The Steel Guitar Forum

What is the best Tap Tempo Deley for Steel these days?
I am still using an Echo Park.
I like the dotted-eighth setting so gotta have that.

A couple of fairly recent threads on the subject of delay pedals:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=332041

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=349792

Lots more if you search Electronics for delay pedals - that's where people generally discuss pedals like this.

Erv Niehaus wrote:I have no idea.
Brandon likes the DD-8.
Erv

I am kinda finicky about how delay sounds. I like to use a heavier delay than most might because it is cleaner sounding than reverb. With that said, it is difficult to find a delay that blends well tonally with out being overbearing. The DD-8 gives me great Boss quality, with very good mimicking of the DD-3 sound, DM-2 analog sound, plus many other neat modes.

Usually pedals like this with multiple modes are kinda pointless IMHO because who is gonna bend down and totally change their stomp box settings during a show (and risk not being able to get back to good).... This pedal however, I find myself able to keep the same settings and just change the mode based on the room. Cleaner delay, darker delay, delay with a touch of reverb, and I have been using the shimmer delay combined with harmonics to make ghostly sounds on Pat Green’s “Nightmare”. I have owned several stomp box delays including DD-3, DM-2 Boss(original), DL-8 Hardwire, Aquapuss, Wampler Faux analog, Ibanez DD-20, and this one fits my needs the best so far with the exception of the original DM-2 (which this pedal copies quite well).

...

Ditto on what George Seymour said for purity and clarity imho I dont think anything beats strymon except maybe benado and I have never tried a benado.

Hi there,
I decided to go for an Echoplex EP-103.
A more general question came up:
What are your preferred settings for delay time, volume and sustain (repeats) ?

Get whatever and just set it right

My requirements for a delay pedal are simple.
All I'm looking for is a single, slap back delay.
Erv

good choice detlef,
i would recommend getting a tap tempo. you can find a saturnworks
on reverb for about $20. there are several videos on youtube that
show a variety of settings. the age setting sounds exactly like an
original echoplex. this pedal can give you a bunch of different
styles of delay. it also depends on where you place it in your
chain. eddie van halen used to put his before everything. listen to ain't
talkin' 'bout love to hear it in front of everything. i run mine
at the end of my chain and love it.

Marty Holmes wrote:Ditto on what George Seymour said for purity and clarity imho I dont think anything beats strymon except maybe benado and I have never tried a benado.

I did own one and like the Strymon better, but that’s my liking of what I hear.

I own and use 3 different delay pedals, ( not at the same time) .

Boss DD7, Aqua Puss Analog and a real inexpensive Behringer. To me they all do what they should but the most important feature of all of them is being able to adjust them to a minimal mix level ! I pretty much don't pay attention to settings once they are set to what I want to hear. They are all transparent at that point.

On a LIVE gig I can't tell one from the other but I do know when I don't know a song , an intro or a turn, or when I am out of tune !

Thanks for all the answers, guys.
Where to put the delay in the chain?
Between PSG and volume pedal or between volume pedal and Amp?

at the amp...

Hey Detlef,
usually you put the delay and reverb last in chain. Do you use the amp's reverb and no other effects? Then put it between your volume pedal and the amp.
If your amp has an effects send/return, you can try it there also and see what you like better.
Don't be shy to try out the knobs, the more you experiment, the sooner you know what settings float your boat.
If you need a tap tempo (like others here, I also recommend it), check out Looperwerk, a small german company specialized on utility pedals. Great build quality and very reasonable pricing.
https://looperwerk.de/shop/TapTap-Single

I use a DD-7 with a wire going from the Tempo/Expression input on the pedal to an FET switch attached to the leg of my steel for tap tempo. Works very well.

I use two delays. Both are BOSS DD3 delays. These are used at the same time together.