Keeley RK2000 Funk Siren Delay: That Phish Delay
Based on the Ibanez DM2000 rackmount delay
1,0 / 5,0 | 
The RK2000 Funk Siren Delay is Keeley’s take on a classic 12-bit digital rack-mounted delay unit, the 1983 DM2000.
Funk Siren Delay
This new Keeley RK2000 Funk Siren Delay pedal is a recreation of the Ibanez DM2000 rackmount delay from 1983, in pedal form. A unit Trey Anastasio of Phish used to great effect for his famous Funk Siren ambient loop. I think this is the first time this Ibanez delay unit has been recreated as a stompbox, so it is pretty unique in that regard.
Vintage Modulation, Modern Reliability
It offers some pretty dramatic modulation, likened to slamming your hands on a tape reel, with advanced features like MIDI control, presets, and pitch-shifted delays. The modulation spans the spectrum from subtle doubling and liquid chorus to frantic flanging and deep-diving pitch vibratos.
This pedal has been developed with input from Trey’s guitar tech, Justin Stabler. A big bonus for many guitarists will be the small form factor and not having to rely on a bit of music gear from 1983, as vintage stuff can be cantankerous in old age. MIDI compatibility gives you access to 72 presets, so you can build your own and easily access them in more complex MIDI setups.
It has controls for Blend, Feedback, Filter, Depth, Input, Rate, and Time (ranging from 1ms to 1023ms), all of which are easy to access and have no hidden menus or other surprises. Then there are the Hold and Tap functions, both accessible via dedicated footswitches.
12-bit
The original rack is 12-bit, and Keeley has replicated it, so expect a grainy, lo-fi-ish sound from this delay pedal. All good and part of its charm.
The dedicated Hold footswitch captures audio slices for infinite sustain, letting you play over a frozen pad or warp the sound into psychedelic textures using the onboard controls. This is where the fun starts, and having it all in one pedal makes it easy to integrate into modern guitar pedalboards.
It is stereo, and so Normal and Ping-Pong modes can sound pretty massive in a stereo rig. Perfect for players who must have stereo delays. Also on the rear, you have access to remote control input and expression control.
The pedal can be set to either True or Buffered bypass, depending on whether you need delay trails.
Price & Availability
The Keeley RK2000 Funk Siren Delay is available to order now at Thomann, priced at $395/£342/€399.
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