Boss DD-3 Long Chip Digital Delay (Boxed)

Vintage Made In Japan (MIJ) Boss DD-3 Long Chip Digital Delay Guitar Pedal for sale.

In excellent working order and complete with original box.

Endless fun and excellent tone from this high-spec early digital pedal that crammed a chip from Roland's state of the art digital delay rack unit into the ubiquitous compact Boss pedal format.

Iconic Boss Long Chip DD-3 for sale - Digital Delay Royalty…

At Soundgas, we love a classic—and few pedals are as groundbreaking as the Boss DD-2 and early "long chip" DD-3. These legendary compact digital delays revolutionised what was possible for guitarists and producers back in the 1980s

When the Boss DD-2 hit the market in 1983, it was the world's first digital delay pedal in a compact format.

Shoehorning the (long) delay chip from the studio Roland SDE-3000 rack delay, the DD-2 delivered lush, crystal-clear repeats (compared to BBD delays of the era) combined with the rugged durability and ease-of-use Boss guitar pedals are famous for.

With up to 800ms of delay time and intuitive controls, the DD-2 made studio-quality delay accessible for the stage (and home!).

The Boss DD-3 launched in 1986 - outwardly similar to the DD-2 - and early versions of the DD-3 like this one shared the same circuitry and tonal magic.

These "long chip" DD-3s retained the smooth, warm character that made the DD-2 a legend, before Boss transitioned to newer components in later models.

Why do these early digital delays stand out today? It’s all about their character. Unlike many modern digital delays, the DD-2 and early DD-3 have a warm, musical tone with repeats that blend effortlessly into your sound. They sound, well…analogue.

Whether you’re crafting shimmering clean textures, adding rhythmic depth to a guitar or vocal, or emulating their Space Echo forebears with synths or beats, these pedals deliver in spades.

Fast forward to today, and these vintage Boss delays are as desirable as ever. Musicians and engineers prize their convenience, reliability, sonic signature, and undeniable historical significance.

Artists such as Prince, The Edge, John Frusciante, and countless others have relied on Boss delays to create iconic sounds that helped define entire genres.

For those lucky enough to own a DD-2 or early DD-3, you’ve got a piece of music history right underfoot and if you don’t have one, they’re a relatively inexpensive route to timeless tone and limitless echo fun.

If you need one and this one has sold, please get in touch as we usually have one to hand.

Condition

In excellent condition overall with only minor marks on the faceplate and chassis. There is some slight discolouration in the paintwork in places. Includes original box and packaging. Please see photos or get in touch if you require more information.

Voltage Information

9V Centre Positive

Tax

For sales in UK the price will include 20% VAT. Buyers elsewhere may incur VAT or other local taxes on import.