The BeeBeeDee is an analog delay pedal from Beetrons, built around bucket-brigade (BBD) delay chips and offering three delay modes: Classic, Lo-Fi and Pitch1. Beetronics describes the Classic mode as "the delay sound we all know and love, warm, musical, and full of character," with true BBD tone and smooth sine-wave modulation1. Lo-Fi mode takes the repeats somewhere darker: "darker, grittier, and more unpredictable, a little noisier, a little moodier, and full of life," and its modulation also modulates the TONE filter1.
On the maker's own product pages the regular price is listed as £307.00 on one page and £230.00 on another, and the pages disagree, so treat those figures with caution12. The standard colorway and the Limited Edition Pink Violet are both listed as sold out on the maker's store12.
Three delay modes
The BeeBeeDee offers three delay modes, each a different take on the same two BBD chips1.
| Mode | What Beetronics says it does |
|---|---|
| Classic | "The delay sound we all know and love, warm, musical, and full of character," with smooth sine-wave modulation. Up to 600ms of clean delay, sitting around 1 o'clock on the TIME knob1. |
| Lo-Fi | Repeats are "darker, grittier, and more unpredictable, a little noisier, a little moodier, and full of life." The modulation also modulates the tone filter1. |
| Pitch | Echoes shift in pitch, creating harmonies, rhythmic patterns and unexpected textures, driven by a softened square-wave modulation locked to tempo1. |
Each mode also has a two-position tone filter. LOW PASS "keeps it classic. Mellow, clean, and smooth," while HIGH PASS gives "brighter, thinner repeats with a crispy edge"34.
The controls
In Classic Mode the knob set breaks down like this51:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| TIME | Sets the delay time; up to 600ms of clean delay sits around 1 o'clock5 |
| DEPTH | Sets how deep the modulation goes5 |
| ACTIVITY | Sets how fast the modulation moves5 |
| TONE | Two positions: LOW PASS (mellow, clean, smooth) or HIGH PASS (brighter, thinner, crispy)3 |
There are no traditional presets. Instead, the pedal is built around live contrast: the 2X function acts as a second delay time you can jump to, and MOD toggles between dry and modulated settings on the fly1.
The performance footswitch: 2X, TAP and Mod
The third footswitch is a performance switch whose function you select: 2X, TAP or MOD. As Beetronics puts it, "Everything moves when you do"2.
- 2X: Tap or hold to double the delay speed. It also shifts the feedback line up or down one octave, and holding it returns to normal when released12.
- TAP: Tap to set the delay time; hold and turn the ACTIVITY knob to select the tap division12.
- MOD: Tap or hold to toggle modulation on and off, either momentary or latched13.
Tap tempo is also how the pedal reaches its longest delays. The analog path delivers 600ms of clean delay, but with tap tempo you can stretch it up to 2 seconds, pushing the repeats into wilder, darker territory as the BBD chips run past their comfortable range34.
What reviewers said
The maker's own product pages carry the strongest descriptions of how the pedal sounds. Beetronics calls Classic mode "the delay sound we all know and love, warm, musical, and full of character," with true BBD tone and smooth sine-wave modulation, while Lo-Fi mode is described as "a little noisier, a little moodier, and full of life"1. The TONE filter adds another layer: in the LOW PASS position it "keeps it classic. Mellow, clean, and smooth," while HIGH PASS gives "brighter, thinner repeats with a crispy edge"3.
"This is the delay sound we all know and love, warm, musical, and full of character."
Where it sits in the Beetronics line
Within its own three modes the BeeBeeDee covers a wide spread of delay character. Classic mode is the warm, musical BBD sound with smooth sine-wave modulation; Lo-Fi mode makes the repeats darker, grittier and more unpredictable, with modulation that also moves the TONE filter; and Pitch mode rounds out the set1. The TONE filter's LOW PASS and HIGH PASS positions further shape whether the repeats stay mellow and clean or turn brighter and thinner with a crispy edge3.
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Questions
How long is the delay time on the BeeBeeDee?
Classic Mode gives up to 600ms of clean delay, which Beetronics says sits around 1 o'clock on the TIME knob. With tap tempo you can stretch the delay time up to 2 seconds, pushing the repeats into darker, wilder territory as the bucket-brigade chips are run beyond their clean range.
Does the Beetronics BeeBeeDee have tap tempo?
Yes. The performance footswitch can be set to TAP, which sets the delay time, and holding the switch while turning the ACTIVITY knob selects the tap division. Tap tempo also stretches the maximum delay time from 600ms up to 2 seconds.
Is the BeeBeeDee true bypass or buffered?
It is buffered bypass. Beetronics says the buffer ensures consistent tone and enables delay trails, so repeats continue to ring out after you switch the pedal off.
Is the BeeBeeDee stereo?
No. Asked directly, Beetronics answers that it is stereo only if you buy two. It is a mono pedal with a single signal path.
How much current does the BeeBeeDee draw?
Beetronics states a current draw of 200mA, noting the actual figure is lower but recommending 200mA to be safe. That is high for an analog pedal, because a digital engine runs the control system behind the analog delay path.
Sources (5)
- BeeBeeDee Analog Delay • Custom Shop • BB059, Beetronics (www.beetronicsfx.com)
- BeeBeeDee Analog Delay • Limited Edition • Pink Violet, Beetronics (www.beetronicsfx.com)
- BeeBeeDee Analog Delay • Limited Edition • Dark, Beetronics
- BeeBeeDee Analog Delay • Limited Edition • Blush, Beetronics (www.beetronicsfx.com)
- BeeBeeDee Analog Delay, Beetronics
