Big Joe Stomp Box Co. B-304 Analog/Hybrid Delay

I dig pretty much every type of pedal out there today, but if there’s one kind of effect I have more of, use more of and love the most, it’s got to be the almighty Delay. They can be extremely simple, adding just a touch of color to your sound, extremely complex, with a multitude of bells and whistles, or fall somewhere in between the two. While the B-304 Analog/Hybrid Delay from Big Joe Stomp Box Company is relatively simple in design and layout, it sounds like a much more complex (and more expensive) delay effect.

The controls are pretty straightforward: Time, Repeats and Level. With a delay Time ranging from 30ms up to 600ms, the B-304 isn’t flashy or full of options, but it will give you an incredible slap back sound at lower delay times, plus a decent chunk of delay when cranked to the max as well. The Repeats acts as your feedback control, changing from a single repeated sound to a near-infinite oscillation, with nice control and shaping abilities throughout it’s entire range. The Level knob here is actually quite useful, too – go from a super-subtle, slightly-delayed-but-almost-hard-to-hear effect all the way up to a tone whose volume equally matches (or is just a bit louder than) your guitar’s original volume, making it easy to dial in as much or as little delay as you see fit.

The thing about this pedal is the actual SOUND. It is so warm and so analog-y, it’s hard not to love it after playing just a couple of notes. While there are a lot of analog-emulating pedals and stompbox modelers out there, you really can’t beat an analog pedal’s sound, and the B-304 has that tone that many delay aficionados are perpetually seeking. The repeats have such character and depth to them, all the while sounding crisp and clean, without being harsh and digital-sounding. I put this up against my favorite short delay ever, the Boss DM-3, and it could definitely hold it’s own in the slap back department, plus it has TWICE as much delay time as the DM-3, for even more tonal options.

Not boasting a lot of options or complicated knob choices, the B-304 Analog/Hybrid Delay from Big Joe Stomp Box Company is a wonderfully warm and smooth-sounding delay, and doesn’t claim to be anything else. Featuring true bypass wiring, optional stereo outs and up to 600ms of delay time, this little blur wonder is a welcome delay addition to any rig. Thanks to everyone over at Big Joe Stomp Box Company for sending this guy over for us to review, go check out their website to see what else they’ve got for you!