't enjoy it.
- TC Flashback 2. Too many options.
- Boss DD7.  I'm using it right now. It's nice, versatile and reliable. But having an external tap tempo 


I know, it's expensive, it's the only Strymon pedal limited to a single sound and modulation is not good. But it's not easy at all to find a better sounding delay.

Just bought an Obscura and trying not to be disappointed before I plug it in when it arrives. The invaluable thing I thought with the Brigadier was in the 'secret settings' you could have the mix low but turn the volume up separately on the delay so you had more of the dry signal coming through unaffected. 

I assume you'll be wanting to rehouse the Obscura as soon as it arrives so you don't subject anyone to its hideousness.
  

Zoolooter

@Sassafras  Well, it arrived this morning and so far I'm pleasantly surprised. But, of course it it remains it will require major obscuring. 

Sassafras

Zoolooter said:

@Sassafras  Well, it arrived this morning and so far I'm pleasantly surprised. But, of course it it remains it will require major obscuring. 

I've seen worse.
It's a good pedal, you can't fault it on sound.

Zoolooter

Sassafras said:

Zoolooter said:

@Sassafras  Well, it arrived this morning and so far I'm pleasantly surprised. But, of course it it remains it will require major obscuring. 

I've seen worse.
It's a good pedal, you can't fault it on sound.

Its now up for trade

Sassafras

I thought you were joking but I've just seen the listing.
Is it that bad looking?

WiresDreamDisasters

TBH, get the pedal you want the sound of. Otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy.

Zoolooter

Yeah, a real munter. Also not quite the sound I was after.

Lebarque

The answer to anything delay is MXR Echoplex. :0)

timbuk02

A TC Flashback mini?

There must be loads* of toneprints to choose from and once you find 'the one', you have the simple cheap alternative sorted?

(*Disclaimer - I don't own one but seems a plethora of choice which is then handily absent when you're actually playing guitar, so more playing, less twiddling)

Zoolooter

timbuk02 said:

A TC Flashback mini?

There must be loads* of toneprints to choose from and once you find 'the one', you have the simple cheap alternative sorted?

(*Disclaimer - I don't own one but seems a plethora of choice which is then handily absent when you're actually playing guitar, so more playing, less twiddling)

Well, the Flashback is one I mentioned  as a trade for the Obscura, for that very reason. There must be one toneprint that should suffice.