L.R. Baggs Align Series Delay

New delay pedal made specifically for acoustic musicians.

March 25, 2019

When acoustic amplification specialists L.R. Baggs introduced the first round of Align series pedals last year, the company used its existing technology and know-how to create four stompboxes based on functions and features that had been successfully used on other L.R. Baggs products (check out our demo of the Align Equalizer, Session, Reverb, and Active DI). L.R. Baggs has now added two new pedals to the series, a delay and a chorus. We recently checked out both of the new pedals, and in this video, we take a look at the Align Series Delay pedal (watch for an upcoming demo of the Align Series Chorus).

The Align Series Delay combines analog and digital technology and has a delay time of up to one second. It is a mono processor, housed in the same sturdy metal stompbox enclosure as other Align pedals. Like the Align Series Reverb, it uses a side-chain signal path, which means that the effect is added to the instrument’s clean signal; the Delay dial selects how much of the processed signal is added to the clean signal. The Align Series Delay also has controls for Tone, Repeat, and Time, all of which are straightforward. The Tone control allows you to dial in more warmth or brightness (added to the side-chain, not the original signal), Repeat selects how often the delay effect repeats, and Time selects the length of the delay. The unit also has a small Tap button, which can be used to manually tap in the tempo (there’s also a ¼-inch connection for an external footswitch), and a Division button that sets the delay tempo to a dotted-eighth-note value. A metal footswitch turns the unit on or off, and power comes from either a nine-volt battery or an external power supply (not included).

I tested the Align Series Delay delay using a Martin OM with an L.R. Baggs Anthem SL pickup system, plugged into an AER Compact 60 amp. Two things were immediately apparent: the unit is dead quiet (no hiss or hum) and the operation was foolproof, even without a look at the manual. The unit also performed all basic delay functions, from a short slapback effect to long, repeating delays, with ease, and the tap-tempo function means that it’s easy to set up accurate delay times.

In a crowded field of delay pedals, the L.R. Baggs Align Series Delay impresses with its ability to offer great delay sounds without degrading the instrument’s inherent tone. Combined with the straightforward interface, the unit is a winner, and you may find electric players becoming envious of your pedalboard.

SPECS: Delay pedal. ¼-inch inputs and outputs. Footswitch engaging effect or true bypass. Controls for delay, tone, repeats, and delay (time). Pushbuttons for tap-tempo and division. ¼-inch jack for external tap-tempo footswitch. Side-chain circuit. Powered by nine-volt battery or nine-volt DC adapter (not included). Metal enclosure. 5 x 3.25 x 2 inches. Made in China. $179 street. lrbaggs.com