DOD Rubberneck Delay Review
Our Verdict and Review Summary
I use delay in a very rhythmic fashion, so I want it percussive and a bit thicker. This is the Rubberneck's strong suit, with a powerful, chunky analog tone and some digital-esque flexibility. I've used the Line 6 DL4 for years, yet the Rubberneck was honestly a better fit for me. If you try it, use a little bit of breakup in your amp.
The DOD Rubberneck's analog circuit puts out a really percussive type of echo, especially when I had it set on the dotted eighth note timing division. Once I heard that heavy response, the gain control (which I don't typically see on delay pedals) made more sense. For rhythm patterns, this delay performed very well, and you can hear my obsessive dotted eighth note runs in the demo below. For all the control it provides, I didn't find myself wanting to tweak a lot, since it sounded great right out of the box.
Read more: Best delay pedals overall
Comparison Table
In this table you can compare the Rubberneck to some other, similar delay pedals.
Delay | Name | Rate | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOD Rubberneck Delay | 91.3 | |
 | Supro Analog Delay | n/a | |
 | Boss DM-2w Waza Craft Delay | n/a | |
 | Line 6 DL4 MK2 | 94.8 |
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Analog but also very flexible. DOD gives you your money's worth.
Review Card
BEST FOR: Rhythmic styles, analog fans, recording, performing, heavily percussive patterns.
TONE
95
CONTROL
95
VERSATILITY
90
PRICE/VALUE
85
- Echoes have a very satisfying "punch"
- Mixes well with a little bit of distortion
- Very advanced control scheme for an analog delay
- Tap tempo
- Modulation add-in is a nice touch
- Had a hard time telling if I was actually engaging the tap tempo switch. Common problem with analog pedals
- Very pricey
Tone Quality and Summary
Even with the thicker sound, you can get some crisp and chime-esque responses. This seems to get more pronounced when you add a bit of modulation, which has a bit of a ring and phaser quality to it. You can hear some of that from the higher register arpeggios in the second half of my demo. You can also EQ the effect layer with a tone knob, so if you want to go thinner, it's pretty easy to dial that in. But again, I found this pedal most satisfying as a rhythm compliment.
The DOD Rubberneck is most at home as a percussive and rhythm-focused delay, especially with the time division selector (quarter, dotted eighth, or eighth notes).
Control and Versatility
Those larger knobs you see are the conventional delay controls: Time, Repeats, and Level. It's the second row of knobs and switches that gets you all the variety - the "bells and whistles" so to speak.
The second row of control is where the Rubberneck gives you a lot of additional value and flexibility.
That's where you can control time divisions, tails (buffered/true bypass), modulation, and gain/tone control. Sometimes I'll see one of these features in an analog delay pedal, maybe two. But to have all four gives you just about everything that could be paired with an analog delay circuit.
Lots to keep you busy.
Price and Value
When we published this review, the Rubberneck was retailing for $350, which is definitely on the pricier side, especially considering pedals like the Line 6 DL4 MK2 and the Boss DD-200 are significantly less. But those pedals are fully digital, so you're paying for the analog circuit in the Rubberneck and the work involved to implement all the functionality. If you want the analog purity with the extended control, the Rubberneck is one of the best ways to get it.
Wrap Up and Questions
While this is an expensive pedal, it's one of the highest-functioning analog delay pedals I've ever tried. The EHX Memory Boy is another similar analog delay that comes to mind. So if you're specifically after the analog circuit, the Rubberneck will be a decent value. But if you're happy with a digital circuit, you can save some money by looking elsewhere.
So the ideal scenario: Rhythmic playing style, not concerned with having a ton of modes, and analog snobbery.
If you have questions about my DOD Rubberneck review, feel free to drop them in the comments section below.
I'll help out as much as I can.
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Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Effects & Reviews
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Effects & Reviews
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That’s over double what i paid for the pedal.
Using the optional foot switch makes a big difference.
But the real jewel in the crown is the incert socket, putting a modulation pedal etc in the circuit and you can make truly unique sounds.
I take it you bought it used?