From sharp slapback to lush ambience on a guitar solo, delay in one form or another can be found on recordings across most genres and eras. The concept is pretty simple: delay pedals record a snippet of sound then play it back after a specified length of time. The delayed sound can be played back once (slapback) or played back through the pedal over and over again to create a repeating, decaying echo. Delay pedals fit into two broad categories: analog and digital. Analog delays use magnetic tape or solid-state circuitry to produce their echo effects, while digital delays employ DSP. While digital delay units have their place (they’re incredibly flexible), there’s nothing quite like the sound of an analog delay unit. There’s just something special about the organic warmth that these units produce — they’re perfectly imperfect! Sweetwater carries a wide range of analog delay pedals. In this article, we’ll cover some of our favorites.
MXR Carbon Copy/Carbon Copy Deluxe
The MXR Carbon Copy is one of the most popular analog delay pedals here at Sweetwater. It uses old-school bucket brigade technology to deliver up to 600ms of delay time, along with a switchable circuit that gives you lush, tape-like modulation effects. The Carbon Copy boasts an easy-to-use 3-knob layout. If you love the sound of the Carbon Copy but want more advanced features, the Carbon Copy Deluxe is right up your alley. It gives you the same great analog delay effects as its little sibling, along with up to 1.2s of delay time, tap tempo, and tap division. You also get a Bright function, along with top-mounted controls for the modulation effects. From simple slapback echoes to full-blown delays, MXR’s Carbon Copy and Carbon Copy Deluxe are modern classics.
Donner Yellow Fall Vintage Pure Analog Delay Guitar Effect Pedal: One of the best things about this model is that it is designed with a professional echo chip in its circuit board, providing it with an intelligent functionality. It can create a clear sound, which can be applicable for all types of music.
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man
Since 1976, Electro-Harmonix’s Deluxe Memory Man has been delivering organic, hypnotic delay effects. This stompbox gives you up to 550ms of pure analog echo, along with spacious chorus and haunting vibrato. A 6-knob control panel unlocks an endless range of sonic possibilities. This is a real sweet-sounding box, with vibrant echoes that rival classic tape delay units. From U2’s the Edge to Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien to Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner — there’s a reason why it’s been one of the go-to analog delay units of top guitarists for more than four decades.
Ibanez ES2 Echo Shifter
If you want digital-like control over your analog delays, the Ibanez ES2 Echo Shifter delivers the goods. Enjoy up to 1,000ms of delay, along with tap tempo. You can even adjust your tempo on the fly without pitch artifacts. Built-in pitch modulation gives you rich, lush-sounding repeats, while an oscillation mode unleashes psychedelic chaos. From subtle slapback echoes to modulation-drenched echoes, you can’t go wrong with the ES2 Echo Shifter.
Way Huge Supa-Puss
Players usually look to digital delays for ultra-long repeats, at the cost of true analog sound. That’s not the case with the Way Huge Supa-Puss — it delivers an unprecedented three seconds of delay time. Creating surreal ambient effects is child’s play for the Supa-Puss. Dialing in rhythmic repeats is effortless, thanks to its Tap Tempo footswitch, plus four time divisions, including dotted eighths and triplets. There’s also a chase mode that automatically cycles through the time divisions in different ways. If you want rich analog delays with crazy-long delay times, the Supa-Puss is a great choice.
JHS Panther Cub V2
The JHS Panther Cub V2 is a full-featured analog delay that doesn’t take up a ton of space on your pedalboard. Eight discrete bucket brigade chips yield a super-lush sound, giving you up to 1,000ms of delay effects. Add movement and a touch of chaos to your repeats with MM-style modulation, while an internal ROAR switch provides two modes of oscillation. You also get four tap subdivisions, including dotted eighth. Lush, dark, spacious, and beautifully flawed — the Panther Cub V2 simply sounds gorgeous.
BOSS DM-2W Waza Craft
The BOSS DM-2W Waza Craft is a custom reissue and redesign of the original DM-2 analog delay pedal. Originally released in 1977, the DM-2 is a classic, thanks to its dark, moody bucket brigade tone. This stompbox supplies you with two modes: the standard mode replicates the brooding sound of the original DM-2, while the custom mode doubles the delay time to up to 800ms and adds warmth and clarity to the repeats. You also get optional split wet/dry outputs and an expression pedal input for on-the-fly control of your delay time. The DM-2W Waza Craft is a worthy update of an iconic effects pedal.
T-Rex Replicator
There are a lot of tape delay emulations out there, but if you’re hankering for the real thing, you need the T-Rex Replicator. The Replicator is the real deal — it uses actual magnetic tape and two playback heads to deliver its diverse range of analog delay effects, complete with saturation, warbles, and flutter. Take command over your delay time and feedback amount using dual expression pedal inputs. You also get tap tempo and a chorus mode. The Replicator is one of the easiest ways to put an authentic tape delay on your pedalboard — it’s a great studio tool too!
Whether you want to create rockabilly-like slapback or a modern-sounding wave of ambience, an analog delay is an essential element of any well-stocked pedalboard. If you’re unsure as to which delay pedal is ideal for you, give your Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700. We’ll be more than happy to walk you through your options.
In this article
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T-Rex Replicator Analog Tape Delay PedalAnalog Tape Delay/Chorus Effects Pedal, with 2 Playback Heads, 3 Operation Modes, Tap Tempo, and 2 Expression Pedal Inputs When it comes to real-deal analog delay effects for electric guitar, it doesn't get much more authentic than the T-Rex Replicator analog delay pedal. With a real analog...
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JHS Panther Cub V2 Analog Tap Tempo Delay PedalAnalog Delay Pedal with 1000ms Delay Time, Dual Oscillation Modes, Modulation, and Tap Switch Input
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Way Huge Supa-Puss Analog Delay Pedal with Tap TempoAnalog Delay Pedal with Up to Three Seconds of Delay Time, Tap Tempo, and Chase Mode Create surreal sonic echoes with the Way Huge Supa-Puss analog delay pedal! You get up to three seconds of delay time for...
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MXR M292 Carbon Copy Deluxe Analog Delay PedalAnalog Delay Guitar Effects Pedal with Up to 1.2s of Delay, Tap Tempo Footswitch, Bright Switch, Tap Division Switch with Status Display, and Mod Switch with Top-mounted Speed and Width Controls
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Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Analog Delay / Chorus / Vibrato PedalAnalog Delay Effects Pedal with Chorus , Vibrato, and True Bypass Switching Nothing can compare to the organic sound of analog delay, and no one does analog like the electro-harmonix...
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MXR M169 Carbon Copy Analog Delay PedalAll-analog Delay Pedal with 600ms Delay Time, Two Adjustable Internal Trim Pots, and Blue LEDs The MXR Carbon Copy analog delay features an entirely analog audio path, delivering rich, warm delay...
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Boss DM-2W Waza Craft Delay PedalReissue All-analog Delay Pedal with Bucket Brigade Circuitry and Two Operation Modes, Wet and Dry Outputs, and Expression Pedal Delay Time Control Ever since the original DM-2 analog delay pedal left the market in 1984, pedal collectors have been on the lookout for...
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Ibanez ES2 Echo Shifter Analog Delay PedalGuitar Analog Delay Stompbox with 30ms-1000ms Delay Range, Tap Tempo, Oscillation On/Off Switch, and Modulation On/Off Switch Ibanez designed the ES2 Echo Shifter analog delay pedal to bring you a surprisingly wide range of creative...
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