Boss SDE-3000-EVH Dual Digital Delay

EVH and BOSS join forces to bring you the SDE-3000EVH Dual Digital Delay, an authentic recreation of the stereo delays at the heart of Eddie Van Halen’s massive three-cabinet live stage guitar sound. Based on the vintage Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay, this powerhouse processor puts two fully featured SDE-3000s in one floor-based pedal, coupled with extensive connectivity to build a wet/dry/wet rig just like Eddie’s. You also get eight presets curated by EVH with the exact settings from his actual delay units, allowing you to experience the master’s expansive spatial delay tone in your own setup.

Eddie Van Halen and the SDE-3000

Eddie Van Halen is one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time, and his effortless musicality, spirited performances, and otherworldly techniques will continue to inspire players for generations to come. Eddie’s amazing tone is equally legendary, and he continually refined his amplifier and effect choices throughout his career to achieve the very best sound possible.

The Roland SDE-3000 delays were perfect for his unique wet/dry/wet live rig approach, providing rich, high-quality tone and special delay parameters that allowed him to perfectly tweak the sound to his exacting preferences. After years of using the SDE-3000s, the ever-ambitious and competitive Eddie tried to see if he could improve his sound with a rival product. But he never found another delay that worked better, and his two SDE-3000s remained core components of his stage rig throughout his long career.

“We went through a process for about two weeks of comparing many delay products. And in the end, Ed concluded that the SDE-3000s were the best.” — Matt Bruck, EVH Managing Director

EVH and BOSS Unite to Create the SDE-3000EVH

EVH carries on Eddie’s legacy, sharing his visionary ideas for guitar gear with musicians around the world. A few years ago, EVH and BOSS began discussing the idea of bringing the legend’s distinctive approach with the vintage SDE-3000s to everyone.

EVH and BOSS worked closely in the development of the SDE-3000EVH to ensure it delivers Eddie’s personal delay tone with complete authenticity. We prepared many test units for the EVH team, which were meticulously compared with the guitarist’s settings and sounds at his famous 5150 recording studio. After a long process of testing and feedback, we’re proud to bring you the finished product, filled with exact sonic replicas of his presets and emblazoned with the signature EVH stripes.

“Ed always really enjoyed seeing what people did with certain things that he created. We thought it would be cool to enshrine his unique delay approach and let others find their own inspiration with it.” — Matt Bruck
SDE-3000EVH
Reproducing the Eddie Van Halen Delay Setup

The original SDE-3000 was a mono delay, and Eddie used two units with unique settings on each to achieve his sound. The SDE-3000EVH combines two SDE-3000s in one pedal, along with an EVH preset bank that allows you to load all the settings for the dual delays with a touch.

Wet/Dry/Wet Configuration Made Easy

Eddie pioneered his three-cabinet wet/dry/wet setup in the early 1990s, using a dry path from a single amplifier in the center cab and left and right cabs amplified with wet-only delay effects for a wide, multi-dimensional soundstage. With the multiple outputs and versatile routing modes in the SDE-3000EVH, it’s possible to recreate this setup with your own amps.

“When Ed became aware of wet/dry/wet and implemented it into his rig, he had achieved the greatest amount of dimension, the greatest amount of depth and impression that his live rig had ever put forth.” — Matt Bruck

One-Touch EVH Presets

The SDE-3000EVH features eight EVH presets accessed via a dedicated panel switch. The first four presets are designed for a wet/dry/wet setup, and they represent the actual presets Eddie used in his live rig. The next four presets provide the same sounds, adapted for a standard stereo amplifier setup.

“The EVH presets are exactly like the presets in Eddie’s rack. There’s no difference in mix levels, input levels, or delay times—it’s one-to-one.” — Matt Bruck

Vintage Delay Reborn

In contrast with the clear, precise tones of other digital delays in the 1980s, the SDE-3000 stood out from the crowd with its beautiful warm sound and inviting musicality. This was the result of clever and complex internal digital processing coupled with nonlinear behaviors from the supporting analog circuitry. These behaviors included variable frequency response in the preamp based on input gain, magnetic saturation in the anti-alias filter, and evolving modulation produced by the components of the time. BOSS deeply analyzed these many factors in creating the SDE-3000EVH, bringing the complete character of this time-honored classic alive for the modern era.

Authentic Details, Modern Enhancements

The SDE-3000EVH includes nearly every parameter from the SDE-3000, accessed via a retro interface derived from the vintage hardware. Two selectable delay ranges offer different frequency characteristics like the original, and the distinctive modulation circuit has been recreated as well. Along with depth and rate controls, it’s possible to independently switch the phase of the initial delay and the delay feedback loop, which influences the way the modulation reacts. Many enhanced features are also available, including 92 user memories, carryover, and more.

Two SDE-3000s in One Pedal

The SDE-3000EVH provides two discrete delays with independent parameters and mono or stereo modulation on each. Run the delays in parallel and pan them for ever-evolving stereo colors. Or chain them in series to create complex rhythms and reverb-like depth. And along with the EVH wet/dry/wet configuration, the flexible I/O supports a variety of mono and stereo setups. There’s an external loop as well, allowing you to insert external pedals or interface with an amplifier’s effects loop via the four-cable method, complete with selectable impedance for optimum tone.

Modern Compact Power

With its pedal-based design and expanded control options, the SDE-3000EVH offers much greater versatility than its rackmount inspiration. Three onboard footswitches provide instant control of memory selection, tap tempo, delay hold, momentary effect engagement, and more. Two control jacks allow you to connect up to four footswitches, two expression pedals, or a GA-FC/GA-FC EX for external operation, and TRS MIDI I/O is also included. There’s a large selection of assignable targets to choose from, delivering deep real-time control that reaches far beyond the capabilities of the original SDE-3000.