Guitar
I've lately been overheard expressing my frustration with my limited access to new/different gear to write about here; gear articles are the most fun to write (and the easiest). It's relatively easy to come up with a whack of colourful adjectives to describe a pedal or guitar, much more difficult to cogently explain musical concepts beyond the obvious 'less is more', 'timing is everything' grade cliches.
It was these thoughts in my head that I looked at my venerable Maxon AD80 analog delay one day and thought 'uh, maybe this awesome thing would deserve a word or two, seeing as I haven't turned it off since '03'.
I'd been using the Danecho for my slapback delay for about three years - and managed to blow one up per year. I'd find another one used and cheap and roll on up the road with my sound unmodified. And I like the sound of the Danecho; with it's high-end roll-off knob maxed it did a pretty good analog delay simulation. But after killing three of them through standard road abuse, I decided to go up a couple of notches and get myself a bomb-proof, real analog delay.
I walked into Avenue Guitars on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton one afternoon (I was in town playing a six-nighter at the Blues on Whyte, Edmonton's legendary blues club) and found this bright pink box. At nearly three hundred bucks used, I had to steel my nerves and swallow hard.
Ten years later I still rely on that box every night, so if you break it down to a 'gig-to-gig' price, it's only cost a few cents a show for all that time - not so expensive after all. Indeed, this is the first 'boutique' pedal I've ever purchased, and I haven't really flinched a whole lot faced with high-end pedal prices since, knowing that the build quality and my own enjoyment and utility of the product make it totally worth it.
Housed in a sturdy, MXR-style aluminum box, the Maxon features quality pots and switchware. The switching is achieved via a FET, so it's not true bypass, but I've never noticed any weirdness, particularly as I don't run a long pedal line or much cable. Three knobs control delay time, feedback and blend. There are dual (wet and dry) outputs for sending the delays and dry signal to separate amps, should you desire. The knobs turn smoothly and function predictably and evenly throughout their range. The unit powers up with a standard Boss-style 9volt adapter or 9volt battery - I recommend using the wall wart, as analog delays are serious battery munchers. I love the horrendous pink paint and the awesome, jagged 'Analog Delay' lettering. I also love that the mix knob is a different size and shape than the delay time and feedback knobs; this makes it easier to keep track of each knob's function and also provides more room to twiddle, lessening the chances of ruining other settings with clumsy fingers in the heat of performance.
The AD80 is a remarkably quiet box, adding no discernible noise to my signal. What it does add is warm, fat slapback that really thickens up each note. Every once in a while the reverb footswitch on my Deluxe Reverb reissue gets clicked off bouncing around in the back of the amp. I often don't even notice; the slap delay provides more than enough dimension and ambience to cover any 'verbless situation.
I don't use long delays very often at all, and the Maxon doesn't really do terribly long delays anyway, topping out at 300ms. The repeats are beautifully voiced, though, echoing cleanly at first, then growing more murky as they trail off. Compared to an old Boss analog delay I've tried, the Maxon is slightly more hi-fi, with brighter, cleaner repeats, but still plenty funky compared to a digital device. As far as comparing it to a MXR Carbon Copy, don't. There's really no comparison. The Maxon is simply better in every way, IMHO.
The AD80 can be pushed into infinitely repeating self-oscillation and I've long used it to make wacky space-ship-landing sounds to close out sets by pinning the mix and repeats and spinning the time knob whilst sliding my left hand along the fretboard. Honestly, some of the fans get pissed at me if I don't do the sound effects trip at set's-end.
One of my favourite tricks with the AD80 is to set a wide-ish slap, then wiggle the neck around while I play. This generates some awesome natural chorusing (you set the mod rate manually!) and is a trick I read about in a 1985 Guitar Player Magazine interview with the Edge (I was fifteen!).
I've seen some thread-chatter suggesting that the AD80s clip if hit with a particularly hot signal. Having pounded mine with pedals for quite some time, I have NEVER noticed this problem - perhaps if you max out both sides of a SuperDuper 2 in1 boost this could prove to be an issue...
Ten years with this pedal and I've had no regrets, nor any reason to want more features or delay time. If you want to do epic, long echo washes, this probably isn't the box for you with its limited 300ms delay time, but for thickening slaps with a good balance of hi-fi and murk, the Maxon is a winner. Mine was bounced around in gig bags for years before it was secured to a board and has never had any problems, so I think I can vouch for the durability of these awesome boxes. A quick scan of EBay suggests that prices on these units has stayed up in the 'nearly three hundred bucks' zone, so while they aren't cheap, they are durable, sound awesome, and will hold their value. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!
For the demo I wanted to allow for some expansive soundscapes, so I laid down a simple bass groove over a minimal drum-robot track, then laid down two takes of highly knob-twiddled improv overtop. That was all the tracking time I had available that day, so I went off to do some errands and when I arrived at home I decided to split the two guitar tracks into stereo and see how they lined up. Like magic, as it happens. The guitar is a stock Danelectro '63 reissue. The effects are a Joe Gore Codpiece booster pedal and the Maxon AD80. The amp is a Garnet stencil head pushing a Carvin 4x10 cabinet.
Definitely psychedelic! If I'd only had one of these when I was in my early-twenties psych-music trip...
- New Pedal Board And Stuff
Having acquired some new pedals lately I have to rethink my pedal board - and eventually I have to double it - I need to put about 15 pedals on it and keep it transportable, I don't know yet how I will do that... The Hardwire Supernatural and the...
- Pedalboard Project
A man my age should have a proper pedalboard, thought I last week, mostly because I'm fed up loosing 20 minutes unpacking, plugging, unplugging and repacking my pedals each time I go to the studio to rehearse. Because I never have...
- The Boss Rc30 Loop Station - A Noob's Review
The Boss RC30 Loop Station Dual Track Looper. I've been pretty busy performing solo recently. I really enjoy the challenge of arranging tunes for one guitar and voice, and have developed my finger-style chops to that end over the past...
- Home In One Piece - Part 2, Edmonton.
We arrived in Edmonton mid afternoon on Sunday the 17th of March and checked into the Commercial Hotel without incident and with a night off before we were to start our seven day, nine show week at the hotel's bar, Blues on Whyte. The bar manager...
- Exploring The Limits Of Gear Portability
I live in a downtown area of Toronto, and I find that quite a few of my gigs are within walking distance. I prefer to walk over taking public transit or driving; it's better for my health, better for the environment, and the walk gives me time to...
Guitar
Maxon AD80 Analog Delay
 |
| Warm, organic decays and admirable quietude are the hallmark of the AD80 Analog Delay. |
I've lately been overheard expressing my frustration with my limited access to new/different gear to write about here; gear articles are the most fun to write (and the easiest). It's relatively easy to come up with a whack of colourful adjectives to describe a pedal or guitar, much more difficult to cogently explain musical concepts beyond the obvious 'less is more', 'timing is everything' grade cliches.
It was these thoughts in my head that I looked at my venerable Maxon AD80 analog delay one day and thought 'uh, maybe this awesome thing would deserve a word or two, seeing as I haven't turned it off since '03'.
I'd been using the Danecho for my slapback delay for about three years - and managed to blow one up per year. I'd find another one used and cheap and roll on up the road with my sound unmodified. And I like the sound of the Danecho; with it's high-end roll-off knob maxed it did a pretty good analog delay simulation. But after killing three of them through standard road abuse, I decided to go up a couple of notches and get myself a bomb-proof, real analog delay.
I walked into Avenue Guitars on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton one afternoon (I was in town playing a six-nighter at the Blues on Whyte, Edmonton's legendary blues club) and found this bright pink box. At nearly three hundred bucks used, I had to steel my nerves and swallow hard.
 |
| Rarely ever turned off over the last ten years, the Maxon AD80 is a permanent fixture on my pedalboard. |
Ten years later I still rely on that box every night, so if you break it down to a 'gig-to-gig' price, it's only cost a few cents a show for all that time - not so expensive after all. Indeed, this is the first 'boutique' pedal I've ever purchased, and I haven't really flinched a whole lot faced with high-end pedal prices since, knowing that the build quality and my own enjoyment and utility of the product make it totally worth it.
Housed in a sturdy, MXR-style aluminum box, the Maxon features quality pots and switchware. The switching is achieved via a FET, so it's not true bypass, but I've never noticed any weirdness, particularly as I don't run a long pedal line or much cable. Three knobs control delay time, feedback and blend. There are dual (wet and dry) outputs for sending the delays and dry signal to separate amps, should you desire. The knobs turn smoothly and function predictably and evenly throughout their range. The unit powers up with a standard Boss-style 9volt adapter or 9volt battery - I recommend using the wall wart, as analog delays are serious battery munchers. I love the horrendous pink paint and the awesome, jagged 'Analog Delay' lettering. I also love that the mix knob is a different size and shape than the delay time and feedback knobs; this makes it easier to keep track of each knob's function and also provides more room to twiddle, lessening the chances of ruining other settings with clumsy fingers in the heat of performance.
The AD80 is a remarkably quiet box, adding no discernible noise to my signal. What it does add is warm, fat slapback that really thickens up each note. Every once in a while the reverb footswitch on my Deluxe Reverb reissue gets clicked off bouncing around in the back of the amp. I often don't even notice; the slap delay provides more than enough dimension and ambience to cover any 'verbless situation.
I don't use long delays very often at all, and the Maxon doesn't really do terribly long delays anyway, topping out at 300ms. The repeats are beautifully voiced, though, echoing cleanly at first, then growing more murky as they trail off. Compared to an old Boss analog delay I've tried, the Maxon is slightly more hi-fi, with brighter, cleaner repeats, but still plenty funky compared to a digital device. As far as comparing it to a MXR Carbon Copy, don't. There's really no comparison. The Maxon is simply better in every way, IMHO.
The AD80 can be pushed into infinitely repeating self-oscillation and I've long used it to make wacky space-ship-landing sounds to close out sets by pinning the mix and repeats and spinning the time knob whilst sliding my left hand along the fretboard. Honestly, some of the fans get pissed at me if I don't do the sound effects trip at set's-end.
One of my favourite tricks with the AD80 is to set a wide-ish slap, then wiggle the neck around while I play. This generates some awesome natural chorusing (you set the mod rate manually!) and is a trick I read about in a 1985 Guitar Player Magazine interview with the Edge (I was fifteen!).
I've seen some thread-chatter suggesting that the AD80s clip if hit with a particularly hot signal. Having pounded mine with pedals for quite some time, I have NEVER noticed this problem - perhaps if you max out both sides of a SuperDuper 2 in1 boost this could prove to be an issue...
 |
| Serious pummelling from the Codpiece and Plimsoul has never caused any clipping, despite what you may read... |
For the demo I wanted to allow for some expansive soundscapes, so I laid down a simple bass groove over a minimal drum-robot track, then laid down two takes of highly knob-twiddled improv overtop. That was all the tracking time I had available that day, so I went off to do some errands and when I arrived at home I decided to split the two guitar tracks into stereo and see how they lined up. Like magic, as it happens. The guitar is a stock Danelectro '63 reissue. The effects are a Joe Gore Codpiece booster pedal and the Maxon AD80. The amp is a Garnet stencil head pushing a Carvin 4x10 cabinet.
Definitely psychedelic! If I'd only had one of these when I was in my early-twenties psych-music trip...
- New Pedal Board And Stuff
Having acquired some new pedals lately I have to rethink my pedal board - and eventually I have to double it - I need to put about 15 pedals on it and keep it transportable, I don't know yet how I will do that... The Hardwire Supernatural and the...
- Pedalboard Project
A man my age should have a proper pedalboard, thought I last week, mostly because I'm fed up loosing 20 minutes unpacking, plugging, unplugging and repacking my pedals each time I go to the studio to rehearse. Because I never have...
- The Boss Rc30 Loop Station - A Noob's Review
The Boss RC30 Loop Station Dual Track Looper. I've been pretty busy performing solo recently. I really enjoy the challenge of arranging tunes for one guitar and voice, and have developed my finger-style chops to that end over the past...
- Home In One Piece - Part 2, Edmonton.
We arrived in Edmonton mid afternoon on Sunday the 17th of March and checked into the Commercial Hotel without incident and with a night off before we were to start our seven day, nine show week at the hotel's bar, Blues on Whyte. The bar manager...
- Exploring The Limits Of Gear Portability
I live in a downtown area of Toronto, and I find that quite a few of my gigs are within walking distance. I prefer to walk over taking public transit or driving; it's better for my health, better for the environment, and the walk gives me time to...