Boss EVH SD 3000 dual delay: The truth

Boss EVH SD 3000 dual delay pedal. The truth. Find out everything in this inside and out review.
EVH was one of the best guitar players in history and his use of the SDE-3000 is legendary... but is this Boss SDE-3000 EVH really like Eddies setup? Is it really that good?
Contents:
00:00 Start
00:23 Intro & preamble
01:44 Whats the cost?
02:33 Whats in the box?
03:13 SDE-3000 original
03:55 EVH & SDE-3000
04:35 Two versions
05:32 Inside the unit
06:13 Closeup inside
13:44 Factory fix?
14:52 Top controls
20:32 Side I/O
21:38 Rear I/O
26:18 Std & EVH compared
28:41 Important Note
29:32 Choice and price
30:05 Power Supply
31:06 Solving hum
31:44 Reference manual
32:27 Tone Central downloads
33:13 General thoughts
37:04 Section about chips
40:42 More thoughts
41:47 Summing up
43:14 Review score
44:06 Playing
What you will learn:
Is this really a good delay?
What's wet, dry, wet?
What will one of these cost me now?
Is this Roland quality?
Which model do I choose?
Related links:
My website: tonymckenzie.com
Original SDE-3000 for sale: reverb.com/uk/item/78753918-r...
Boss SDE-3000 EVH Reference Manual: www.boss.info/us/support/by_p...
Boss SDE-3000 EVH updates and drivers: www.boss.info/global/support/...
Well not too long ago the Boss SDE-3000 EVH delay pedal and standard delay pedals were released. I was drawn to the EVH version as it offers the elusive wet, dry, wet setup (you will hear int in the review) but I did wonder whether Eddie himself signed off this Roland Boss SDE-3000 delay pedal or whether others used Eddie's association to launch the unit. So after a short while I bought the Roland Boss SDE-3000 EVH pedal and decided to review the pedal really close up to see exactly what is on offer.
Find out about the insides of the delay pedal and whether I saw anything untoward inside the one I bought, and of course was I happy with the SDE-3000 EVH delay pedal. I did also consider the SDE-3000 Standard Delay pedal and in the review I confirm why this might be a better choice.
Overall, the pedal is OK and I did score in the review what I feel is a fair score for what I found.
The Roland Boss SDE-3000 EVH pedal is an interesting device of course, and it replicates two SDE-3000 originals just as the Roland Boss people said, but unless you really are Eddie (you're not!) then while some players can use them extensively, others like myself might have a more limited use experience... its all a matter of preference.
You CAN play any style you want of course on the boss sde 3000 evh delay and this unit is not just limited to 'Eddie Van Halen'. But using this pedal 'all the time' might prove to lock some players in to a particular style that could sound a sort of same over and over sound longer term so do consider that won't you.
In this review I used a Kemper Player in to the Boss SDE-3000 EVH and then through to the recording desk - the demo never saw a real amp at all.
I have spent considerable time creating this video entirely at my own expense:
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable for you and that you see the tings in it that other reviews NEVER show!.
(c) A B McKenzie and www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2024
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my KZbin channel
#boss #sdefx #evhgear #roland #delaypedal #dual #tonymckenzie #wetdrywet #evh #review #boss

[@Thomasdgolden]

As usual Tony. Fantastic job.

[@tonymckenziecom]

Thanks Thomas... and trust you're doing OK there... regards

[@TheManglerPolishDeathMetal]

love review ! and playing ! you rock man !

[@tonymckenziecom]

Thanks for watching...

[@StuBiddyBop]

Thanks for your dedication

[@tonymckenziecom]

It's my pleasure... and thanks for watching.

[@scottpeters4401]

I bought one of these about 4 months ago…it’s a cool pedal,and I do run W/D/W but In my rig,I don’t use the extra ins and outs on the pedal,I don’t need them…most users won’t either..Still a great sounding pedal,and the EVH presets with his settings are nice…I have an original SDE3000,and the pedal sounds nearly identical if you dial them both in the same…..also the built in noise gate is fantastic,one of the better gates I have heard…All in all I think it’s a good pedal..a little expensive,but you basically get 2 stereo SDE’s in one box,a noise gate,and all the IO you need..

[@tonymckenziecom]

A great post - and from a user. I would say that 'using it continuously' would be a problem and so for me it does have its place (maybe as an outboard device in a studio) and I see value in that. The £50 (maybe $75) difference made me buy the EVH version, but as you say if you're not using the wdw setup the standard unit could still work. Thanks for the post because that is always helpful to many guys that will take on board your comments. And thanks for watching...

[@michaeledwards1097]

thank you so much, great review !

[@tonymckenziecom]

Glad you liked it and thanks for watching.

[@aipsong]

A great review of an interesting delay… ay… ay. Thanks!!!

[@tonymckenziecom]

:) ha and thanks for watching....

[@jasonmusic9938]

incredible playing

[@tonymckenziecom]

Not really... when I play 'properly' its like this: kzbin.infoM8j0oa6nWhE which really is a better example of my playing. Thanks for watching.

[@richiepiccerillo2592]

I have three half stacks a Friedman jj jr a Victory Kraken vx and a EVH stealth 50 how do you put this in three amp loops that’s six send and returns?

[@tonymckenziecom]

Ha ask them - they seem to be the experts... thanks.

[@TheGazza83]

The internets best reviewer is back

[@tonymckenziecom]

Never went anywhere :) Thanks for watching.

[@johnpashos1257]

You are my favourite music reviewer by far cause you don't give shit to people. I apologise for my language but truth is made to be said. We had a convo about headdrush prime and a few minor connectivity problems. After the updates the unit it works like heaven. I would appreciate a second review from you cause is an amazing value for money unit that will bring more young people to music. My best wishes for you Keep the excellent job you doing . ❤❤❤❤

[@tonymckenziecom]

Well thanks very much for the kind words and ha I get it re some of them on the internet. There are some really not nice guys... most likely basically because they don't always like the stuff shown right there in any real review. I get it of course, but if something is good then its good, and if it has a problem, well that should be always mentioned. Thanks for watching...

[@thegoat11111]

It's uncanny how I see some gear that I want to learn more about and bang Tony has got it covered!

[@tonymckenziecom]

Hopefully... sometimes not though. Thanks for watching and there is a part two of this coming also.

[@Barbarapape]

Well done for buying from PMT instead of the B grade cowboys on the south coast! It appears to be well made, even with the bodge to fix something they left out on the drawing board. Add a great Ibanez and you can't go wrong, the clean effects sounded very good. Hope you are keeping safe and well Tony.

[@tonymckenziecom]

Yes PMT did a very good job and the pricing was as good (actually it was better) as anywhere. I got the unit in just a day or so. On the clean all I did was back off the drive for the same one chosen amp (which was a Marshall YJM100 on its lead tones that I captured back in 2014 or so I think) and it worked so I just threw that on there. I could have spent hours on demos but so many other reviewers did that so it was not worth the time involved. Not a bad pedal (even with that snake) but I do think that many would not use it all the time. What it did it did well. I have been off a little this week actually and I'm looking for something that will inspire me to make videos - always better that way. But still here and still doing stuff... regards and thanks for watching.

[@Allann882]

Tony thanks for your time always! Can you work on a Amplitube Tonex?

[@tonymckenziecom]

I reviewed the TONEX a while back and also commented on another video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH7FeHmDYsqNZposi=21ZT2UzqnunFeKbd and the TONEX review here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKO2YputhNp_o5Ysi=-cXtpeGNuGzSPhYM hope you like them and thanks for watching.

[@johndeschain2156]

Pete's going to love you.

[@tonymckenziecom]

Well I am entitled to my opinions right? Eddie died on 6 Oct 2020 and here we are in 2024... item probably sold in 2023. It all sounded like a very good marketing exercise when I watched it all, both from Roland Boss and others. Thanks for watching.

[@jameshodson3450]

You can pick up a Boss SX700 for very little these days, it's essentially all 3 of Roland's 330 series i.e. the SDE, SDX & SRV 330s (the later and less noisy versions of the 3000 series) in a much shallower box (with a big 14v wall wart though) much less noise & with full control over the RSS section, more so than anything outside of the actual expensive & rare RSS units... well worth looking out for. An original SDE 3000 goes for around 200/300 euros 2nd hand, the 330 series go for more.

[@tonymckenziecom]

Thanks James for that info. I don't use these often and sometimes it can be hard spending time looking for the stuff like you posted so thanks for that. And thanks for watching.

[@lovingpeace9715]

The info says designed by Roland and EVH the company, not the person. Roland went to 5150 studio and got the settings from Eddie's Roland rack units.

[@tonymckenziecom]

So customers are buying settings... hmmm I bet those changed all the time with Eddie. Thanks for the info and of course for watching.

[@StuBiddyBop]

Did you try the qr code on the chip…

[@tonymckenziecom]

Sadly not... I don't often find much about the Roland Boss processors - but sometimes they are there on the net. The recent Roland boss synths I did find info on and that was enlightening for sure. Ha if I do find something I'll post it on here... good point though and thanks for watching.

[@jonahlyon3095]

Good review of the delay. Nice and thorough. But exactly what do you mean by “maybe he used wet/dry/wet and maybe he didn’t” ? Lmaooo like it’s 1000% well known fact Eddie’s been using that style of rig since the late 80’s

[@tonymckenziecom]

Well I never heard EDDIE say that... maybe there's a link or something. In the case of this pedal though I only saw an engineer and Pete Thorn saying it all. Can I trust what they say... well maybe or not, but they have a video promoting the sales. That's all I really referred to... and thanks for the info. Thanks for watching too.

[@jonahlyon3095]

@@tonymckenziecom I believe there’s an article of Eddie saying he used 2 separate SDE3000’s. Hence to 2 different delay times. Multiple pictures and questions with guitar techs proving Eddie used the original SDE3000’s. Also hence the reason there’s even an EVH version of this pedal. It’s not a question of if he used them. Now him having any involvement in this specific pedal is a different story. But saying he may or may not have used the original is not even a question

[@RolandDeschainee]

I subbed because your AWESOME !!! also IMO better made in Malaysia than China

[@tonymckenziecom]

Thanks for subbing! That is always appreciated. I also like Taiwan made products that always seem to be high standard too. Thanks for watching too and those kind words.

[@555_MACH]

Nice Jam player

[@tonymckenziecom]

It's not a bad pedal but using continuously might get to be a chore.... thanks for watching.

[@JgHaverty]

Gotta be honest, the fact they used buttons instead of knobs for modulation bothers me greatly lol. Im a huge van halen nut, but i think this is one piece of kit that im ok missing out on haha.

[@tonymckenziecom]

:) Well I can't be an EVH if I tried :) - it was an interesting device for sure though. For me, I might use it a couple of times a year... which makes it wasted on me really. But there will be some that love it I'm sure. Good to hear you JG and trust you're doing ok. Thanks for watching.

[@mitsanut5869]

@@tonymckenziecom I think I like analog delay pedals lot better. Also, I also believe that getting/buying someone else's sound is not a smartest idea for any musician as any of us should hunt for his own sound. That doesn't break that I wouldn't like EVH guitar sound, only I liked his earlier sound much better than Van Hagar period. The later sound was bit too saturated for my taste. I prefer but more raw sound, so I think I will pass on this pedal. It is an impressive short cut device, however, and for those who aspire to be copy cats, it might be a life saver. But - I would be curious how it would work with my synths, so I might try it in the end. Thank You for great video.

[@JgHaverty]

Less drama on this vid haha. 😂

[@tonymckenziecom]

Sometimes you just have to make guys look closer :)... thanks for watching.

[@Matte.u.k]

Whenever i see the inside of a pedal like this, I think compression? and digital sound. Anyone else?

[@tonymckenziecom]

It's really a dual delay... been around in other formats for some time.. like the Ocean Machine. But likely as you say digital for sure and compression probably. I can't really do the stuff that EVH used his for - the Ocean machine was sort of similar, far lower cost, but again sort of similar to use. My friend Alan Bruce knows the guitarist of 'It Bites' and he was/is incredibly good at using two delays. Me? I just tend to use one delay, one reverb, a wah and a great tube amp... I don't need anything else really. Thanks for watching...

[@joejohnson8966]

31:20 well said.

[@tonymckenziecom]

As it happened I did not use them... but in an amp situation... well, likely. Thanks for watching.

[@silvermanewj1898]

Thanks for your response, Tony. Super advice. If it isn't too expensive to ship me one I'll include shipping details and grab that PSA 's' power supply from you. I think the 350 mA and whether positive center pin is key points. Again, thanks. Keep on rockin'.. and PEACE in Jesus Christ. No Jesus ? No peace.

[@tonymckenziecom]

Remember I don't sell anything... I'm just an ordinary guy that checks gear out... and thanks. I'm slowly getting nearer to finding out what happens when it goes dark and hopefully I'll 'see the light' :) so peace here :) and thanks for watching