Boss Digital Delay DD-3

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Contains a hold function so you can record a sound and loop it continuously . Features delay times from 12.5 milliseconds to 800 milliseconds.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $209.50

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User Reviews of the Boss Digital Delay DD-3

Submitted by Jon from Huntsville, AL (496 points) on Jul 19, 2008
"Pristine repeats" sums this one up. It won't make a chain become muddy when engaged, but at the same time, it doesn't have much effect on the actual input as it doesn't really distort audio like an analog delay. It's useful, and worth it for what i paid, but it's still good to have a decent digital *and* analog delay to get the best of both... Due to it's partial analog circuitry (only the actual delay chip is digital), it is capable of those cool pitch-shifting effects. The "Hold" mode doesn't seem good for a lot, except maybe looping the end of a blast of sound. It takes a little practice to get accustomed to it. It loops probably about a second of audio. I got this today in an unclaimed baggage store, and it seems the previous owner was NOT kind to his/her pedals... Aside from being filthy and chipped to shit, the input jack was loose, and now it seems to occasionally lose connectivity since I last used it (Might be a bad cable, or just my fault-- I tried tightening up the jack with little luck.) The bottom plate is warped/missing screws, and the pots were pretty "jiggly", too. Still works just fine, though. The one I own is the Pink-label M-I-T version (the 4th incarnation of the DD-3) for those who are interested. It's a nice alternative to analog delays. worth it if you find one cheap.
Good Points: CLEAN. (perfect for when you need such things), I actually like the way this pedal processes sounds much more than I do the DD-20 as the DD-20 doesn't seem to like feedback loops so much, plus it doesn't pitch-shift when it's tweaked, It just "garbles" stuff. (though the DD-20 is still more functional overall), The "Hold" mode can be fun if it's not overused. Doesn't muddy up the signal, is able to pitch-shift audio (even in Hold mode) Awesome for what I paid, Still kicking after all the abuse it's taken, the "Direct Out" leaves the main output free for creating a feedback loop going to the input.
Bad Points: It still can't do EVERYTHING-- As I said, this should do just fine for Digital delay, but an analog delay is good to have for other thigs. I can't really see myself paying more than maybe 60 bucks for one of these... It's really not anything amazing. Oh yeah, you have to keep the footswitch depressed to make it loop continuously-- yargh.
Price Paid: US$41.00
Purchased At: Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro
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Submitted by Nic from Monterey, CA (90 points) on Jun 16, 2007
a nice, standard digital delay. works wells for a first-time delay.
Good Points: small, easy to use and can make so whacky noise.
Bad Points: it's a Boss.
Price Paid: US$65.00
Purchased At: Wise music
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Submitted by Gregory from Jamestown, NY (2 points) on Dec 30, 2006
This pedal is decent. i like the hold function. dosn't feedback as much as i would like it to. could use muti inputs. i dont like the plastic case. if you want to have a good pedal in your chain, throw this in. you can work with it.
Good Points: Ok price. love the hold as always boss makes good pedals
Bad Points: Plastic case could have more delay time could use multi inputs and outputs. kinda hard to get my fingers around the knobs.
Price Paid: US$158.00
Purchased At: Germaine and popalardo music
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Submitted by Iain David from United Kingdom (144 points) on Nov 8, 2006
It's a fairly striaghtforward digital delay, really. I can't add too much to what has already been said about it. Fiddling with the D.Time knob on the shortest setting creates some fantastic sawing effect, but you'll need to be careful of the gradual volume jump that this causes!
Good Points: - No probs with the tone. - All three delay settings have their uses (not the hold function though!). - Boss construction
Bad Points: - The hold function. Absolute rubbish.
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At:
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Submitted by caress from Allston, MA (48 points) on Aug 15, 2006
some really nice sounds can be created with this delay... the actual delay is not that great, a little metallic sounding and mine doesn't feedback so well...BUT the hold function is very nice. ...take off the stomp cover and tape down the switch to control the loop with both hands... you can get some great aphex twin/squarepusher style sounds. mine doesn't really work anymore though...too bad
Good Points: solid. hold function. tap tempo.
Bad Points: breaks. uses batteries pretty quickly. doesn't feedback too well. metallic sounding.
Price Paid: US$20.00
Purchased At: a friend
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Submitted by marty from Houston, TX (8 points) on Jun 23, 2006
This is such a great pedal. It can be tweaked like no other. The delays are digital and they're great at what they do. The awesomeness of this pedal is this: while playing your recorded 800ms in HOLD mode, you can "interupt your loop by quickly releasing the pedal and then quickly pressing it back down, almost as if you "slipped" while holding down. If you do this alot it will make for some very interstingly rythmic loops/sounds. Also, only on the DD-3 can you switch from HOLD mode BACK to regular delay without it cutting out. The DD-6 won't do this.
Good Points: Great sounding digital delay for cheap (0). Has HOLD mode looping until infinity.
Bad Points: It'd be nice if the delay actually went up to 1 second of delay (1000ms).
Price Paid: US$90.00
Purchased At: GuitarCenter
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Submitted by kinetic turtle from Oakland, CA (166 points) on Mar 10, 2006
Very similar to all the other Boss DD-x pedals. The only thing that makes this one unique is the way the hold function works; it holds the sound as long as you've got the pedal depressed, and then releases it when you release the pedal, as opposed to locking the sound in when you press and release. Not so great for tabletop playing, unfortunately.
Good Points: Boss constuction. Rather transparent, sound-wise.
Bad Points: Hold function works differently, and not so well for tabletop playing.
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At:
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Submitted by Jacob from Davis, CA (6 points) on Jan 25, 2005
has a good digital delay sound and by itself it is great. however in with a bunch of pedals i find it to be kind of muddy and not very loud. makes great jackhammer sounds when the feedback is up all the way(or close to) and set to the shortest setting.
Good Points: solid construction. does what you expect.
Bad Points: gets slightly lost in my signal chain.
Price Paid: US$65.00
Purchased At: atomic music(trade)
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Submitted by h from Norman, OK (22 points) on Dec 17, 2004
Bought mine off the guitar center demo rack for discount. I like this delay better than the dd-6 which i borrowed for a few weeks. Mainly because Im not about to pay the extra cash for stupid things like reverse delay. I like to keep things modular - a footswitch for each effect, not 6 kinds of delay in one pedal. The dd-3 sounds digital, and since it's been outversioned, it can be acquired cheaply. great delay time tomfoolery on tap here. The effect level and feedback knobs can be brought to a certain equilibrium point with your amp volume where it will repeat just short of infinitely at just under the volume of the direct out signal, making for one of my favorite effects ever. In all honesty, I think i used the hold function once. If it didnt require that you turn a knob, it might be useful (meaning, it knows when your stomping and when your holding and adjusts itself accordingly) but oh well. I wish there was a switch (a la the new line 6 delay?) to cure the abrupt ending of repeats when you switch it off. But this pedal is a few years old and relatively cheap, and I think sounds better than the newer boss digital delays, with more "tasteful" features.
Good Points: Great digital delay sound. The feedback knob ranges from a single delay to infinite delays. Ample delay time for any application id need it for. Wet/dry outs. wet level. just a solid pedal in general.
Bad Points: the direct out seems a hair quieter. Wish there was a end of delay delay, so the repeats would fade out rather than just end. CV would be nice.
Price Paid: US$85.00
Purchased At: guitar center
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Submitted by tommy from Las Vegas, NV (48 points) on Mar 15, 2004
simple delay pedal nothing extra. the sound is solid and plugs into itself easily. i think however your better of paying a little bit more for the dd-6.
Good Points: -boss construction -direct out on same side as imput
Bad Points: -no tap tempo -no double imputs
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At:
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Submitted by D/A A/D from Halifax (410 points) on Sep 4, 2003
Basicaly this is boss's entry level digital delay... It is notthing special, it except you can feed itself back into itself - which is cool... Just a normal metalic sounding digital delay...
Good Points: Decent long delays, 2 outputs... boss baby...
Bad Points: Average...
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At:
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Submitted by Beavis from Afghanistan (258 points) on Feb 18, 2003
I like this for what it is....a DIGITAL delay. Sounds very organised and not muddy like some. Can be fun for real time manipulation. Though they are different I prefer this to the DD-5 cause it is a lot simpler. Very cool hold function aswell
Good Points: Simple, easy, fun, sounds good, well made
Bad Points: Some think delay time is too short, it says clearly how long it can do, why did u buy it??? I love this and its one of my favourite Boss pedals
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At: Free in Trade
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Submitted by Rob from London (362 points) on Mar 22, 2002
Very crisp sound but sounds very digital. It doesn't really do the self oscilation of analogue delays but it sound better for clean echos. Works well with heavy distortion to get a huge wall of sound going. The hold mode is totally useless for anything because the delay time is less that a second.
Good Points: Good clear sound. Good pedal for delay needs.
Bad Points: Would have liked a longer time for the hold mode but I guess I want a DD5... Digital sounding. Expensive.
Price Paid: US$120.00
Purchased At: Shop
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Submitted by retardo from United States (2 points) on Oct 15, 2001
a nice sounding digital delay, i would prefer analog. if i would have known better i would have gotten a used memory man. fun pitch shifting effects, don't try using this on guitar if you want a non-chinsy analog signal.
Good Points: versatile delay
Bad Points: digital, short delay times
Price Paid: US$140.00
Purchased At:
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Submitted by r.domain from Adelaide (16 points) on Aug 17, 2001
This is quite a cool pedal especially for realtime control. If you get a large feedback time going for a tone and then change the delay time, you get some nice warped out pitches and sounds. Could definately come in handy for the noise terrorist. Handy having the Direct out also in case you want to maintain some sanity. Due to the small delay time, it's not the best for creating loops.
Good Points: Two outputs (dry and wet), realtime control, the hold function can come in handy. Well built.
Bad Points: Price is a bit high, small delay time.
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At:
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Submitted by mass from Canada (4 points) on Jul 3, 2001
this is an awesome delay pedal. i've had mine for five years and i still haven't gotten tired of playing with it.
Good Points: tweaks nicely
Bad Points: delay time could have wider range of time
Price Paid: US$175.00
Purchased At: encore music
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