Before Boss launched the SDE-3000 rack-mounted Dual Digital Delay in 1983, many players never imagined running two delays from one unit simultaneously, allowing a player to bend time and create previously unimagined sound configurations. The idea that 41 years later, the company would harness all the capabilities from the SDE-3000 into a standard-sized pedal would have been even more jaw-dropping. Then came the SDE-3, a testament to creative engineering, technological advancement, and the desire to meet public demand.
It actually only took Boss 40 years to shrink the SDE-3000 down to a manageable size. In 2023, the company released the SDE-3000D and SDE-3000EVH Dual Digital Delays (the latter in honor of Eddie Van Halen’s historic contribution to guitar tone). But they were priced at around $499 and $599, respectively. So, to see Boss take the essence of the SDE-3000, and pack it all into the compact SDE-3 for around $220 is a revelation.
The SDE-3 is a dynamic pedal capable of producing a vintage ’80s character-filled rock sound (as played by Van Halen, Steve Vai, and many others), but it can also be used as a sonic vehicle to a web of echoes and tones that can be conjured from the simplest of patterns and knob twaks.
What makes the SDE-3 so all-encompassing is its combination of non-traditional EQ settings and an “Offset” dial, the latter of which, may, indeed, be the SDE-3’s secret weapon. While it can be set to create quarter, eight, and dotted-eighth rhythms when positioned at various spots between one and five o’clock, the “Offset” shines at the unconventional settings, triggering skittering polyrhythmic patterns, that resemble ethereal pinballs randomly whacked around an unpredictable sound grid.
The DD-3 also features a “High-Cut” knob, which helps control the shape of the delay patterns so the echoes can be sharper-edged, softer and rounder, or more ping-pongy. Even without a clearly defined sense of how to operate all the knobs, random dial fiddling can yield awe-inspiring results capable of triggering off-the-wall creativity.
The SDE-3 boasts a control set that’s both intuitive and deeply expressive, and the knobs are cleverly positioned one atop another, so there are three dials for six settings (two per dial). The lower dials adjust modulation, and the upper ones control more conventional settings.
Depth and Level: The Depth control modulates the delay time, creating rhythmic pulsations, chorus-like effects, or swirling, ethereal textures. The Level adjusts the volume of each delay line, allowing for precise blending and sonic layering.
Rate and Feedback: The Rate adjusts the speed of the modulation, allowing for subtle movement or dramatic, psychedelic effects. The Feedback parameter, used along with Depth and Rate, controls the intensity of the modulation, ranging from subtle shimmer to wild, self-oscillating feedback.
Hi Cut and Time: The Hi Cut filter removes high-frequency content from the repeats, adding warmth and character, and is especially useful for emulating vintage tape echoes. The Time control sets the overall delay time for both engines, providing a convenient starting point for delay explorations.
Offset: This unique parameter offsets the delay time of the second engine relative to the first, creating complex rhythmic patterns and unique harmonic interactions, from stuff you’ve heard on a thousand records, to galactic warbles, and tribal pulses you might never have imagined.
A Universe of Possibilities:
The carefully crafted controls on the SDE-3 give players the ultimate control over their delay sounds. Or they can throw caution to the wind and inadvertently unlock a maze of out-of-the-box tones. Here are a few of the great sounds we’ve discovered.
Thickened Chords: Running both delays with slightly different times creates a lush, chorus-like effect.
Harmonies: Setting the delay times to intervals like octaves or fifths generates mesmerizing harmonies that evolve with your playing.
Complex Rhythmic Patterns: Experiment with different delay times, feedback levels, and modulation settings to create intricate rhythmic tapestries.
Spacey Ambience: Combine long delay times with high feedback and modulation to create ethereal, ambient soundscapes.
Vintage Echoes: The High Cut filter, in conjunction with carefully adjusted feedback and delay times, can recreate the warm, analog character of classic tape echoes and spring reverbs.
Genre Hopping: Metal, Shoegaze, and Beyond
Metal: From crushing, rhythmic delays for heavy riffs to soaring, atmospheric textures for leads, the SDE-3 provides the sonic firepower to elevate your metal sound.
Shoegaze: The pedal excels at creating shimmering, ethereal soundscapes, perfect for building walls of sound and dreamy atmospheres.
Indie Rock: From subtle slapback to more expansive delay textures, the SDE-3 adds depth and dimension to indie rock sounds.
In short, The Boss SDE-3 is a testament to Boss’s commitment to innovation and sonic excellence. By distilling the essence of the legendary SDE-3000 into a compact and user-friendly format, Boss has created a delay pedal that is both powerful and inspiring. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a budding enthusiast, the SDE-3 offers a lifetime of sonic exploration and creative possibilities.
