Boss Unveils New SDE-3000EVH Dual Digital Delay, a Feature-Packed Pedal Preloaded with the Settings of Eddie Van Halen's Roland SDE-3000 Rackmount Unit

Boss's newly-unveiled SDE-3000EVH pedal
(Image credit: Boss)

Boss has unveiled a pair of new dual digital delay pedals, the SDE-3000EVH and SDE-3000D.

Both effects boxes are exacting re-imaginations of the '80s-era Roland SDE-3000 rack delay unit that served as a mainstay in Eddie Van Halen's live rig for decades, and essentially combine two of the SDE-3000s into a single pedal, a tip of the cap to how the electric guitar hero used two of the mono rack units to get a sweeping stereo delay sound onstage.

Made in collaboration with EVH Gear, the SDE-3000EVH is loaded with eight dedicated EVH presets. The first four are lifted straight from Van Halen's rig, and are tailored for the guitarist's favored Wet/Dry/Wet setup, while the latter four provide the same sounds, tailored for a more typical stereo guitar amp setup.

The SDE-3000EVH features a pair of independent delays – each boasting its own set of parameters and panning options, mono/stereo modulation, plus 92 additional user memory slots.  

There are a host of controls to be found, including a dedicated EVH panel for toggling between the EVH presets, Time, Feedback, Out, Rate, and Depth controls, two main footswitches – one for each delay – and a tap tempo footswitch. 

Elsewhere, there are Filter, Modulation, and Feedback controls, and outputs for four footswitches, two expression pedals, MIDI ins and outs, plus an external loop. There are also three ground-lift cables for hum elimination purposes. 

While similar to its Eddie Van Halen-based sibling, the more affordable SDE-3000D is a touch more streamlined.

Obviously, there are no EVH presets to be found, but that lack of EVH presets also means more room for user memory slots for storing and recalling settings, with the count being upped to 100 from the SDE-3000EVH's 92.

Sans the EVH panel, the controls are fairly similar on the surface, with the same trio of footswitches, a pair of extra parameter panels for switching between presets and additional functions, and a host of buttons with which to shape the effect.

Differences between the SDE-3000D and its big brother are most notable at the rear, with a much simpler layout of just two inputs, two outputs, MIDI, and a pair of jacks for expression pedals or footswitches.

The Boss SDE-3000EVH and SDE-3000D pedals are both available now, for $599 and $499, respectively.

For more info on the pedals, visit boss.info.

Jackson Maxwell
Associate Editor, GuitarWorld.com and GuitarPlayer.com

Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com and GuitarPlayer.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.