Picking a delay

I spent a lot of time looking into delays during my post-rock guitaring days---my favorite delay ever is the Ibanez DE7. You would have to track one down used, but they're normally less than $50. They'll do digital delay just fine, but they also have a switch that turns it into a GREAT analog sim. Like so great that I had a EHX DMM and a Boss DM-2 (both $250+ analog delays) and I sold both of them because I stepped on the DE7 more often.

 

If you can find one old ibanez first generation digital delay pedals are sick, i have one and it can do some crazy stuff. They only cost about $70 too which is nice.

 

I had one of those. The light green one with the offset footswitch. It was great. No idea where it went.

 

There are some on Evilbay.

Also check your local craigslist. One showed up in Atlanta a few weeks ago---I was tempted to buy a second one.

 

line 6 echopark!! Tap tempo built in and nice modelling sound.

 

I'd be the first to say Line 6 Echo Park, but I'm gassing myself to try out flashback. Echo Park is a great choice too though. Awesome tape delay mode and easilly accessable tap tempo.

 

The Marshall Echohead is a rarely-mentionned delay pedal on bass and frankly, it does the job quite nicely and its 6 modes all work well with bass. The hi-fi mode is crisp and precise, the analogue and tape modes have a nice warmness while the other 3 modes offer interesting possibilities. Quality-wise, the thing is built like a weapon.

 

I LOVE the subdecay echobox they dont make it anymore but it's a really good delay.

 

+1. Super versatile and fairly inexpensive. Comparable pocket change to the CC and FB, probably less. The tap tempo is pretty neat too. I was skeptical upon my go at it, but it works so simply and the stereo out option makes for a powerful unit at the price they go for used. I picked one up for $60 here on TB.

 

My guitarist has a carbon copy and I have a TC flashback. I've tried both on bass and personally prefer the Flashback for being useful for way more than one thing but if you only need a simple delay the carbon copy may sound better. Flashback can modulate, can tap tempo, can loop and still sounds pretty great. The Carbon Copy just sounds great.

 

I'll go ahead and throw out the Earthquaker Devices Disaster Transport Jr. I've tried quite a few delays in my post-rock days, include the Carbon Copy, Echo Park, Nova Delay, and DL4 to name a few. The reason I've stuck with the DT Jr. is because of the *tone*. It just sounds so good! It really gives me a nice warm, organic tone with a hint of degraded tape. And the tone knob for the repeats is genius. It really helps with dialing in the just the right about of texture and how in-your-face or subtle the delay effect is, which is really crucial when using delay on bass.

I really liked a few of the models on the DL4, but for whatever reason, I decided I didn't need a delay pedal that large. Thus began my quest to find a smaller pedal that captures the warmth and feel of the DL4. The Echo Park is too digital and has too many operational issues. The all-analog Carbon Copy is organic, but a little too clean and pristine. The Nova Delay really only does digital well, IMHO. But the EQD DT Jr. (and probably Sr. and original too) gets a good bass response, with solid but simple tweakability and a unique lush repeats tone. You would never guess it was an analog sim.

 

EQD DT looks cool, but no tap tempo. Not even hold switch tap tempo?
I'd say go and try out Echo Park and Flashback and choose the one you prefer. I do believe Flashback works better in a band mix because of more clarity + it's analog dry through.

 

The Carbon Copy is a good, basic unit. I can't say as the tone really floors me, but it works well in the band context and isn't too tough to sync with the repeat rate knob.

Someone in another thread was being very negative about the CC in regards to the tone of the echoes. As far as it goes, he is right. I tried a Super-Puss, or maybe a souped-up AquaPuss (?) in the store, a silver metallic unit, and it was much better sounding with more options, although still no tap tempo. It just isn't worth the money for me. Maybe if I really start to play solo a lot it would be worth it. For now the CC is working just fine.