MXR CARBON COPY DELAY-User Info Needed!

[RobB]

Hello all,

I'm looking for a good delay for my "Beatle-board", pedaltrain PTjr. Currently has: SonicResearch Turbo Tuner, Janglebox compressor, ISP GString, Radial Bigshot Mix, HBE Germainium Booster, Strymon Lex faux-Leslie.

Any experiences with the Carbon Copy? Seems like a lot of pedal for the money. I don't need a super-sophisticated delay for this board, just something to add some ambience and the occasional, "Pink Floyd-y" spacy-ness.

Thanks for any help!

[zenmindbeginner]

The Young Pedals ADM-600 is a superior product for not much more than the Carbon Copy. It's IMHO, one of the best analog bucket brigade delays out there 'cause it uses two Panasonic 3205 chips which my vintage BOSS DM-3 uses one of to achieve it's 300ms delay time. This uses two chips for 600ms. Foot switchable modulation which has a preset rate but a depth which increases for short delay times but decreases for longer delay times... it's actually quite genius and perfectly implemented. Footswitchable modulation is just a REALLY useful feature to have.

Plus, it has a tiny 1.5" x 3.6" Hammond enclosure which will fit in the smallest open slots on pedalboards.

I'm debating between it and the Caroline Kilobyte delay... I'm currently stacking (2) BOSS DM-3 analog delay pedals but I could easily envision replacing one of my DM-3s with an ADM-600.

You know what can't replace a BOSS DM-3? An MXR Carbon Copy. Every other guitarist has a CC on their board... a total unwanted homogenization of analog echo tone IMO.

The Young Pedals ADM-600 is handmade in the USA... but the MXR CC is mass produced in Asia. Do the Patriotic thing and pick up an ADM-600. lolz!

[Jem]

Mine did sound great straight into my Tripple Rec but gigging last friday it just died and refuses to talk to me - checking on the web there does seem to be a few issues with the earlier one's dying for no apparent reason so buy a brand spanking new one as they seem to have overcome this

[hamerhead]

Try one first. After reading all of the reviews on their awesomeness, I got one. Maybe it was just my board set-up or maybe I got a bad one, but the tone suck was - by far - the worst of any pedal I've ever used. Hard to believe, but the DanEcho and even the Dano PB&J (the tiny plastic POS) were better. Way better. I'm using a Boss DD6 now that has too many things on it, but sounds great at half the money. And no tone suck.

YMMV, but definitely try the Carbon Copy in your set-up first.

[Jem]

I didn't notice any discernable drop but it's only that and a Morley pro wah in the line so as you say, MMV.

[velorush]

My experience mirrors hamerhead's. I bought it as a supplement to the T.C. Nova Delay I was running at the time. The difference in tone when engaged was not to my liking.

As hamerhead said, try it in your setup first!

Could have been my "rig" (though calling my humble setup a "rig" seems an exercise in grandiose), but everything was better without the Carbon Copy engaged. Whoever bought it was happy with it AFAIK, so maybe the CC is overly setup-sensitive.

ETA: Oh, I just remembered, it seemed to be much better when I tried a buffer running after. Maybe there are some impedance issues? I tried it alternately last in the chain and second to last in the chain when it didn't sound good. Running the buffer after the CC did seem to fix the tone suck I was experiencing.

[zenmindbeginner]

Check out the Caroline Kilobyte delay pedal too... it and the Young Pedals ADM-600 are the two best echo/delays out there for $200 and under. I've been researching delay pedals for the past couple of months...

[veatch]

Diamond Memory Lane is another good one. Not bucket brigade (it's digital), but still sounds very "analog".

Used, they're around 200.

[RobB]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

zen, the Young looked like a good choice, but I'm not a big fan of the smaller enclosure. However, the Caroline looks to be WAY what I'm looking for in a delay. That extra "hold" switch is tits. I found a source for it $199.00/shippped, no tax.

[jaberwock]

The MXR CC is a pretty dark delay, it works better with single coils than HB's, and can get muddy, and indistinct with anything more than moderate overdrive( using it in an effects loop helps) it is sensitive to where you place it in your effects chain; having said that I get fabulous fat slapback delay with my Tele, and wonderful delays with wah, I use it in a very minimal setup, Area 51 wah, Wampler Paisley drive, MXR CC, amp

If were going to replace it, it would probably be this: http://proguitarshop.com/wampler-faux-tape-echo.html

Jaberwock

[zenmindbeginner]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

zen, the Young looked like a good choice, but I'm not a big fan of the smaller enclosure. However, the Caroline looks to be WAY what I'm looking for in a delay. That extra "hold" switch is tits. I found a source for it $199.00/shippped, no tax.

All analog delays use a compander section and filtering to keep the delays clean so when we have distorted tones, the delay doesn't sound like garbage... the Caroline Kilobyte goes one step further and applies bit crushing to the mix.

Bit crushing is fugging genius for making delays sound clean & sit in the background when you want it to but too also allow for smooth creamy delays when you want to feature it as a prominent effect.

The delay level is essentially a mix control like the send and return on a mixer. This allows your direct tone to NEVER be compromised even with the delay emphasized at maximum levels.

Basically a better designed pedal that the usual stuff that's out there IMHO. Pete Thorn's demo is pretty cool too!

[humfree]

Best thing about the Carbon Copy is they support it.. because of the problems early on, they will service or replace any Carbon Copy for the life of the unit. That's what they told me when I took mine in a few years back. Mine didn't have the problem that was so chronic early on, but it had a weird noise once it warmed up. They replaced it outright and told me to bring it back if I had any problems for as long as I live.

FWIW, I ended up with Tech 21 Boost DLA.. it has a flutter and a tone knob which give you a wide range of delays.. and the Boost is great.. even though I don't use it. Nothing like 30 choices, eh?

[Jem]

Best thing about the Carbon Copy is they support it.. because of the problems early on, they will service or replace any Carbon Copy for the life of the unit. That's what they told me when I took mine in a few years back. Mine didn't have the problem that was so chronic early on, but it had a weird noise once it warmed up. They replaced it outright and told me to bring it back if I had any problems for as long as I live.

Hmmm........i wonder if that's the same deal this side of the pond as mine's dead as a dodo !

[humfree]

Best thing about the Carbon Copy is they support it.. because of the problems early on, they will service or replace any Carbon Copy for the life of the unit. That's what they told me when I took mine in a few years back. Mine didn't have the problem that was so chronic early on, but it had a weird noise once it warmed up. They replaced it outright and told me to bring it back if I had any problems for as long as I live.

Hmmm........i wonder if that's the same deal this side of the pond as mine's dead as a dodo !

In case there is any confusion, Dunlop makes the MXR Carbon Copy:

Dunlop

150 Industrial Way

Benicia, CA 94510

(707) 745-2722

[Jem]

Best thing about the Carbon Copy is they support it.. because of the problems early on, they will service or replace any Carbon Copy for the life of the unit. That's what they told me when I took mine in a few years back. Mine didn't have the problem that was so chronic early on, but it had a weird noise once it warmed up. They replaced it outright and told me to bring it back if I had any problems for as long as I live.

Hmmm........i wonder if that's the same deal this side of the pond as mine's dead as a dodo !

In case there is any confusion, Dunlop makes the MXR Carbon Copy:

Dunlop

150 Industrial Way

Benicia, CA 94510

(707) 745-2722

No confusion over who makes it, just weather they have the same repair forever (or even at all) over here in England - i'll get round to contacting Strings and Things the importer over the coming week or so to confirm the situation.