The 3Degrees Audio Bygones Stereo Nostalgia Effect is a stereo multi-effect pedal that combines pitch shifting, delay and vintage noise into one unit. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described the V3 as "a stereo, 'nostalgic' multi-effect with presets that adds all sorts of degrading effects to your tone"1. Pedal of the Day, reviewing it in January 2022, called it "a wonderfully unique and creative effects unit, as experimental as they come overall", and noted that despite the breadth of its sections, "it's mainly modulation-focused"2. If you are new to this category, it sits among multi-effects pedals, but with a narrow, characterful brief rather than a full range of effect types.
What the Bygones does to your tone
The Bygones is built to age, degrade and warp a signal rather than clean it up. Pedal of the Day describes it as combining "elements of pitch shifting, delay and vintage noise"2, and the pitch and delay sections tie into chorus, vibrato, octave and pitch and delay territory. The noise section then layers vinyl- and tape-style artifacts on top, so the pedal can make a clean part sound like a worn recording.
Delicious Audio breaks the V3's four effects, run in series, down like this1:
- Noise: vinyl-style artifacts like Pop, Hiss and Stutter, "which is basically similar to the skipping of a record"
- Tone: a High Cut and a Low Cut filter with a synth-like Resonance knob to highlight the frequency just before the Low Cut filter
"It's a stereo, 'nostalgic' multi-effect with presets that adds all sorts of degrading effects to your tone."
The controls: four sections, two functions each
The pedal runs four effects in series with three knobs, and each knob carries two functions: the second is reached by holding down the footswitch, giving what Delicious Audio calls an entire line of secondary controls1. Pedal of the Day puts the same idea another way: "Each parameter can perform TWO functions as well, giving you an entire line of Secondary Controls to play with"2.
| Section | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pitch | Manipulates chorus- and vibrato-type sounds, along with audio warping and sonic manipulation2 |
| Delay | Up to 340ms of echo to twist and bend as you see fit2 |
| Tone (Output) | Controls the output volume and a couple of different filters, setting the basic tone for your experiment2 |
| Noise | Adds different vinyl/tape-influenced cracks, pops and static into the fold2 |
The enclosure matches the experimental character: backlit colored knobs in an anodized machined aluminum case2.
Versions: the V3
The current version is the Bygones V3, the version Pedal of the Day links to on 3Degrees Audio's own product page2. Delicious Audio's walkthrough of the V3 dates from February 2022 and describes the four-in-series layout and dual-function knobs covered above1.
The details on this page describe the V3. Earlier versions of the Bygones may differ in features and layout.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's January 2022 review is the main published verdict on the pedal. Its reviewer summed it up as "a wonderfully unique and creative effects unit, as experimental as they come overall"2, and highlighted the feature set in one line: "features 7 programmable presets, MIDI controls, stereo ins/outs and dual relay true bypass"2.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Ambient Endeavors
Duskmos
Questions
Is the 3Degrees Audio Bygones true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review lists the Bygones as having dual relay true bypass, along with stereo inputs and outputs, seven programmable presets and MIDI controls. Dual relay true bypass means the pedal switches its inputs and outputs with relays, taking the whole circuit out of the signal path when it is off.
Does the Bygones work in stereo?
Yes. The Bygones has stereo ins and outs, and Delicious Audio describes it as a stereo multi-effect. That makes it usable at the end of a stereo rig or in a stereo effects loop, where the pitch, delay, tone and noise sections can be heard across both channels.
How many presets does the Bygones store?
The Bygones stores seven programmable presets, according to Pedal of the Day's review. Presets let you save your own settings across the pedal's four sections and recall them with the footswitch, which matters on a multi-effect where several knobs would otherwise need to be reset by hand.
How long is the delay on the 3Degrees Bygones?
The delay section gives up to 340ms of echo, which Pedal of the Day describes as echo you can twist and bend as you see fit. That is a short-to-medium delay range, aimed at doubling, slapback and warping effects rather than long, repeating ambient trails.
Can the Bygones be controlled over MIDI?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review lists MIDI controls among the Bygones' features, alongside its seven programmable presets and stereo ins and outs. MIDI control means the pedal can be switched and programmed from a MIDI controller or switcher as part of a larger rig.
Sources (2)
- 3Degrees Audio Bygones V3 Stereo Nostalgia, Delicious Audio, 2022-02-02
- 3Degrees Audio Bygones Stereo Nostalgia Effect, Pedal of the Day, 2022-01-22
