Modern Pedals That Replicate Tape Delay.

[arlum]

Tape Delay has always been my favorite type of delay followed closely by Drum Delay. Tape Delay just has something about it in the repeats and trails that sound perfect to me. On the downside they're silly expensive whether vintage or new build and require far more maintenance than modern builds. Among the modern build types who do you think has created and offer's the best Tape Delay pedal types out there? Some of those I'm looking at or already own include .....
Empress Super Delay Vintage Modified. (own).
Strymon El Capistan. (own).
Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe. (considering).

Any thoughts are suggestions?

 

[Killing Floor]

Demedash T120
Mile End MTHRFCKR=RPTR
Sushi Box Echosaurus actually kicked my El Cap off my board. It has 4 independent switchable “heads”.

These are the ones I use. T120 is based on dragging VHS but I included it because it’s amazing.

 

[KC]

Rubberneck is a fun pedal, analog, does tricks, pretty versatile. But the Belle Epoch Deluxe is my current fave, not just for the delays -- which feel really musical & seem to sit just behind the note -- but for the preamp sound which adds a whole 'nother layer. I've been using mine with a cheap expression pedal, either to control the time of the delay or to control the volume. Hours of fun for the whole family.

Other guitar player in the band has a Mystery Brain 301 and he loves it but I haven't had a chance to play around with it. Also has a version of the echoplex preamp.

 

[sadfield]

Any boss RE pedal. The RE202 and RE2 being the most recent.

 

[bottlenecker]

Belle Epoch or BE deluxe. I think the original BE unseated el cap, and I don't think anyone's bettered it since, except the deluxe version.

I am thinking about trying a Boss RE-2. It models the space echo preamp, which I think is really disappointing, but it can be switched to analog dry through. I like that it has a spring reverb too, but I'd have to run it with a loop switcher to keep the buffer out of my chain (a specific need on my board) and that undoes some of the space savings. Still, I want to try it.

 

[tele_pathic]

DOD Rubberneck is my all-time favorite delay pedal, as mentioned above. It has two "mashable" buttons that basically do what turning the knobs can do but in a more predictable way, ramping up and down. the rubberneck is a fun delay to use.

 

[VintageSG]

On the second-hand market, you may find a Danelectro Reel Echo.
Image pilfered from the Internet.


From the top :
Mix - wet/dry mix
Lo-Fi - degradation on each repeat
Repeats - number of repeats

Solid State/Tube - emulates the amp type used in a real tape echo
Warble - emulates wow/flutter
Speed Range - up to 1500ms delay
Sound on Sound allows layering
Echo is the on/off

I regret not buying one when they were a current product. If your interest is piqued, there are many good Youtube videos of them.

 

[Masmus]

I have owned a Roland Re 201 space Echo since 1980 and I can say the Boss Re 20 does an excellent job replicating it.

Younger players may not like it because it only gets the vintage tape sound and it doesn’t do the clean crisp delay of a standard digital delay.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I have a Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, and also have a Fulltone Tube Tape Echo. The Tape delay setting on the Echolution 2D is incredibly good, and paired with a Dunlop EP3 infront of it gets damn close to my Tube Tape Echo like 85-90% of the way there, while having all sorts of other options the TTE can't do. The Pigtronix has a built in analogue filter section, an awesome phaser. The tape echo, analog, and low-fi settings on the Pigtronix box are all top notch.

 

[Audiowonderland]

DOD Rubberneck is my all-time favorite delay pedal, as mentioned above. It has two "mashable" buttons that basically do what turning the knobs can do but in a more predictable way, ramping up and down. the rubberneck is a fun delay to use.

True, but the rubberneck doesn't sound anything like tape

 

[Wildeman]

I have one of these and it's pretty damn good, didn't cost a whole lot either, it's not quite as cool as my WEM Copycat but it's a fun pedal.

 

[AngelStrummer]

I have one of these and it's pretty damn good, didn't cost a whole lot either, it's not quite as cool as my WEM Copycat but it's a fun pedal.View attachment 1277481

NUX makes good gear - I have their analog chorus and I'm impressed.

 

[Bob Womack]

I own both an Echoplex EP-3 and a Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe. I really can't complain about the BED - it takes me right to the same acoustic and emotional space as the EP-3.

The EP-3, my second, clean enough to eat lunch off of:

You can get an idea of my impressions of the BED over HERE.

Bob

 

[sjwieczorkow]

Tape Delay has always been my favorite type of delay followed closely by Drum Delay. Tape Delay just has something about it in the repeats and trails that sound perfect to me. On the downside they're silly expensive whether vintage or new build and require far more maintenance than modern builds. Among the modern build types who do you think has created and offer's the best Tape Delay pedal types out there? Some of those I'm looking at or already own include .....
Empress Super Delay Vintage Modified. (own).
Strymon El Capistan. (own).
Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe. (considering).

Any thoughts are suggestions?

Respectfully, the old machines do not require far more maintenance. I'd rather have my EP-2 and EP-3 over the Fulltone jobbers. No doubt in my mind. Remember when those Fulltones initially came out? They were riddled with problems. Find a black deck (not silver) Echoplex EP-3 with the three horns on the front. Those are the best.

If you must have a pedal, the MN3005 PICO board big box Memory Man's are the closest.

Try a Catalinbread "Adinko". You may be surprised. Hopefully you get a good one. The last one I got must have been made on a Friday when everybody got back from a three Martini lunch. The first couple were great!

Best of luck

 

[cholula69]

I’ve had four different tape echo machines, two Echoplex EP-3, an EP-2 and an Echofix. Personally, I did not like the maintenance requirements for the Echoplex machines and the Echofix sounds great, but it’s different.

In my search for a similar sounding pedal, the Cornish TES was about the best. I realize that this is not an easily purchased pedal, so I will put forth another suggestion. The Belle Epoch and Epoch deluxe. I’ve run them side by side with my tape machines solo and in a mix and they are pretty good.

I’ve since switched and sold all my tape machines and play the Belle and Cornish pedals and have never looked back. Take it for what it’s worth, that’s my opinion.

 

[sjwieczorkow]

I own both an Echoplex EP-3 and a Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe. I really can't complain about the BED - it takes me right to the same acoustic and emotional space as the EP-3.

The EP-3, my second, clean enough to eat lunch off of:

You can get an idea of my impressions of the BED over HERE.

Bob

I keep mine on the kitchen table! (I don't eat off of it though)

 

[Guitarteach]

My Boss DD200 has Tape and Drum amongst it options as well as extra parameter control for each to adjust head patterns, etc. Swiss Army Knife delay. Memory slots make is super handy at a gig.

 

[RomanS]

I like the Strymon Deco; it can only do single or dual repeat slapback echo, but at that it's the best pedal that I ever had.
I have recorded at real 1950s style studio, where they used old Ampex tape decks to do echo, and the Deco absolutely does that sound!

 

[fos1]

Tape Delay has always been my favorite type of delay followed closely by Drum Delay. Tape Delay just has something about it in the repeats and trails that sound perfect to me. On the downside they're silly expensive whether vintage or new build and require far more maintenance than modern builds. Among the modern build types who do you think has created and offer's the best Tape Delay pedal types out there? Some of those I'm looking at or already own include .....
Empress Super Delay Vintage Modified. (own).
Strymon El Capistan. (own).
Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe. (considering).

Any thoughts are suggestions?

I enjoy Rockabilly which screams for tape delay. I have a Boss RE-202. IMHO, it is better than the original real tape delay they produced many years ago. The 202 is very versatile and you can fine tune to your best sound. It also adds richness to your tone tha I find most pleasing.

 

[innate8]

Geckoplex EP-5​