5 Best Pedals Of 2017

Happy 2018 everyone. I just wanted to take a moment to look back at the previous year and recognize some of the best things to happen to guitar pedals in 2017. This isn't everything that was great, nor is in any particular order. These are just the five pedal of last year that stand out the most. Starting with:

BOSS RV-500

Boss expanded their line of 500 series effects. In a somewhat predictable manner, Boss added to the well-received DD-500 with an equally impressive Reverb unit. BOSS loyalist have been long-suffering devotees to a brand that took its time to catch up, but many feel like the 500 series is BOSS's answer to Eventide and Strymon. Not only do BOSS fans have an answer to the huge do-everything-delays, but so do those that can't bring themselves to throw down the big bucks. At $350 these delays look like a bargain.

TC ElectronicFlashback II

2017 seemed like the year everyone was stepping up their delay game. TC was no different. Many love the Flashback delay, and for good reason. TC Electronic's Tone Print features are massive. How do you improve upon a pedal that you can update endlessly via a cable plugged into your computer? More functionality. Somehow TC crammed, even more, features into their Flashback II. The Smash feature is, for the most part, unprecedented. Now you can have an expression pedal built into your compact pedal. The Flashback II is a solid win.

Wampler Deluxe Tumnus

Wampler stepped up their game with the Deluxe Tumnus. Despite its recent release, it has taken over pedalboard everywhere. I follow tons of guitarist and guitar pages and it seems like nearly all the boards posted on the internet in the last few months have a Deluxe Tumnus on them. The Klone Wars may be over. Many guitarists want more out of their light overdrives, and the Deluxe Tumnus delivers.

EHX Green Russian OD

For the last few years, EHX has been the go-to place when looking for inexpensive pedals that deliver (especially if those pedals have a striking resemblance to another, rather iconic, pedal). Stopping short of making a re-issue, EHX opted to release a clone of an EHX classic. The Green Russian Big Muff is a copy of the Russian made Big Muff Pi. This isn't an original idea, but it's cool to see EHX reaching back to their roots. It doesn't hurt that it is inexpensive and compact.

MXR Carbin Copy Deluxe

I'll be honest. I've never really seen what was so special about the carbon copy. Analog delays are nice, but I've always like the expanded capabilities of digital delays. Not until I owned a Carbon Copy did I understand that it has a sound all of its own. The worst thing you can say about that pedal is that it is limited. The Carbon Copy does away with that complaint. The Deluxe is an improvement on the original in every way. This is a textbook example of how you update a fantastic original.

Ugly Guitar Truth: MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe

Whether you love the Carbon Copy or you passed on it. Nearly everyone's ears perked up when MXR/Dunlop announced the Carbon Copy Deluxe. Nearly everyone agrees that's the original Carbon Copy sounds great (or it is too dark). Whatever you think about the original, the Deluxe fixes some problems about the original and gives us everything that you could want, right? Let's take a look.


There's More To Love

So those that love the Carbon Copy have a lot more to happy about. A larger format allows for additions like Tap Tempo and moves the Width and Speed of the Mod to the outside of the pedal this time. We also get the bright mod added to the Deluxe. I glad they added this, that way we avoid the predictable Carbon Copy Deluxe (Bright). All this in addition to the neat add-ons like expression and instrument/line level options make this a well thought out pedal. So is it all roses?


It's Not All Roses

Yeah, The Carbon Copy is loved by many players, but is it really live up to all the hype? It's not an all-around type delay. Coming from the point of do-it-all digital delay, analog delays have a big gap to make up in way of value. There are no fancy tricks (well, not many) or dizzying specs. One could argue that an analog delay with 1.2 seconds of delay is a pretty good trick. Others would say that a mono delay just doesn't cut it anymore. With the addition of sub-divides, tap-tempo, and expression, one would difficult not to admit that the Deluxe is a serious step up for the Carbon Copy

It All Adds Up

Given the popularity of the Carbon Copy and the current trend of analog delays, the Carbon Copy Deluxe gives players looking for that sound even more. The sound that many of us love is still there, but now there is so much more to love. It is even in a top-jack format, which is more-and-more becoming my favorite format. The price of the original, to me, seems a little steep. Then again, I'm a penny-pinching, old so-and-so. The Deluxe, on the other hand, seems to fit well in the market for modern analog delays.

Conclusion

The worse new in this entire post might be for the original Carbon Copy (including the Cabon Copy Bright). There just isn't enough reason to buy the original anymore. There is so much more in the Deluxe that it would just make sense to make the leap. Does it do everything? Of course not. What it does do, it does very well.