Model Description:
DOD effects was founded in 1973 by David Oreste Di Francesco and John Johnson in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. The cool and rare blue and white DOD Analog Delay 680 was only produced between c.1979 and 1982 and has not been reissued since. Not only is the 680 a mains powered behemoth of a pedal, it is unusual in that it has separate dry/wet blend controls for each of the two outputs, labelled ‘Local Mix’ and ‘Remote Mix’. The equally rare vintage ROSS Stereo Delay RS‑80 also took a similar approach. While this particular feature isn’t strictly ‘stereo’ and neither is it a wet/dry split, it can be used to create all sorts of soundscapes that other echo pedals can’t easily mimic. There were two versions of the 680. Early ones had a cursive script logo and featured a ‘Normal/P.A.’ switch, the latter apparently used to change the impedance of an instrument’s output to match the effect’s input. Later versions didn’t require the switch, so it was replaced by an LED status light, along with a bolder block logo on the front. The ‘secret weapon’ inside the 680 is its Reticon SAD4096 ‘bucket brigade device’ (BBD) integrated chip (IC), giving it a maximum delay of approximately 300ms. Other than its eccentricities, the 680 is broadly similar to other analogue solid state delays from the 1970s and 1980s in both operation and sounds. Those in the know rave about the DOD Analog Delay, while most others are probably not even aware of it. After DOD was sold in 2008, their pedals went out of production until DOD started making effect pedals again in 2013, marketed under the Digitech brand and owned by Harman International Industries. The nearest equivalent new DOD echo pedal is the DOD Rubberneck Analog Delay, which is a far more sophisticated stomp box. Despite being scarce, original DOD 680s are reasonably priced on the vintage market, probably due to them being fairly obscure and under‑the‑radar, although they are quite hard to source. The only way to access the 680’s warm, evocative tones in the 21st Century is to buy an original vintage example… if you can find one.
Pedal Description:
If you like your stomp boxes to wear their heart on their sleeve, this somewhat scruffy looking but wonderful sounding rare DOD Analog Delay 680 may be right up your street. According to the pots, it was made in the U.S.A. in early‑mid‑1980. You are probably aware that these early analogue solid state delay pedals are probably my favourite effect, period, so I admit my bias from the outset. The slightly dishevelled paintwork is only superficial and if you look beyond the immediate blemishes of decades of use, this DOD 680 is in all‑original condition (bar one missing baseplate screw) and works fine, bar a bit of pot scratchiness of the output pots to match her looks. Remember these things lived their lives on the floor being trodden on and it is over 40 years old. DOD’s reputation has been a bit up and down over the years but select your weapon carefully and it will reward you with all the vintage vibe you could want. It may not have all the bells and whistles of modern‑day echo pedals but, if you are at all like me, the endless options of the technology can be a distraction from making music, so give me a back‑to‑basics classic analogue BBD echo any day, where you dial in what you want and get back to playing music… and musicality is where this hefty, robust rock‑of‑the‑ages DOD 680 excels. In use, it is simplicity itself, with typical delay, repeat and mix controls. If you want to send different mixes to two amps or a PA/studio desk, the 680 makes it a real cinch. To me, the DOD 680 is more comparable to other American, rather than Japanese, echo pedals, which I reckon is a good thing. It sounds typically fabulous, if a bit noisy – don’t expect pristine digital clarity here. It is, however, VERY addictive to play. The tones available don’t sound appreciably different from its peers and, as such, it still plays second fiddle to the classic Electro‑Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man but only just. It’s on a par with CRAVE Guitars’ MXR Analog Delay. If you like your echoes dark and dirty, this may just be the delay effect you’ve always wanted but didn’t even know was out there. Apologies if I’m repeating myself but it is fab as well as very rare and very cool.
Features:
- Made by DOD in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. in 1980
- The unlit ‘Power’ rocker switch turns the effect’s on‑board power supply on and off
- The ‘Delay Time’ knob controls the time delay between the original and delayed notes from c.20ms up to a maximum of c.300ms
- The ‘Repeat’ knob controls the number of repeats from none to runaway feedback
- The ‘Local Mix’ knob controls the balance between the dry (original) and wet (delayed) signal sent to the ‘Local Mix’ output
- The ‘Remote Mix’ knob controls the balance between the dry (original) and wet (delayed) signal sent to the ‘Remote Mix’ output
- Standard footswitch controls whether the effect is on or off
- Standard ¼” input and twin (‘Remote Mix’/’Local Mix’) output mono jack sockets
- LED status indicator to show when the effect is in use
- 240V UK AC mains power operation only
- No box or instruction manual
Detail Gallery:
