In contrast to the slightly unhinged nature of
some vintage analog units, modern delays
(especially digital models) are extremely
predictable and consistent in sound and
behavior. This certainly has its advantages,
especially for guitarists that like to be able
to recreate exact tones at any time. Some
players miss the wild unpredictability of
older units, however, and the sense of
adventure and inspiration that they could
bring to the proceedings. Unfortunately, few
modern delay pedals, even purely analog
designs, are built with this chaos factor in
mind. Guitarists looking for something a
little wilder than average should check out
the Endangered Audio AD4096, the classic
analog version of EHX’s Memory Man, or the
new Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe, a rare
digital delay designed with a little musical
unpredictability in mind.
Further style
considerations
Other factors to mull over when finding
your delay style include basic functional
considerations like power requirements,
the size of the unit, and how well it will fit in
with your current pedalboard, and with your
other effects. Many delay boxes are quite
large, and some require proprietary power
supplies. If your board is already packed or
you’re not ready to commit to something
with weird power requirements, then these
can be crucial deciding factors.
It’s also important to remember that not all
delay pedals work well with other effects,
especially heavy distortion and fuzz. When
deciding on a delay, it’s best to try the pedal
in question in its intended spot on your
pedalboard, and in the signal chain, to be
sure it plays well with your base tones.
Finding one’s delay style is a journey in self-
discovery. You will find out things about your
guitar playing and yourself that you probably
never realized before, things that will likely
inform future decisions in the pedalboard
and music realm. Good luck and godspeed.
18
TONE TALK //
A Guide to Your First Delay Pedal