MXR Carbon Copy

[humanbn]

I received this pedal a little more than a week ago and have been playing with it every time I sit down to jam. I think I like it. I have tried quite a few other delay pedals and haven't liked any of them. Most delays seem to sound reverbish and often add far too much to delay to the signal even at low levels. With this pedal I get what I was looking for, a trail only after I have stopped playing for a moment. Sure, I can hear a little when I'm playing but it's not to the point of detracting from the real time notes (if I may refer to them as such). The trimpots that in comes with, on the inside of the pedal, do work but I haven't done much with them yet. I cranked them both all the way up when I got the pedal and have not taken either down as of this moment. The main complaint that I have is that a battery doesn't seem to work. I put in a battery right out of the package, duracell, and it worked but the signal was weak. I plugged in an AC adapter and the difference was unbelievable. I don't mind using an AC at all but sometimes it's difficult to reach an outlet without using an extension cord. Anyway, what are everyone else's thoughts on this pedal? Any comparison's with other pedals to make?

[mr_sooty]

I have a Carbon Copy too, and I really like it as well. Lots of fun playing with the oscillation. I agree with the baterry thing as well. I initially tried it with a battery an nearly sent it back, I was so disappointed. But running off a power supply it's a different pedal.

Plus, it's the prettiest pedal on by board by far.

[humanbn]

I used this pedal for a gig over the weekend; first time using out. My friends and I played an outdoor festival, Friday - Sunday, and it was pretty cool. Saturday I wasn't able to use the delay due to this awful buzz coming from my amp. It was coming from all of them. Something wrong with the grounding, my lip was shocked on the mic. Maybe all the moisture in the air, there was a thick fog. Either that or the folks running the electricity were more intoxicated than us. Friday was hip though. I like the sound I get when I rock my wah pedal back a little and then kick on the delay. It's dirty but still smooth enough that the notes can cut through and be heard.

[andy]

I came back across this when looking for info on something else, but I just though I'd drop by to say that I have one of these in my sights, too.

I've been using a pristine digital delay for years, and just lost my faith in it after briefly owning a Roland Space Echo. That sound was fantastic, but what with the size, threat of regular maintainance, and the fact I could sell it for a months worth of rent meant that the relationship was short lived. I've missed those warm, musical sounds ever since, and hope that the Carbon Copy will get me somewhere closer, at least. A true bypass, as it is not a constant effect in my playing is a bonus too, and the compact size, as I will need to put a portable little pedal board together again soon-ish.

I'll let you know what I think, if I take the plunge and add one to my lineup.

[ashcatlt]

I think turning your pedal board around will help with this "pristine digital delay" thing as well. (Part of the reason I suggested it)

[andy]

I get your thinking here, Ash. Because I often play clean though, there might not be much warm up the sound along the way. It's hard to describe the other delay (an Aria DD-X5), but the repeats are very much the same as the original signal, even a little brighter, so very easily clutter the sound, and a good volume setting is hard to find, jumping from 'not enough' to 'clouding the rhythm'. It also makes short delay times strangely metallic and clangy. If and when I get a Carbon Copy I might just post some sound clips to compare.

Another irritation is that despite splitting 1024ms into four separate sweeps of the 'time' knob, the actual delay time I'm trying to find seems to be somewhere within a 0.5mm section of the dial, with 'miles too fast' and 'really slow' just off that! Any pedal might have that same problem, but hey, a good case of G.A.S. knows no bounds!

To be fair, this pedal has served me long a well, but...

I guess it was just a matter of time!

Eh?

Anyone?

Time?

Ahh, forget it...

[andy]

Just a quick update, 'coz I'm a bit exited!

I tried a Carbon Copy out in a shop recently, and it was very, very good, with a nice smooth delay, great for ambient 'natural echo' sounds, with a worn-out-tape sort of thing going on. The occillation is properly cool too, getting some very musical chaos going on. However, the shop also had an Ibanez AD-9 hooked up, so I had a bit of a comparison, and whislt for purely slapback and reverb-ish sounds I would certainly still go for the Carbon Copy, the Ibanez had a bit more versatility in that the repeats kept some of the attack of the note, so could do rhythmic delay parts too (I'm thinking along the lines of the verse guitar part in Let's Dance by Bowie, that sort of thing). The repeats had more top end, so more percieved energy compared to the CC's more laid back vibe, and the occillation was a bit less musical, though still cool and nuts. Ultimately, I decided that to my own ends, the Carbon Copy would be best, but playing a wide range of stuff that the AD-9 might have to be the ideal one to go for. Despite not being true-bypass, despite not being really compact for my pedal board, and despite being a vile PINK!

Anyhow, I got a reasonable deal on an AD-9 on ebay, and it should arrive next week! Happy days. Of course, it isn't a Carbon Copy, so I'll blab on when it arrives in a new thread. I must find out how to post soundclips to compare the analogue/digital thing should I move my old delay on.