INCOMING: Fixed'n'modded DL4!!!

[chuckocaster]

USPS Tracking says it's gonna be here tamale... But I just checked it and the last update was that it left HotLanta this morning. So unless government workers have changed their work ethic, I'm guessing it's gonna be here Monday. I sent it off to these guys http://jhv3.squarespace.com/dl4-mods/

I got this pedal in trade, knowing it didn't function properly. Jack, who owns and runs the company, is a Whiz with digital stuff. I told him what was going on with the pedal and he told me he would be able to get it fixed and sounding good. He was great with correspondence, he contacted me at every point of the process, from receipt to when he started on it, to what he had to do to fix it (checked to make sure I was willing/able to pay for the upcharge) to when he was done. I found that VERY professional! I don't always think that's necessary, but then again, I sometimes think that's better than some places where you pay your money and then months later you find your pedal on your doorstep... YMMV

So what I had done was the audio upgrade, the switch upgrade, and getting the pedal fixed (which turned to be that the pots were shot!) I'm excited to use this pedal as it will be replacing two delays on my "church" board. As I've said numerous times the stuff we play there is very "wet" & gives a nod to The Edge and other musicians like him.

I'll post some pix and an in depth audio review when I receive the pedal. I'm trying to be as thorough as possible since this is a very common pedal. I hope that the results of the work done are as claimed, I'm not too worried as I've looked at Jack's client list, I am familiar with several of them, so if they trust and use his products/services I think it's safe to say that I'll be pleased as well.

Well, let's hope this green turd can be polished...

[chuckocaster]

Shoot, maybe I stuck my foot in my mouth... I just checked the tracking # & it was "processed" thru Sacramento at 1 am.... That's the main hub, so maybe it is gonna get here today! (Fingers crossed, praying my tax dollars are being put to use...)

Southbound and down, line em up and truck it. We gonna do what they say can't be done. We got a long way to go, and a short time to get. Come on now, Chucky wants his delay!!!

[ch willie]

What's a DL4?

[Don]

It's a big green Line 6 delay pedal- the one Line 6 product that most people admit to liking.

[chuckocaster]

Hey ch Willie, here's a site that gives some good in depth info www.Google.com

[Don]

I was gonna mention that, but...

[chuckocaster]

Well, I'm in one of those moods today! Just being a smartass as usual. And I'll be a monkey's Uncle, my delay is "out for delivery" e e e e...

[chuckocaster]

The wait is KILLING me... Should be here any minute!

[chuckocaster]

The eagle has landed, landed, landed... Hehehehehe



I got a nice note, some business cards, and two stickers in the box also!!! I had to look up how to work this freaking thing, can you believe that? Here, I have a degree in Music Technologies, and can barely run this stupid thing. LOL Anyways, it definitely sounds "realer", I can hear that the models are models, but it's a lot better than stock. So far I think it was worth the cash outlay, but I won't give it a real work out til next week. I play bass at church tomorrow and I don't think anyone wants me to plug this bad boy in for service!

I set it up to run in buffered mode so that when I turn it off the "tails" trail off. I ran it both ways (buffered and true bypass) and didn't notice any volume drop like they usually have. Also, it doesn't add the weird top end crazy high harmonic fizz. Another one of its downfalls.

I really like that Jack put a sticker on the pedal so that people know that it isn't a stock pedal. He also used all super bright blue LEDs. Now all of my pedals match on this board.

[ch willie]

Okay, chums, I could have googled it. But I'd rather hear about it from Chuck. He's the man!

[chuckocaster]

Well thanx buddy! You know I was just giving you a hard time, like I said, I was in one of "those" moods today.

So to answer your question, this pedal does A LOT of stuff! Normally guys run these with three different types of delay, the 4th button is a tap tempo you can engage on any of the models. Some of the drawbacks being the tap isn't "global", & once you disengage or engage another preset, whatever tempo you had tapped in is lost.

Some of these design "flaws" haven been addressed and changed on the newer Line6 pedals. Even with these drawbacks, this pedal is very versatile and a good tool to have in your arsenal.

What JHV3 is fix some reliability issues these pedals have. The two main ones being the installation of real switches. The original design looks like it uses real switches, but in fact they are just shells that look like real 3PDT that actuate micro switches directly on the PCB... Talk about a HORRIBLE design! Those switches fail, not if, but when. The other thing is the "audio upgrade". He changes caps and resistors to better quality and higher tolerances. This quiets the pedal and smooths things out while also improving the overall tone.

This pedal is still old technology though, with it operating at 44.1K 24 bit digital audio. There are newer pedals that run at higher sample rates, I don't know if they've gone to higher bit depth tho. Just know that the higher the sample rate and bit depth, the better the sound.

Feee uuuuuu! That was a long explanation huh?

[Rickenjangle]

I know these things are still in very high demand. I bet I could cut a gig with a Fulldrive II, a tremolo pedal, and this thing. Maybe I should try one out for myself.

Chucko, did you ever try the Pareidolia pedal out with an 18v power supply? I love the sound of it at 9v but I keep wondering if it'd make the thing more present and clear...

[chuckocaster]

I never did, but I think you're right. I run my FD II at 18v and it increases the headroom, I think the trem would do the same thing.

And that's basically my rig for church, except I think I'm gonna run my rotary FX, it's Badass! Sounds real, and has a 2X switch. Only thing is I wish it'd "ramp", but the audience would never perceive that, it's a personal thing.

[ch willie]

Chucko, thanks for the explanation. That sounds like an extremely good pedal. I play through a simple Digitech. It sounds good enough for what I use it for. Still, I'd like to have a more expansive pedal.

[chuckocaster]

TC makes one with all the same features, and cheaper. If I didn't already have this one I'd get one of those. YMMV

[Rickenjangle]

Chucko, I have the TC X4 and it's awesome...but it still doesn't have the cachet that the DL4 has - that universal brand recognition that you'll have for, perhaps, a TS9 or a Big Muff Pi or a Fuzz Face, etc. A Phase 90...that sorta thing.

But it is every bit as good as they say, and then some. I need to find some time (soon) to grok it because I'm filling in at my bass player's church at the end of the month and (because I'm playing, he picked songs that feature challenging guitar parts) - we're doing a Lincoln Brewster tune, and something from Third Day (I think) and the piece de resistance, "All Because of Jesus" with its Edge-influenced cascading/rippling tempo-sync'ed delay.

JEEPERS! I only have like a week left before the practice session!

[chuckocaster]

Very cool! Seriously, if I didn't already have this I'd jump on the TC.. They make awesome stuff, I've used their FX a lot while mixing live shows. I've always been impressed with their sound quality. I know the DL4 might have more models, but I bet the TC has better processing.

Post a pic man!

[cdw2000]

Not trying to hi-jack the thread, Chucko, but did you ever build anything with those boards I etched for you? Just curious if you ever got a chance to do anything. You can PM me if you want.

Chris

[Rickenjangle]

Post a pic man!

Oddly, I don't have a pic of my "big" pedalboard...at least not yet...

Here's my small board:



Notice, no delay on this one - but I have a Behringer Vintage Time Machine that sits back at the amp and provides a little bit of "tape-jape" to the sound.