The GUP Tech ASTR Space Delay is a modulated delay pedal from the Canadian builder GUP Tech, made in Saguenay, Québec, Canada. Its core is a 600ms dark voiced digital delay with standard Time, Repeat and Mix controls, and the maker describes it as their take on the classic modulated delay from the early Ibanez DML20 and the EQD Space Spiral. With Time at zero, it doubles as a chorus pedal1.
What it does to your sound
GUP Tech describes the pedal as a dark digital delay intended to bring ambient space tone to a pedalboard. The dark voicing shapes the repeats so they sit behind your playing, and the modulation adds movement to the delayed signal. The 600ms maximum delay time covers the short slapback and medium ambient range rather than long looping delays1.
Because the Time control runs down to zero, the same circuit also serves as a chorus: GUP Tech states that with Time at zero you get a nice chorus pedal. That puts the ASTR in the company of modulated delay designs that blur into chorus territory, and it links the pedal to the wider family of chorus pedals and delay pedals1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets the delay time, from zero (chorus) up to 600ms |
| Repeat | Sets the number of repeats |
| Mix | Blends the delayed signal with your dry sound |
All three are the standard delay controls, per the maker's product page1.
Power and versions
The ASTR Space Delay runs on a 9VDC center negative supply and draws 30mA, a modest draw that fits standard pedalboard power. It is offered in Black and Purple color styles1.
The maker lists the price as £77.00 GBP. That is the figure as given on GUP Tech's own page; no US dollar price is given.
Who is using it
GUP Tech's page carries a player account from Steve W., who uses the ASTR for slapback and to thicken his sound in a rockabilly band where he is the only guitarist: "We play a lot of rockabilly and this pedal is perfect for the sound we want"1.
Videos
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Questions
What circuit is the GUP Tech ASTR Space Delay based on?
GUP Tech describes the ASTR Space Delay as their take on the classic modulated delay found in the early Ibanez DML20 and the EarthQuaker Devices Space Spiral. The core is a 600ms dark digital delay with standard Time, Repeat and Mix controls, voiced dark so it sits behind your playing rather than in front of it.
Can the ASTR Space Delay work as a chorus?
Yes. According to GUP Tech, setting the Time control to zero turns the pedal into a chorus, so one enclosure covers both modulated delay and chorus duties. That makes it a way to get ambient space tones and thickening effects from a single pedalboard slot.
What power supply does the ASTR Space Delay need?
The ASTR Space Delay runs on a 9VDC center negative supply and draws 30mA. That is a standard pedal supply requirement, so it works with typical isolated pedalboard power bricks, though a battery is not part of the specification given by the maker.
Where is the GUP Tech ASTR Space Delay made?
GUP Tech builds all of its pedals in Saguenay, Québec, Canada, and the ASTR Space Delay is made there by the company itself. It is a small-shop Canadian builder rather than a mass-production brand.
Sources (1)
- ASTR - Space Delay, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
