The Strymon Brig dBucket Delay is a compact stereo delay pedal from Strymon that digitally recreates the sound of vintage analog bucket brigade delays. It offers three distinct delay voicings in one pedal, each modeled on a different bucket brigade chip circuit, with modulation, a filter control, presets, tap tempo and MIDI1. It launched in July 2023 at a $259 street price2.
Where a classic analog delay passes your signal through a Bucket Brigade Device (BBD) chip, the Brig is digital: it uses Strymon's proprietary dBucket processing, created with the declared intent of replicating the character of the BBD chip, without the artifacts associated with the original chips1. Premier Guitar described it as "designed to be a simple-yet-flexible pedal that offers classic 'bucket brigade' analog delay sounds"3.
What it does and how it sounds
The Brig delivers what reviewers describe as the warmth, subtle grit and unique tactile playing experience of analog bucket brigade delays, in a stereo pedal with three delay voicings1. Pedal of the Day wrote that it "delivers all the warmth, subtle grit and unique tactile playing experience of analog bucket brigade delays (BBDs)"6.
It is a 3-mode, 5-knob stereo delay with modulation, a Filter knob, presets and tap tempo1. The Filter control shapes the tone of the repeats, letting you darken or brighten them against your dry signal3. The Time knob adjusts delay time, and Premier Guitar noted a detail players of real BBD pedals will recognize: tweaking the Time knob during tap tempo use produces bucket brigade chaos, while tempo tapping itself is artifact-free3.
The input stage is a high-impedance, ultra-low noise discrete Class A JFET stereo preamp, which Pedal of the Day credited with exceptional touch sensitivity and dynamics6.
The three voices: 3205, 3005 and Multi
The heart of the Brig is its VOICE switch, which selects between three delay characters, each based on a specific bucket brigade circuit41. The modulation is individually voiced for each delay type4.
| Voice | Based on | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 3205 | A single low-voltage MN3205 BBD chip, as used in vintage delay pedals | Gritty repeats that can morph as they feed back, from slapback echoes to psychedelic sci-fi effects41 |
| 3005 | A dual MN3005 BBD chip circuit running at 15V | Longer delay times, higher headroom, warm repeats with a soft, dreamlike quality1 |
| Multi | Two cross-coupled, super-clean dBucket delay lines with golden ratio timing | Complex soundscapes and a huge stereo soundfield1 |
The 3205 voice recreates the character of vintage delay pedals that used a single MN3205 chip, at the grittier, lower-voltage end of the bucket brigade world4. Strymon notes a bonus trick: set the 3205 voice to its minimum 30ms delay time and turn up the modulation for bucket brigade chorus effects4.
The 3005 voice moves to the other end of the BBD family, modeling a dual MN3005 circuit running at 15V, the configuration vintage designers used for longer delay times and higher headroom1.
The Multi voice is the Brig's own creation rather than a recreation: two cross-coupled dBucket delay lines with golden ratio timing, built for complex soundscapes and a wide stereo spread1.
Controls, connections and power
The pedal keeps its control surface simple: five knobs, a VOICE switch, and a dual-function footswitch that serves as both a bypass button and a tap tempo trigger12.
- Time: delay time, 30ms to 1000ms5
- Filter: shapes the tone of the repeats3
- Modulation: individually voiced for each delay type4
- Tap tempo: artifact-free1
- Presets: patch save and recall1
- MIDI: control for tempo, patch save/recall, and more1
- Expression pedal input: for real-time parameter control1
The Brig is built on the streamlined compact form factor that Strymon inaugurated with the Cloudburst reverb1, a smaller enclosure than the company's larger delay workstations like the Strymon TimeLine and TimeLine MX.
Where it came from: the Brigadier
The Brig is the compact evolution of the Strymon Brigadier, the company's original dBucket delay pedal, which Strymon announced as available in June 201017. The Brigadier carried the same core idea, a digital pedal whose dBucket processing replicates the bucket brigade chip, in a larger enclosure with stereo output1.
With the Brig, Strymon compressed that concept into the Cloudburst-sized enclosure, added the three-voice switch, presets, tap tempo and MIDI, and set the price at $259132. Guitar World reported it available now at launch in July 20232.
What reviewers said
Reviewers were positive about the Brig at launch. Pedal of the Day was enthusiastic623:
"Strymon has done it once again, folks, go grab a Brig and get creating!!"
Guitar Pedal X listed the Brig among the best new time-based effects pedals of 2023, noting its 30ms to 1000ms delay range and its three voices5. Premier Guitar highlighted the Filter control and the tap tempo behavior, including the option of either artifact-free tempo tapping or bucket brigade chaos when the Time knob is tweaked mid-performance3.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Strymon Brig analog or digital?
It is a digital pedal. Strymon's proprietary dBucket processing is designed to replicate the character of the Bucket Brigade Device chips used in vintage analog delays, without the artifacts of the original chips. Reviewers describe the result as the warmth and subtle grit of an analog bucket brigade delay.
Does the Strymon Brig have MIDI?
Yes. The Brig offers MIDI control for tempo and patch save and recall, among other functions. It also has expression pedal capability, so delay parameters can be swept in real time from an external expression pedal.
Is the Strymon Brig stereo?
Yes. The Brig is a stereo delay pedal with stereo operation, and its Multi voice runs two cross-coupled delay lines to create what Strymon describes as a huge stereo soundfield. The input preamp is a discrete Class A JFET stereo design.
What is the difference between the Brig and the Brigadier?
The Brig is the compact evolution of the earlier Strymon Brigadier, a larger dBucket delay pedal released in 2010. The Brig packs the dBucket concept into the smaller form factor Strymon introduced with the Cloudburst reverb, and adds three delay voices, presets, tap tempo and MIDI.
How long is the delay time on the Strymon Brig?
Delay time runs from 30ms to 1000ms, about one second. The 3205 voice covers the shorter, grittier end of that range, while the 3005 voice is voiced for longer delay times with more headroom. Tap tempo is artifact-free.
Sources (7)
- Strymon Brig DBucket Stereo Delay, Delicious Audio, 2023-12-04
- Strymon's push towards compact pedals continues with its most affordable delay unit yet, Guitar World, 2023-07-19
- Strymon Introduces Brig dBucket Organic Delay, Premier Guitar, 2023-08-02
- Brig dBucket Delay, Strymon, 2026-02-18
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-20
- Strymon Brig dBucket Delay, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2023-07-18
- Strymon Brigadier dBucket Delay Effect Pedal Now Available, Strymon, 2010-06-10
