Bass delay pedal reviews

Delay pedals have long been a staple of the guitar and bass player’s toolkit, and bass delay pedals are no exception. They allow bassists to create a range of sonic textures, from subtle echoes to all-out experimental soundscapes, and have been used by a variety of players to add depth and interest to their tone. Delay pedals can be used to create everything from long reverb-like sounds to short, rhythmic delays, and can even be used to create vibrato and tremolo effects. Whether you’re a funk, jazz, or rock bassist, the possibilities of a delay pedal are endless.

This post contains my subjective reviews of the delay pedals that I’ve tried on bass before. They are ordered by my preference.

Foreword

• Dark delay pedals sound muddy on the bass. I find brighter delays to work better in a mix.
• I prefer analog pedals over digitals.

Individual reviews

MXR Carbon Copy Mini: This is a small pedal, which can be set as bright or dark. It allegedly contains the functionality and sound of both units; but can’t be used with a battery. Modulation parameters are also only accessible by unscrewing the unit. Since I ignore the dark option for the bass anyway, this is like a small Carbon Copy Bright to me. It simply sounds good without me having to do much and doesn’t occupy too much space, so it is my favorite at this time.

MXR Carbon Copy Bright: Basically a Carbon Copy with a brighter delay sound. Modulation depth and speed can be adjusted, but you have to unscrew the unit for that. Not practical for live situations; but I don’t fiddle with them much anyway. If I had to use batteries; I would go with this unit. Otherwise, mini version is more pedal board friendly. Besides; I subjectively feel like the mini version sounds a little sweeter.

Way Huge Echo Puss: Basically a Carbon Copy with many controls on the front panel. Such a high level of granularity can be welcome for many players if you can fit it on your board. However; I don’t like to fiddle that much – I mostly prefer pre-set units which sound good out of the box. A bonus warning: If you take out the rubber feet, don’t install the front screws – otherwise, they will put a hole into the main board and possibly damage the unit.

MXR Carbon Copy: The allegedly best-selling delay of MXR doesn’t sound good in a mix to me – too muddy to my taste. Sounds OK solo, though. Must unscrew for modulation like other MXR delays.

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