REVIEWED
Guitar Tech Analog Delay
GUITAR TECH Analog Delay
A cost-effective way to enjoy some warm and natural sounding vintage echo effects...
Words: Tim Slater
Delay, or ‘echo’ to use the more old-school term, is one of the most useful and versatile effects that any musician can use to enhance their tone, either subtly or to create dramatic effects. The Guitar Tech Analog (their spelling, not ours) delay belongs to a new series of affordable Guitar Tech branded stomp boxes that also includes a classic distortion, a tuner, a volume pedal and a vintage-style analogue chorus. The Guitar Tech Analog Delay presents a simple old-school design based around a compact and sturdy looking steel shell with a single heavy-duty steel footswitch. Connectivity-wise there are quarter-inch jack mono inputs and outputs whilst power is
GUITAR TECH Analog Delay
SRP
All prices include VAT CONT
ACT
JHS Ltd T:
W: 28 3pickup
01132 865 381
www.jhs.co.uk
£44.99
supplied via a choice of a 9 volt DC mains input or a 9v battery located underneath the chassis, concealed by a handy quick release cover. The overall build quality feels very good, with chunky Boss-style control knobs and a non-slip plastic ‘tread plate’ pattern on the base that virtually guarantees that this stomp box won’t go walkabout when you step on it.
Delay race The simple control layout features three rotary knobs that each have a dedicated function: Time gradually adjusts the delay time between zero up to a maximum 440 milliseconds, a Mix control balances the effected and dry signals and the Repeat knob adjusts the amount of echo repeats between a rockabilly style single echo to swirling spacey-sounding multiple delays. This pedal also features the now ubiquitous true-bypass circuitry that sidesteps the effects processing part of the pedal’s circuitry when the pedal is switched off, preserving the integrity of the original signal. Unlike some of the original analogue effects pedals from the 1970s and 80s, which would often colour the guitar tone or even suck the life from the signal path especially when one or two pedals were hooked together, the Guitar Tech delay presents a clean
bypassed signal with zero noise. We certainly didn’t detect any significant compromises tonally-speaking and the Guitar Tech pedal feels like a very engaging device that delivers warm gooey sounding analogue delay by the bucket load.
The 440ms maximum delay time seems plenty enough to encompass many classic delay sounds; it’s possible to dial in virtually all of your favourite Edge/U2 riffs, for example. Combined with overdrive the longer delay settings add a pleasing atmospheric backwash that can be used almost as a faux reverb or else employed as a more straightforward delay to add extra space to your tone, Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson standing out as particularly skilled practitioners of this approach. On the other end of the scale, one of the joys of this fairly primitive pedal compared to many modern delay effects is that it encourages experimentation. You can have great fun creating alien sound effects by setting up a feedback loop, for example. Set the shortest possible delay time and then overload the repeat control to the maximum, tap your guitar strings and this should be enough to generate a spaced-out pulse caused by the delay feeding back on itself. When the loop is
really going, change the delay in real time by manipulating the delay time knob; it sounds like a flying saucer taking off or maybe an overloaded washing machine trying to cope with a bumper load of Ann Widdecombes knickers! Returning to more classic delay sounds for a moment it’s also possible to get trickling ‘Shadows’ style tape echo effects with a medium delay and a fairly generous amount of repeats; all you need is a pair of glasses and some nifty dance steps and you’re in business. PM
SHOULD I BUY ONE?
This is a great little pedal with apparently very solid build quality and a sound that captures the warmth of a classic vintage analogue delay. With practice and a couple of favourite settings marked next to the controls this pedal is capable of a surprisingly broad range of very authentic sounding echo effects. At this price and this level of sound quality, to be honest you can’t lose.
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