# some dd3 tinkering



## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

i had an old tape echo, an awesome deluxe memory man, and a line 6 echo park.
money got scarce, and i wasnt using any delays at the time so i decided to sell a couple and keep one.
ended up selling them all- at a profit.
it was stupid- and something ive never done before.
and i regret it.

anyway i had this old dd3 here.
never used it because it sounded too sterile and slick.
some time back i added a .047 cap to the level pot, and a .1 cap to the feedback pot.
i used it like that, but really those mods gave almost no improvement.

i decided to go with higher value caps, but since i was going in there i decided to add a switch.
more for my own education than anything else.

these dd3 mods abound on the internet- but again, i had to see for myself.

on one thread somewhere out there, our mhammer suggested that instead of adding caps to the pots, the same effect might be achieved elsewhere. i think hes right.

so i did this-










the caps are connected to the level and feedback pots at the same time-
in order to make the caps switchable, to take them in and out of the signal,
this way made the most sense.

2 switches, one for each pot cap would maybe be more versatile, and perhaps function better-
but this is how i went for now.

i had to use big ass caps, because thats what i could find- there was room enough for them.
i used .1 and .47 caps and an on/off/on switch.










there are different versions of the dd3- on mine the connection to the circuit went here- the black and white wires.










i need to live with it a while.
it may be better to have differing cap values for the level and feedback pots.
but for now it sounds pretty cool.
the 3 settings the switch provide give me the stock dd3 sound,
and then the .1 cap is a rather subtle warming up- just takes the edge off.
and the .47 cap setting is really nice. thats the one i will use-
but again, its nice to have the other options.

sorry for cluttering the internet up with more of the same thing-
but i was bored. its winter.










im going to try a echoplex type preamp next- to see if it sweetens it up more.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

It's funny how different two guitarist can hear the same pedal! Of course as I was born when the digital delays were already popular, to me the dd3 is the most natural sounding digital delay ever. I have a dd7 that supposedly have better components and better sound and I still prefer the dd3. Our bass player has one and I borrow it all the time. I could describe it like I can "hear" more the repeats. 
That mod you did is pretty popular in the Analogman page and I would too prefer to have both options over only the stock. 
Great job, I wish I had the skills to mod my own pedals too!


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

thanks amagras-

from what i gather the dd3 and its earlier and later iterations are pretty analog sounding for digital delays.
and honestly if it was the only delay pedal id owned, i wouldve left it as is.
it does sound great.
i got spoiled by the sound of my dmm, and some of the settings on the echo park though.
a nice analog delay would cost me money i dont have- im unable to work currently-
so modding the dd3 was my only option.
using the 3 way switch gives the best of both worlds though.

theres another mod that will add modulation- its just a few parts.
may attempt that as well, but i dont know how much id use it.
in the end im just passing the time lol.

as for having the skills, im sure you already have them- youve just got to put them into use.
this mod was kind of like swapping out a selector switch in a tele as far as complexity/difficulty.
the "thinking" has already been done by others-
with some web research its just like painting by numbers.

maybe thats why im drawn to this sort of thing.
growing up this was all some crazy rocket science stuff.
the books that existed were not something a guy like me ever came across.
when i got into making pedals it was because of forum postings and things i saw on the internet.
now im not only making things i can use, but im learning as i go.
learning is cool! lol.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I only sold my DD3 because I kept changing settings when engaging, no matter what I did (tape, remove mode knob entirely). They are the every day digital delay, which is why so many players have one.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

Budda said:


> I only sold my DD3 because I kept changing settings when engaging, no matter what I did (tape, remove mode knob entirely). They are the every day digital delay, which is why so many players have one.


yeah- a lot of boss stuff is like that.
well made, good sounding, reliable and easy to find.
its a shame i wasnt into pedals back when the world was littered with these things for pocket change-
but i could say the same for a lot of stuff lol.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

The DD3/DD6 was the only pedal I could see myself really getting any use of in high school. But at $200 or so after taxes, I decided not to buy said DD6. Things would probably be a bit different if I had!


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