“A staple for pro players revered for its rich hybrid sound": Boss brings back a legendary delay loved by Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather in its most compact and affordable form yet
The Roland SDE-3000 became a staple for numerous guitar heroes, and now it's been repackaged in a new pedalboard-friendly form that has extra enhancements to boot
(Image credit: Boss)
Boss has brought back the legendary Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay in stompbox form with the release of the SDE-3 Dual Delay.
Following its release in 1983, the Roland SDE-3000 became a go-to delay effect and studio staple, famed for its analog/digital hybrid design and distinct modulation effect.
The influential digital delay was championed by the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather in the 1980s. Eric Clapton, Neil Young and dozens of other pros have all relied on the SDE-3000 at various stages in their careers.
Its first iteration was discontinued in 1985, but over the years the popular delay has been brought back in various forms, most recently in 2023 as the SDE-3000D and SDE-3000EVH – the latter of which came equipped with the exact settings from Van Halen’s own live rig.
But now Boss has revived the Roland rack unit in its smallest form yet, issuing the standard-stompbox-sized SDE-3.
BOSS SDE-3 Dual Digital Delay | Timeless Inspiration - YouTube
In the firm’s own words, the SDE-3’s mission is to authentically deliver the authentic SDE-3000 vibe in a pedalboard-friendly package, while creatively optimizing its smaller footprint to deliver some enhanced features and functions.
Of course, given its super-streamlined topography, Boss has had to get selective with its onboard controls. With a standard Boss design, the SDE-3 features stereo input and outputs, as well as a unique Offset parameter that adds a second delay to the primary effect.
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According to Boss, “This provides a wealth of mono and stereo colors not available with other delay pedals, including unique doubled sounds and timed dual delays with tap tempo control.”
Three stacked control knobs dictate Level/Depth, Feedback/Rate and Time/HiCut, which are responsible for the delay and modulation effects. From these, “a wide range of tones are available” – from ‘80s mod/delay combos to contemporary lo-fi.
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(Image credit: Boss)
(Image credit: Boss)
(Image credit: Boss)
Two stereo modes also let players choose between discrete left-right delays and ultra-wide panning, while a wet/dry amp setup can be configured thanks to its connectivity.
Other notable features include a tap tempo mode, a TRS MIDI input for syncing delay times to DAW clock signals and drum machines, and an optional external footswitch that can access a ‘Hold’ function for on-the-fly looping. There’s also an Expression Pedal jack for controlling an array of parameters.
Given its size, the SDE-3 Dual Delay isn’t just the most compact iteration of the original rack delay we’ve ever seen, but it’s also the most affordable, weighing in at $219.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
