Best Delay Pedal for the $$

Whitty · November 2003

Hey,

I'm currently searching the the best delay pedal that is both not overly expensive, and is very versatile. Basically, I really like Mike's delay tones from the 2000 tour, which I think was a Boss DM-2 (expensive though). Any suggestions would be great. Keep in mind that I am from Canada......so what might be cheap for those of you in the US will not be as cheap where I am from.

Thanks in advance.

Peace,
-Mitch

Pacomc79 · November 2003

see Exhausted a fellow countryman with several delay pedals including the DM-2 which I believe he is selling.

Whitty · November 2003

Hey,

He may be selling the DM-2? Hopefully I could get a good old fashioned "Fellow Canuck" deal. Hopefully he'll check out this thread.

Thanks,
-Mitch

exhausted · November 2003

my DM-3 is on ebay sitting at $93US.

i bought it on ebay, tried it for an evening. struggled with it. messed with the trim pots trying to get a sound i liked and i couldn't do it. so it's on it's way out.

i prefered my DOD fx96 which is an analog with the same chip as the DM-2/3. i modified it to increase the delay time to beyond that which the DM-2/3 could do. of course, it's discontinued now and the prices are rising.

best for the money i would say is the danelectro dan-echo. digital delay with a high cut that does a really good impression of analog.

i currently use a line6 DL4 for all my delays parts from the odd use of the DOD. i haven't found anything that beats the versality. of course, it's $250US new but they're going for $200 or so on ebay.

Whitty · November 2003

Hey,

I've been hearing nothing but good things about the Boss DM-2/DM-3 pedals! I'm really looking for a solid analog delay, but if you couldn't get the right tone from it, then I doubt I could.

Thanks for the quick post about it.

Peace,
-Mitch

exhausted · November 2003

the DM-2 is known to sound better than the DM-3.

it's all just taste.

Whitty · November 2003

So tell more about the Dan Echo.

I've been reading the reviews from Harmony Central and they are mostly pretty positive. Do you own one? If so, are they a versatile pedal? Can you get some Johnny Greenwood style craziness with it? How about some "Mike McCready at the end of Parting Ways on TB2k" (Man, whatever he is doing it sounds cool).

Anyways, I'm definitely going to do more research on the Dan Echo. Hope you can answer my questions.

Peace,
-Mitch

exhausted · November 2003

you can't get the craziness out of a dan-echo since it is digital. the insanity comes from an analog circuit. that's the downfall of digital. it can mimic the "proper" operation of an analog but when it comes to self-oscillation and runaway feedback, digital can't do it.

they got some of that in the DL4 but it's not the same. the boss DD-20 can supposedly do it but i've not tried one yet.

for true analog with a long enough delay time and the fun of self-oscillation, the electro-harmonix deluxe memory man might do the trick. it's about $200US new. but, it's big, clunky and has a hard-wired AC lug which isn't fun. but it has 550ms of delay which is plenty i think. i used to have one and really liked the sound. but mine was older, and not true bypass so it caused all sorts of signal loss. the new ones are true bypass apparently.

the maxon analogs are overpriced in my opinion and, apart from the $350 AD900, you're only get 300ms of delay.

analog, no matter who makes it, is going to cost unfortunately.

Pacomc79 · November 2003

what about the guyatone MD-3 it self ocillates.

exhausted · November 2003

haven't tried the MD-3 so i can't comment.

mccreadyisgod · November 2003

I'd recommend the Dan Echo. Get that and use the snot out of it, then when you get ready to replace it you can buy a great unit, and you'll know what you want. The Dan Echo is well-made, and it sounds really good for a bare-bones delay pedal. The really good stuff can be $300-600 US, so get something good that will last you a while, and when you figure out the exact sound you want, get that. As for copying the DM-2, the Dan Echo will do it just as well as any other delay. I have an Ibanez DM1100, and it works beautifully, and I bought it for $100 US used. You might give eBay a try...

exhausted · November 2003

this is a good deal:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2573437109&category=41415

Pacomc79 · November 2003

Originally posted by exhausted
this is a good deal:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2573437109&category=41415

sweet.

62strat · November 2003

well my thoughts on the dm2....its so worth the money, i ended up getting it for 150 off ebay...very expensive iknow

but i just wanted to chime in, the dm2 i lvoe hte sound. i could get any kind of delay iw anted out of it! every place i put it in the chain i could get a different delay from it, and of course messing with the knobs...but there were extreme differences wether i put it at the end, begining or middle of my chain. I liked it. alot. its my baby. Ive had digital, and it is a nice clean delay effect...but thres not much i could do with it....i suppose they are really expensive.

Whitty · November 2003

Hey,

I've been checking into the Guyatone MD-3 delay pedals. They seem alright, but I've heard bad things about the battery compartments and complaints that using an AC adaptor with the pedal causes quite a hiss. Anyone here have an MD-3? They seem to be within my price range, and have the oscillation feature that I wanted to get out of an analog pedal.

-Mitch

Pacomc79 · November 2003

Originally posted by Whitty
Hey,

I've been checking into the Guyatone MD-3 delay pedals. They seem alright, but I've heard bad things about the battery compartments and complaints that using an AC adaptor with the pedal causes quite a hiss. Anyone here have an MD-3? They seem to be within my price range, and have the oscillation feature that I wanted to get out of an analog pedal.

-Mitch

I've heard the same. The hell with batteries. I don't like having to unplug everything all the time. What you need is an isolated (grounded, shielded) power source so you won't get interference. Adapters traditionally aren't but power boxes and line conditioners usually are. I'm going with the MD-3 I think because the circuit seems to be excellent. Well it's that or a rack delay/reverb which I hesitate to get because I don't have an effects loop and I don't know if I want to run it strait in.

Whitty · November 2003

Hey,

I've got an effects loop, so I hope the MD-3 will sound fine through that. I use my amp distortion because it's very nice, and I hope to be able to continue using it. I have a Boss Ds-1 in front of my amp for a boost, then I use the effect loop for other effects like my Phaser and my Digitech multi effects unit.

When are you getting your pedal? Be sure to let me know how it sounds.

Thanks,
-Mitch

Pacomc79 · November 2003

I have to unload my PH-3 and Dynacomp then I'll get it. I'm using it for mostly solos right now I'm using the echo from my BR-532 strait off the Microphone I'd rather have be more controlable.

PintoMusic · November 2003

I have a Dan-Echo. I have used it for some McCready-ish stuff.

I don't agree that the Dan-Echo is well made. In the first year I got mine, it went back for repairs 3 times. This was back in 1999 so maybe their quality-control has improved since then.

If you want maximum versatility for your dollar, look into getting a Behringer V-Amp2. It's an amp modeller similar to the Line6 POD. You can buy these in the USA for something like $130 and, if you're not into amp modelling, you can bypass the pre-amp and use it as a stereo effects unit only. Then you can program patches for all different types of delays, choruses, etc... and flip between them using the footswitch.

mccreadyisgod · November 2003

Originally posted by PintoMusic
I don't agree that the Dan-Echo is well made. In the first year I got mine, it went back for repairs 3 times. This was back in 1999 so maybe their quality-control has improved since then.

They've come a LONG way since then.... my friend uses a Danelectro Reverse-delay pedal for about 30% of his live show, and it works right every time, all the time. The earliest stuff when they first got back in business was pretty lame... their reissued guitars, their amps, and their effects. Now their guitars are great (for what they are, and for the price), their amps are decent, and their effects are fabulous. Except the mini pedals, which are still fun but aren't beefy or reliable. The Dan Echo is a good pedal these days...

PintoMusic · November 2003

Originally posted by mccreadyisgod
The earliest stuff when they first got back in business was pretty lame... their reissued guitars, their amps, and their effects. Now their guitars are great (for what they are, and for the price), their amps are decent, and their effects are fabulous.

You may be right. I believe Stone has a Dan-Echo in his pedal board so I suppose the newer ones can withstand the abuse of touring.

Pacomc79 · November 2003

but it's pastel purple. It looks like a fucking easter egg.

exhausted · November 2003

mine had eyore and piglet stickers on it.

Pacomc79 · November 2003

eyore fucking rocks.

exhausted · November 2003

my fabtone had winnie and tigger. ah memories.

Pacomc79 · November 2003

were you 5 when you started playing? :rolleyes:

exhausted · November 2003

a dagger in my heart.

Pacomc79 · November 2003

Originally posted by exhausted
a dagger in my heart.

I was kidding. My guitar room is the hundred acre wood.

mccreadyisgod · November 2003

Haven't we discussed the stickers on the Dan-Echo already?

Besides, you can always take and paint the mofo. Get out the acrylics, and go to town.

Best Delay Pedal for the $$

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