Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler

To get the most out of this pedal you need to do some serious reading. Especially to get the most out of the loop sampler's half time and reverse functions. The manual spends too much time pushing it's other products to get enough from it.

I used it with a fender American S-1 HSS Strat. (Note past tense, we will get to that). My backup is an upgraded Gibson SG Standard. These go through multiple effects to my Traynor YCV40 with celestion vintage 30 speaker. The reason that I got this pedal is that all my favorite guitarists have one of these on their pedal board. Dave Knudson has 6! These things sound amazing WHEN THEY WORK.

I bought my first DL4 from Ebay 2nd hand. This unit set on fire within 5 minutes of use whilst being used on the correct PSU. Luckily I got my money back. My second and present unit has the following problems - 1. When the unit is off but has a signal it repeats every note I play. 2. When I switch it on, the lights don't correspond to the switch (E.G. Press A - B lights up). 3. When you finally get it turned on, it wont turn off. And the Loop sampler? don't know WTF happend with that. This is a $250 unit. This shouldn't happen - as for customer suppport....

I bought this pedal during my short stay in America to save money because in the UK they cost about $350. As soon as I had problems I resisted putting it in the wall and got in touch with a certain "G center." They wouldn't touch the thing. They wouldn't help me at all and they weren't going to have it back so I started trying to send them Emails which were all sent back by Postmaster saying the email didn't exist. Getting worried I spent the day calling the number in the manual for a UK service which was the wrong number. Eventually after getting very annoyed on the Line6 forums someone gave me a number. Now I have to pay to send it half the length of the country and pay as quoted "At least ??65 (about $130) not including shipping (Another $20) and it will be done in about 2 weeks."

I could cry thinking about this pedal. The thing I enjoy about guitar is manipulating sound and experimenting with all different pedals and I just can't get one of these to work. They are potentially one of the best delay pedals out there, but they re the most unreliable pieces of junk at the same time. I cannot stress how important it is to be certain you have time and money replacing these things because they are pretty special and I still want one. Even though I have ****luck.

With 16 different available effects it's easy to get lost at first, but the manual is extremely informative and you'll get very used to which settings do what. The only difficult part is the Tweak and Tweez knobs as they both perform different functions depending on the type of delay you're set on.

I play a Rickenbacker 330 into a Fender Twin Reverb and I've gotta say I've never noticed any loss of tone. Every time I plug in my guitar I go through my DL4 and I've been using it for about 8 years now, so perhaps I've just gotten used to the sound, but I know my tone is good and I have no problems with that.

Sadly, I cannot rely on my DL4 anymore. I'm currently on my 3rd unit (like many others on here) and once this thing dies on me, I will not buy a 4th.

I'm having the issue where I press button #1 and button #3 comes on, or I press on button #2 and I have to press it like, 5 times for it to finally come on, etc...

These things are notoriously unreliable. It's EXTREMELY tempting to get another because I love all the different delay options (even though I only truly use 3 or so of them) and I really love the looping option. Although, the looping doesn't loop in perfect time, it slowly degrades, but still, very nice to have all this in one package.

In any case, not reliable. Mine only last about a year or two then they start breaking down.

Never dealt with Line 6. I never bother calling support for these type of things.

In my opinion, if you're looking for your first good delay pedal, buy one. Used, preferably (it's not worth $250 new). Use it for as long as it can go. You may get lucky and it might last you a few years. BUT, once it breaks down on you, upgrade. Find something better and more reliable. Even though I'm on my 3rd, I've really enjoyed this unit for the time I had them, wouldn't have traded it for much else. But I will not buy a 4th.

Pretty easy....you have delay rate, repeats, and mix (dry/wet blend) for each effect....then you have a tweak knob and a tweez knob....I would say that these are the trickiest as they change their purpose for almost everyone of the 16 delay modes. But, once you get it, you get it. I'll give it an 8....because I'm sure it'd take some people a little while to get used to.

Alright....so, this is what matters....
When I first got this I was very excited because it seemed to be able to do a lot. Yeah, it can do a lot....but most of the time it sounds horrible. Too digital. Too fake. The tone is horrible and it lacks a lot of depth and which is really the beauty of delay. So, for a long time I just used it to make crazy sounds by setting the repeat to maximum, letting it self-oscillate and then turning the rate knob. I love to do this with delay or just make loops. So, I was pretty satisfied. Then, recently, I decided to sit down with it and try to get some sounds that are more useful and actually occupy the 3 available banks for presets. And....wow....to my surprise, I got some very nice, interesting, unique sounds. And, the tone is okay. Of course, I back it up with other effects, but it is not bad on its own. I used the Volume Swell with a slow swell rate and fast, long delay to increase the sustain and that sounds amazing. No modulation though. The modulation features on this thing hurt my ears. Unless one is trying to make something kinda wacky and experimental. Then they can be pretty cool. I also got a very good Reverse delay. Although, this took me a pretty long time to achieve. It actually almost reverses right away. That's what I was going for. Instant reverse....not delayed reverse. Also, the Digital Delay w/ Mod is pretty cool. I put the modulation depth to maximum and found a nice speed for it and I got a sound that warbles like a Space Echo. But, unlike a Space Echo, you know that it is going to happen because it is preset. This is a good DIGITAL sound. The Dynamic Delay can be pretty cool as well because you can set it in a way where the delay sound is totally missing until you stop playing your instrument and there is no incoming signal....then all the delay fades in heavily playing back a blend of everything you played while it was quiet. Very interesting. So, this thing can be very fun to make weird sounds with....space, sci-fi sounds....but for very beautiful delay, I would not recommend it. As soon as you plug your instrument into it and go out of it into an amp....it eats up your instruments tone. I play Fenders with custom pick-up combinations and naturally I get wonderful tone out of them. Full, balanced sound. This destroys that half way. Something I am going to try....is to run it into my amplifiers effects loop so that my guitar doesn't go into it....maybe this will help but I'm sure I will have to mess with the mix knob to get it right. But, now that I think of it....this might work. Most likely. So, maybe that is a way around the tone issue. Anyway, I think that Line 6 just naturally makes things that are way too digital sounding. I mean, digital is good....I like it sometimes. But, there's got to be a balance, I think. I do use this delay a lot, though. It is very fun and interesting. Especially in combination with other effects, the delays are very useful. You can make them sound better. And an effects loop can probably save your guitar. 7 for bad but fixable tone issues.

Well, I had a DL-4....and the 4 buttons started to malfunction....I'd hit button 1 and preset button number 3 would come on. I'd try to tap a tempo and the effect would bypass....I'd hit button 3 and 2 would come on. And so on....So, I sold it for $50 and got another one that I have had for about 2 years now. It is perfectly fine. I think the other one was just a rare issue that is probably not very common with these DL-4's. Otherwise, I think it's pretty reliable. If I had money though, I would have a back-up for every piece of equipment that I have. Because you never know what can happen. 7 for that first encounter....

I have never tried....I usually contact companies....just to get to know them....but I have never tried with Line 6. Probably because some great force knows that I shouldn't contact them, because I will just be disappointed and is keeping me from them. it is probably for the best. I don't imagine Line 6 would be very good with Customer Support....They're such a big Guitar Center kind of company and they are usually the worst for this.
Once, I sold a Boss DD-5 to some guy who used to work for Line 6 and helped design the DL-4. He hates the DL_4. Heh. I don't hate it....I just thought that was funny. Anyway, I have no say in Customer Support.

The DL-4 makes very great sounds....it would be great if it were true-bypass and if it was less digital or at least able to be balanced. But, in the end, it is interesting, it helps me with ideas for songs, I would get another one if it were stolen (and I have a lot of other delays....so that is saying a lot)....i like it overall....it is suitable for my experimental, art-rock, ambient phase....but it is not for everyone. So....6.

This is a follow up to my previous review. I have learned how to get a usable sound out of this pedal and now feel much better about the pedal all around.
The key to using this pedal is to use it in a parallel loop configuration so that your direct sound does not go through the pedal at all and is not sterilized and ruined by it. Turn the mix knob all the way up on the pedal for effect only.
Using a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue I have my direct guitar sound going through one channel and the effected only(phase inverted to compensate for blackface design) going through the other. (Both channels on these Fender amps play at the same time.) This works great! The cold sterile sound of the pedal is not as noticable when it is confined to the delays only and mixed with pure real guitar sound. There are some small volume differences when switching between some of the effects but I can just reach over and use the channel volume on the amp to compensate.
What this means for me is that this pedal is only seriously usable with an amp with a 2 channel Fender design or a parallel (not the more common series) effects loop.
The sound lacks the mojo and warmth of using actual analog or tape effects for sure but the models are really excellent and can be inspiring. I'm enjoying the pedal now.

This pedal is a great design. Sturdy, true bypass, knobs instead of buttons, tap tempo. Kind of ideal except that you can only preset 3 models at a time.

Here's the bottom line. If warm sweet beautiful guitar tone is important to you at all then don't even consider this pedal except perhaps as very fun toy. If you are already using a lot of sound processing equipment or a transistor amp or figure no one would hear the difference live anyway then I would consider it. But realize, the second you plug into this thing whatever nice analog sound you had going will be destroyed and replaced with something sterile and heartless. Analog modelers of all types are kind of a sick absurd joke because they can never sound like warm analog and that's half the reason you would want to buy one in the first place right? All line 6 equipment that I've heard has the same cold artificial sound once you recognize it. I hate this sound and so should everybody. Its a sound to run away from and not towards especially with cash in hand. The only reason people are enticed is because of the incredible economy, ease, and flexibility that digital modeling offers. The idea of having all these incredible delays under one roof sounds too good to be true; and guess what it is. The price you pay is a cold sterile sound that the guitar heroes of the sixties and seventies would not ever consider using. If your into tone get one quality analog delay pedal and be happy. No one really needs a gazillion types of delays anyway.

The original power supply failed and I had to buy a new one for 25$. The buttons usually work but occasionally malfunction.

I'm gonna stay neutral cause not everyone is into warm beautiful guitar tone or knows what it is (probably because of pedals like this). Its a shame cause thats where the deeper beauty lies. Except for its sterile sound a dodgy reliability it is a very cool pedal. It all depends on what is important to you.

It's relatively easy to use. The Tweak and Tweez knobs take on different jobs depending on the delay you're working with, but other than that you can take the controls at face value. This isn't like some other multi-fx pedals where there is a bit of a learning curve. The manual for it is decent. It shows "optimal" settings for each of the different delays.

-I love the way this thing sounds for the most part. It gets a 9 because I do not like all the sounds...but who gives a crap.
-For a little over $200 I got a pedal that has 6 really awesome delays sounds that I LOVE [swell delay, tape echo, tube echo, lo res delay (with lowest resolution), multihead echo, and analog delay).
-So when you work that out, that's like $33 a pedal. I like to think of it that way.
-I'm not to crazy about the reverse delay (I just have no use for it) and am not big on the delays with modulation.
-I use a Gibson Les Paul Standard or a Gretsch Double Jet into a Laney LC50 or Vox AC15. It loves humbuckers (and using the two amps sounds awesome with the stereo or ping pong delay).

-I did use this pedal to gig around with. I never had problems with the pedal proper, but I did go through 2 of the power cords.
-Eventually I wised up, bought one of the really awesome One Spot daisy chain that has a Line 6 adapter on it. The next time it breaks, if it does, I'm only out $4 for the replacement as opposed to $20-25.
-It's built quite well (I build pedals too, so I know a bit) and like any other peice of gear: you take care of it and it's likely to not let you down.

Haven't needed it.

-I play a lot of ambient atmospheric Brit Rock type guitar work. THis is pretty perfect for all my needs.
-In the 13 years I've been playing, it's in the top 5 pedals I've ever owned. (And I've owned 150+.)
-Mine has been stolen twice (the last time just this past week) and I'm going to replace it again. I'm not playing in a band anymore, but I've just gotten so use to this pedal and it's sounds that I'm not willing to let that go just yet.
-My one big beef is that I wish there were more user presets. There are only three with just the pedal. I think 8 would be much nicer. To me that just makes sense when you have 16 different delays on one pedal.

For a modeler it's actually pretty easy to use. Sometimes the loopers functions of reverse and 1/2 speed don't work as planed. The manual is actually quite informative, and can really help you out if you have any issues.

Only gripe I have is that some of the patches made me scratch my head at first on how to get them to sound good.

I'm a delay addict. I've got a pair of Maxon AD999 and a Keeley Modded AD9. I have Dr. Scientist delays, and even a couple of BYOC's. I love delay, and while the DL4 is not the best sounding out of the bunch, it's nice to have anyways.

the DL4 will never deliver the warm tones of my Maxon boxes, nor will it deliver the crisp hi-fi repeats of my Dr. Scientist. But it does many things well that still warrant it staying on my board.

I got all three banks setup with really different settings, that don't double up on the AD999, Scientist, and BYOC that are still on my board. The reverse setting is A LOT of fun, and really enjoyable for something different. The Ping/Pong delay is great for my stereo setup, and really adds a new dimension (especially with my other guitar player running a stereo rig himself). The other is just a tube delay with some nice overdrive built into the patch. Just something that sounds warm that has tap tempo for when I want things to fill out a bit more.

I'm using the box with an Orange Rocker 30 and an older Vox AC30. It sounds amazing with both amps, and it's nice that the two support each other nicely. I just don't use the second channel of the R30H because it just don't sound good to distort delays.

I've heard bad things about reliability of these things... and I worked at a music shop and have taken in more L6 gear than anything else, so i'm a little worried none the less.

I got enough delay pedals on my board to get by tho, so no need for a backup. I also can play all my parts WITHOUT any effects at all and still sound really good, so I'm never worried about my board failing.

L6 are terrible for support. I called their Canadian office and got an angry frenchman who wouldn't help.

I bought this thing for the looping feature especially, but find I'm not using it as much as I planned on. But I'm still getting a fair bit of use out of the reverse/ping-pong/tube delay settings. I think if/when it dies I'll look at the TC Nova Delay (or trade this one in for the TC Nova Delay) as it's got tap and will do what I need it to do without the possibility of failing me.

Not a bad product, but not ideal in any sense of the word. wish it was a few bucks cheaper for sure

pretty easy to use, read the manual, and the stickers on the machine will help.

the sound quality is pretty good, i must stress, you feed dl4 through an fx loop and all these people saying it colors your tone and adds "white noise", are right and all of them did'nt mention except for maybe one person about using it in an fx loop, All modualatory effects such as chorus,flange,dealy,reverb should be run through an independent fx loop so they want alter your tone or "suck tone" as some would call it. if you run this in your signal chain, expect noise and tonal suckage, but keely electronics makes mod for this problem but simply running in your amps loop will diminsh this problem almost completly. Dont really use all the delay's, mainly the analog and digital delay are most used, when in a stereo setup ill use the ping pong and stereo delays and the looper for practice purpuses, my setup is as follows, olp luke model and 60th anniv. tele and custom shop tele into a 410 peavey classic 50. my chain is ernie b volume to wah to fulltone 2 to modded dyna comp to ibanez cs-9 to boss tuner to amp, i have my boss eq, boss noise suppessor into the amps fx loop and the noss supp. has a built in fx loop in which i run the dl4 and the boss rotary ensemble dual pedal through, this setup, when i engage the dl4 is very very quiet. all you folks with noise issues, try running the pedal through an fx loop and ill bet youll cahnge your opnion, at least about the noise issue, if you dont like the delay models then you should have played on it before you bought it. good luck finding all this pedals for under 250 bucks.

ive heard horror stories indeed about this thing, ive had some mechanical issue with one of the switches but it was an easy fix. Must Must have the proper power supply with the right milliamps and all that good electronic voltage crap, batteries will suck tone and color your tone. Dont use any other supply except for the one desgned for the unit or it will fry the unit, some of the cats talking about there units crapping out on them i bet had the wrong power, might be the right voltage but wrong milliamps or vice versa. the dl4 will fry it not run with proper supply, seen it first hand. but the for the money line 6 i hope has sured up the mechanical issues on the unit, i bought the modeler the day it came out or the day my music store first offered it to the public. the older ones seem to be a little studier.another tip, check your switches washers and screws as you will need to tighten up these washers on your input jacks and the washers around the switches after every gig, this will make a huge difference in preserving your unit.

never dealt with

ive been playing for about 20 years, in the studio on stage adn every where in between, its been a staple of my rig for a along time. But always play stuff before you buy it. it you have the luxury of a/b ing it with your old boutique dealys to determine if its worth getting, do so and then decide if its for u.

Very easy to use, until it stopped working!!

Great sound, nice modulated delays, reverse delays, looping, all sounded great, till it stopped working !!

Would never buy a line 6 product again, this pedal died after two years of light home use! Bought a variax guitar a few months ago, within 3 months it started cutting out, so I took it back for a refund, vowing never to purchase line 6 products ever again! I hope Line 6 look at these reviews, they need to sort out their quality control issues!

Contacted company, but not much help.

I own a variety of kit, Roland, Boss, TC electronic, Korg, various guitars. Never had a problem with them, its a shame that line 6 make innovative products (variax for example) but cant back them up with reliabaility.

Not extremely difficult to use, if you can use stompboxes and if you can read the manual supplied, then you can fly this one...

The idea behind this effects unit is impressive, but I dont think it delivers totally.. One thing that leaves me a bit cold is the volume drop I get when plugged into my effects loop, very noticeable volume drop, only way to fix was to plug into the front of my amp, not ideal. I dont get the volume drop with any other pedal that is hooked into the effects loop, eg Boss DD3.

Yep it hasnt gone BANG yet... But what about the guy a few reviews down that reckons he has bought 4 and they have all blown up, now he's going to buy number 5... Laughable. Not sure about you guys, but I would be looking at another product if I'd had as much trouble as him. Dumb.

I play covers as well as originals, like I said, its ok but Im going to buy a DD-20 and try that.. If thats no good I will stick with my DD3 in the E/Loop.