Question:
After buying my new amp at a great price I have around $150 dollars to blow on an single effects pedal. I already have a DigiTech GNX2 and so far my two most used pedals are the delay and volume. With that said I saw this really neat pedal called a Boss DD-5 at the music store the other day. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't that the one that is discontinued? Do you guys have any other recommendations for which I should get: Delay, Volume, or other and what I should get for around that price range?
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i use a volume pedal a lot for the swell effect and just overall control of the my sound. I don't have a delay but i will be adding on soon.
i know that really isn't that helpful
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It's really up to you! Buy anything you want.
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I spent most of my christmas cash on a line 6 delay. I don't have it yet, so I can't say much about it yet. But you are correct about the DD-5 not being in production at the moment.
I don't like the DD-5 tone. Repeats are too crisp for my preferences. But it's definately a good pedal if clear digital delay is what you want.
For $150, you have a LOT of options though. You could get both a volume pedal and a delay (like maybe an ibanez tonelok series), but I've decided to quit buying cheap effects and be patient so that some day i might have a decent collection of good gear.
It is completely up to you what to get though.
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a delay is definately a fun pedal to have in your rig. i personally own the dd-5 and i love it. the only thing about the dd-5 is that, number one, like you said it's not in production anymore so you're going to have to find one used (i found my on ebay for about 80), and number two, you're probably going to have to buy a tap tempo with it. it's an extremely useful feature and you'll probably have to lay down another 10-20 bucks. so expect to spend about 90-100 bucks for the dd-5. there are other options of course. a lot of people seem to like the more expensive line 6 dl-4 and the boss dd-20.
but i agree with jbm222, dont settle for cheap stuff. if you have to, save up, and get what you really want.
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There is a brand new DD-5 at the local music store. A tap tempo would be very easy to make for $1-2. But with my price range I was considering the DD-20. One thing I do want in a delay pedal is a dedicated tap tempo. I hate not having one.
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Originally Posted by surferdude9375 There is a brand new DD-5 at the local music store. A tap tempo would be very easy to make for $1-2. But with my price range I was considering the DD-20. One thing I do want in a delay pedal is a dedicated tap tempo. I hate not having one.
I have the GENX2, its a great sounding unit and the delay is no exception, but you're right - a dedicated tap tempo would be nice, as its tap function is cumbersome for live use. One thing you could do - get a separate volume pedal so you can use the expression pedal to vary parameters of effects - that's how I use it. The wah is still there when you step on it. Specifically for the delay, you could just engage the tap tempo function and leave it in that mode, and assign the expression pedal to control the delay mix - assign the minimum value at 0 and the max at the highest mix % you would want. That way the tap function is "dedicated" and the expression pedal is used as an on/off/amount for the delay. One thing I do like about the Genny's delay is the ducker function - have you messes with that? Playing hard reduces the delay which keeps it from being overbearing, softer playing, or just letting a note ring gives the full effect.
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I never thought of that idea of having the expression pedal as a delay on/off. That would probably be a great way to go at that. That is almost the exact solution I was looking for. Most of my playing is live. So now it is a matter of finding a volume pedal. I don't plan on using stereo so a mono volume pedal would be fine for now unless stereo pedals are not that much more.
One thing I have seen is Active and Passive mono volume pedals. Are these just for use with passive and active pick-ups? I am not very familiar with volume pedals so I migh need some guidance on those. I was looking at this volume pedal and it seemed nice for the money. What do you guys think?
And Major Tom where do you see this ducker function? I have never seen that before. Maybe I have just passed over it.
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i have a DD-6, and it works quite well, and the tap tempo is nice. but i think that if you're digital delay, (and boss especially.) you may want to try out the DD-20. i think its alot more versatile that makes the extra money worth it. from what i hear, the DD-20 is pretty outboard expression friendly. on another note, line 6 has some excellent delay options too. the echo park has gotten some fine reviews that have met with my agreement, as well as the DL4 modeler, which would also fit the bill nicely.
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Originally Posted by surferdude9375 I never thought of that idea of having the expression pedal as a delay on/off. That would probably be a great way to go at that. That is almost the exact solution I was looking for. Most of my playing is live. So now it is a matter of finding a volume pedal. I don't plan on using stereo so a mono volume pedal would be fine for now unless stereo pedals are not that much more.
One thing I have seen is Active and Passive mono volume pedals. Are these just for use with passive and active pick-ups? I am not very familiar with volume pedals so I migh need some guidance on those. I was looking at this volume pedal and it seemed nice for the money. What do you guys think?
And Major Tom where do you see this ducker function? I have never seen that before. Maybe I have just passed over it.
Passive will be a high impedance pot, for use with a passive pickup guitar plugged straight into it. Active would be a lower impedance pot for an active guitar, or if any buffering pedal or device is in front of it; i.e. an eq pedal, or any non-true bypass pedal. For you, I would suggest putting the vol. pedal after the Genny, therefore an active pedal.
The ducker info is on page 28 of the manual. You do need to use the Genedit software to set the attenuation level. I don't remember what I set mine at.... The threshold parameter is available on the unit, I think I usually have it set around 50 -60 - 70. The higher the # of the threshold, the less noticable the "ducking" is. I have not really gotten on intimate terms with the ducking feature, I just have not spent a lot of time with it, but where I have it set does sound nicer to me than un-ducked. My whole "problem" with delays is if I set it high enough to get cool repeats on held notes/chords or in a soft passage, whatever is that it can get overbearing for other things, like a solo, signature riff, etc. Mostly what I would do is turn the delay way down. With the ducker, I can set the delay level higher to get some nice repeats on held notes, while it isn't so heavy on "busier" things.
One other thing - the "target system" thing, on page 2. IMO, that's just a stupid thing, I have no idea why it should do anything different with a 1x12 as opposed to a 2x12, etc. I listened to them all and chose the direct as the target system, as I thought that was the most transparent sounding of the choices, the others seemed to color the tone a bit. I use mine in front of a tube amp as an effects unit, I don't use the amp/cab modeling. I also don't use any of their presets.
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That is what I plan on doing. Taking the Amp/Cab simulations off and just using the stompboxes and effects. I am going to the music store right now so I am going to look at what they have.