Boss DM-2 Analog Delay

Step on it and you'll always get a good sound.

It's just one of the very best analog delay pedals ever. I thought, that after 19 years of continuous use of the DM-2, it was time for a kind of "Hall of Fame" mention for this pedal. I use it with a '65 Super and Strat or Tele.

Yes. Actually, it's one of the most dependable things I've ever owned. Not one problem in almost 20 years of gig use.

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THis is a "classic" pedal in the truest sense of the word. I remember paying $81 for this new back in 81-82 so it was pricey then. But after 20 years I can say that it's worth the $1 per year it has ended up costing me.

There are three knobs on this thing, intensity, echo and repeat rate, it's fairly easy to use and not hard at all to get a good ol' warm analog delay sound. It's alot of fun for getting weird sounds like harsh slap-back echos and stuff, and sounds great when you make it feedback on itself by turning up all the knobs and manipulating the repeat rate knob. This pedal hasn't been made since about 1983 and there was no manual with it when I bought it three years ago, but you probably won't need one.

I love the sound of this thing, I've always hated digital delays, I'm not after long-ass repat rates so I don't mind the trade off of some milliseconds for warmth which is simply more important to me. My guitars include a '57 reissue Fender Stratocaster, a '94 Stratocaster and a 60's reissue Telecaster which I play through a Fender Ultimate Chorus. I use a lot of pedals including the DM-2, a Boss tremelo, Electro Harmonix Big Muff, Ibanez Tube Screamer, EH Small Stone, Electric Mistress, and a Jim Dunlop Crybaby wah. This delay sounds great clean by itself and adds depth to distorted tones. It can do some pretty crazy things and is one of the favourite parts of my setup.It will be a constant toy on my pedalboard for a long time I'm sure.

Its sturdy, aside from a few paint chips it's in excellent condition, I've gigged with it a few times and it's never given me any problems.

Dunno really, never had any problems, thus no need to talk to 'em. It hasn't been made (as I said) since '83 or so, so I definately take care of it and make sure its always ready to RAWK.

I love it! The price on these little gems is going up now as well, I've seen some going for more than digital delays (we're talkin' like $250 or more!!!! YEOW!)So if you can find a good deal on one, get it, you won't regret it. I like it a lot more than the old pink Ibanez AD-9 which I was originally gonna get, but thats just me. Its ultimately up to what you want, different strokes for different folks.

Repeat, Time, and mix volume. Plug and Fly. That is what you will do, fly...

For my views on effects and especially delays, see my reviews of the 201 space echo, Guyatone ps-014 analog delay), Roland double beat, pearl ce-22 chorus/vibrato (oh, that vibrato!) and some others I forgot.
Being I have about 7 analog delays, next to a space echo, this is the fattest, lushest, and definitely has a personality. I owned a dm-3 and compared them (the dm-3 didn't have such a thick tone, but did have a fraction of a second longer delay time. Who cares? Tone is the deciding factor, anyway). I would suggest putting in front of any distortion boxes and/or amps, it will carry the guitar tone better (some people like them effects loops. Loops? Fruit loops?). That's all. The space echo is best for that analog, pitch shifty delay sound, but I would rate this second. Boss stuff is good! Don't knock it.

Have about 20-25 boss effects, and only have had one go funky on me, and it was a t-wah(funky? wah? hahaha. o.k. I will stop now.)!

The good Lord knows....

Look, I get inquiries sometimes about effects from people who read my reviews. Everybody is too worried about the price. Guys (and gals, too), Look: If you want the vibe analog gives (and I, personally, wouldn't think of anything else), eat taco bell for two weeks and get it. I own the line-6 delay thingy, and, with all the options, I still prefer the dm-2 to it. If I could own just one effect, it would be a space echo. Second, the dm-2. Life is short, and to us guitarists, it is meant to be making music, with the sounds we want. Do it. Get it. You will be so happy. That will, in turn, affect your playing, too. Now, can I get that vegetarian burrito with soy cream?
Even though I live in Korea and Japan, I dream of home everyday. God bless the USA.

3 simple knobs, repeat rate, echo and intensity, pretty straight forward interface.

When I first got it, it did no work. I had to disassemble it, spray with electronics cleaner and work out a few kinks. Once I got it working...

The unit is very quiet. Prior to the DM-2, I had a DD-3 (nice but sterile) digital delay. I play a American Standard Strat, a Fender custom series with floyd-rose, Les Paul and other guitars thru a Peavey Classic 100 amp with 2 4-10 cabs. I set the settings low for a subtle delay. To soften the delay I run it thru the effects loop (along with my chorus). It is always on, I may adjust the echo and repeat to match the style. Useful in getting Van Halen, Rush, fusion and other sounds. The DM-2 delivers a softer, lower delay then most, especially compared to digital delays.

It is a great I am not saying it is the holy-grail of delays, but it does work nice for subtle echo or reverb like effects. I think the slap back sound it can product (repeats all the way up, echo low) is to bright and kills sustain.

I own 8 Boss pedals, no problems yet! The are certainly the most noise free foot devices out there.

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I play blues, some jazz fusion, and rock, like Zep, Rush, Sabbath, Halen, AC/DC... I leave the unit on all the time. If it vanished, I am not sure I would smoke out another 100 bucks for one, but I would miss it.

I have tried many delays, digital and analog (Arion, Ibenez, Boss (digital), I find the dm-2 gives me the suble echo-delay I was looking for.

I am still looking for a newer device with the same or similar characteristics.

Very, very easy to use. Anyone should be able to figure it out. 2 knobs, and an on/off pedal switch.

I think that this is the best analog delay out there. It is long discontinued, and they now run for insane amounts of money. This is true. You will be lucky to find one for less than $175. I have seen them go for $250. If you were to find one for either of those prices, i would say, DONT buy one, unless you are really, really desperate to find a fantastic delay pedal at any cost. It is just way too much money for such a simple effect. True, like i said, it is the best analog delay out there. So, if you have all the money in the world and are desperate to find the very best, this is it. It is the dreamiest, smoothest, most amazing and gorguose analog delay you will ever, ever find. I love it. HOWEVER, i got it for free from my uncle, who probably did not know of it's rarity and didn't need it anymore. You can get pretty CLOSE to the sound quality of this unit on some of the more expensive units, like the pod delay unit with 16 deyals, or others units. I know electro-harmonix also put out an anolog delay pedal that is really very good as well. So, as you can see, this is not the ONLY analog delay out there for you to concider. However, both those units i mentioned, are more expenive than the already very expenive DM-2. HOWEVER, they do MORE stuff than the DM-2, but, still, the DM-2 is better than all of them, reguardless of the fact that the others are more complex. But this is ALL if you have the money. You deffinetly pay for what you get. This is the only analog delay i will ever use, and it the the smoothest, creamyest, most perfect analog delay on this earth. You just can't beat it. I know that sound is a matter of opinion, but I have never met anyone who disareed with me.

Becuase this is a very old unit, it is NOT dependable. It has broken down twice on me, and I have owned it for 2 years. That is not good. However, as it is will all vintage items, their supirior sound quality is worth the struggle of fixing them.

I have no idea. I just tookmit to "the amp shop" in sherman oaks, ca, every time. They are pricy, but pretty good.

I give it a 8 because it is sooooo expensive. I would never even dream of spending so much on a simple analog delay, even though I have come to realize it is the best. I just don't use it often enough. however, with those with the cash, this is really the holy grail of analog delays. Other more expensive pedals can come close, but never really get there. Plus, like i said, it is a bit tempremental. But, you just can't beat sounds like this. Smooth as smooth can be, and those tiny controls are enough to do some crazy shit as well as beautiful, subtle delays. Killer sound.

3 knobs and a foot switch

real quiet, sounds like an old echoplex kinda, short delay, sounds great if your into old Zepplin and dont want to mess with an old echoplex.

I bought mine new in the early 80's and while I taken such good care of it that it still looks like new and so does the box I never have had an problems with it.

never tried to contact these people

It's cool for it's day and if your into analog delay this is the one you want but I like my digital delay just as much unless of course I'm playing 70's stuff.

This is real easy. 3 knobs. pretty standard.

Sound is warm fuzzy analog. I have 3 of these things and they all sound and behave much different from each other. I will use 2 in a row - 1 for short echo and one for cascading. I put em after my filter, distortion and modulation fx. I run a PRS hollowbody II->Musitronics Octave Divider->Teese RMC 3 wah->TS808->Ibanez Super Tube->Electro Harmonix Zipper->Ross Grey Compressor->mxr script phase 90->Arion Chorus->Ernie Ball Volumne Pedal->DM2->DM2->Boss DD5->1966 Fender Deluxe Reverb. oooh oooh oooh. Tone out the arse! You can check out samples at <a href="http://www.freshlybaked.com/pedals">Randtronics</a> and check out my band <a href="http://www.freshlybaked.com/">Freshly Baked</a>
I like to play a lot of styles. This is great for dubbing in reggae and psychedelic as well as country slapback.

I have beaten boss effects for many years. I am sure if i put it on the train tracks it may bust.

I have dealt with roland over the years for my various guitar synths. It is a dark bottomless pit.

Groovy. Fun for dub style reggae. just twist the knobs ...brrrrrrwweeeeeeeiiiiiiingggggggghhhhhaaaaaaaaavvrrrrrrrwahwahwahwah... I also use a way huge aqua puss and a Ibanez AD9 from time to time as well as the boss DM3

very simple; but mine has the rate backwards (left is long!)

right now a '59 tweed deluxe with a tele.while it has the best rockabilly slap of any pedal i've tried (i own a dod fx 96 ' "echoplexinabox" and it does'nt come close. matter of fact, it sucks). what i find very surprising is that the dm2 has the most amazing small room sound. just turn the time and the intensity all the way up, repeat knob off. i've been looking for a long time for this sound, and i found it by accident. the perfect "sounds like the amp is being picked up by the vocal mike" early bb king, early howlin' wolf with willie johnson, early bob wills with junior barnard, early chess records, you get the idea. the boss rv3 delay/verb ai't that hot to begin with(what it does to the low end in particular is terrible) but i had been using it for a small room sound. not very convincing at all. i've been trying to get away from spring 'verb for a while now; all i was ever looking for was that "amp in a small room, mike 6 feet away" sound. put those 2 knobs on 10 and you're there! i'm elated! and no, it does'nt step on your playing at all like most very short delays do. think early otis rush cobra recordings or junior well's "it's my life baby"(the best buddy guy you'll ever hear) best of all, no twiddling! it's simply all there. live it's a 66 super reverb with strats and tellies and i plan on getting a vaughn mods ts9 for really small rooms. i'll have to find another dm2 for rockabilly slap, 'cause i'm encasing the whole thing!! think i'm kidding?!?

it was a basket case when i got it; no switch,power supply had been messed with. no big deal, a new switch and soldering one wire. won't work with a battery though, strange. i'm also using an ibanez cd10 delay champ for slap stuff; another pretty cool analog delay ($25) i've never had a problem with any boss pedal.

fixed it myself; it's fine

i've been playing for 30 years; been backing up traditional style harp players for 16 years in a variety of bands.i also play a '56 kay swingmaster archtop with 3 p-90's and a real '63 fender reverb tank. i'd have to get another dm2 'cause this is the only one i've found (and i've been looking for years, a lot of wasted money) that gives you that small room sound without screwing anything up. if you play in the styles that i play in, then i can tell you that this is the cat's ass.

This magenta colored stompbox is simple to use. It incorporates three dials rate repeat,echo and intensity,thats it! Set it were you like the sound and step on it.

I use it basically as an alternative to reverb,because the Vox AC30 has none.It does wonders for the depth of the amp tone,but it has it's limitations.It will not give you long time delays,but it can do some nice rockabilly slaps,and for me thats enough.I personally love useing this pedal and would find a big hole in my effects layout without it.This pedal is in line with my ts808,Jeckyl&Hyde,DOD bass chorus and my Vox wah.It's a nice touch to the line-up.

I have used it many times on gigs without a backup and feel confident in it's reliability.The only way this pedal will let you down is if you don't check the battery on occation,because it has an appetite for 9v batteries.

I play contemporary christian at the church I attend,and with my friends classic rock ,any thing from Beatles to Zep.

As simple as a stomp box an get. If this thing confuses you, please, take my advise and STEP AWAY FROM THE BONG.

Wow - isn't this the most dreamy analog delay you've ever heard? I also have a DM-3, which I love as well, but there is something about the DM-2 that draws me to her. Warmer & sweeter...that's the best that I can describe it. I like it best w/my Strat (w/Lindy Fralins) and Fender Super 60 tube amp. I usually run it with my Ibanez Tube Screamer & Boss CE-2 Chorus (an absolutely AMAZING chorus), occasionally throwing in a Boss Flanger or Boss Super Phaser to mix up my sound. Regardless of what I mix in the chain, it always plays nice with it's brothers and sisters!

My DM-2 is pretty old and in MINT condition in every way you can imagine. This thing will last FOREVER!

Never dealt with them.

This stomp box is not for everybody. I would not advise buying this pedal if you're playing style is more along the lines of Pantera & Slayer than Radiohead & Pink Floyd.