GEAR SPOTLIGHT
ALEXANDER
PEDALS
RADICAL DELAY II
PLUS
REVIEW BY SAM HILL
STREET PRICE $199.99
Alexander’s pedals
are bold sonic devices
built for sonic explorers
looking to cover new
tonal ground, and such is
the case with the Radical
Delay II Plus. Improving
on the original design,
this version features tap
tempo with subdivisions
and the ability to use
an external tap switch,
expression pedal, or
both. Alexander makes
a companion tap tempo
switch, should you feel the
need to match the pedal’s
unique design aesthetic.
The RD II Plus is
streamlined for your
convenience, with Time,
46
GEAR SPOTLIGHT //
Repeat, Mix, and Tweak
knobs controlling the
many different sounds
available within. When
you enter the pedal’s tap
tempo mode—either by
holding down the bypass
switch or using an external
tap switch—the Time knob
selects the tap tempo
subdivision. Set it to the
left for eighth notes, the
middle for dotted eighths,
and the right for quarter
notes. This pedal does
not self-oscillate, so you
can max out the repeats
without fear of blowing up
your speaker—useful for
creating a bed of strange
delay on which your music
can float. The Mix knob
Alexander Pedals Radical Delay II Plus
gives you everything from
subtle shades of delay to
fully wet when all the way
clockwise. However, the
real fun comes from the
Tweak knob, which adjusts
different parameters for
each delay mode.
The RD II Plus has three
modes: Mod, Glitch,
and Bend. Mod, as the
name suggests, is a
digital delay with varying
degrees of modulation.
With the Tweak knob
fully counterclockwise,
the modulation type
is a fast vibrato. When
turned fully clockwise,
you get a slower chorus,
and at noon, there is no