Pricing and availability
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Price
Average Price: $147
Standard/Professional
$100
$251+
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Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 5 merchants for "MXR M169 Carbon Copy". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
The Carbon Copy Analog Delay delivers rich, warm bucket-bridgade delay with up to 600ms of delay time and modulation.
This pedal can be powered by a 9-volt battery, a Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter, or the DC Brick™, Iso-Brick™, and Mini Iso-Brick™ power supplies (not included).
THE LONG STORY
Go from crisp "bathroom" slap echoes to epic, Gilmouresque delays with the MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay. Featuring 600ms of delay time with optional modulation, and a three-knob layout that controls Delay, Mix, and Regen. In addition, there are two internal trim pots that offer user-adjustable width and rate control of the modulation for even more tonal options. All done by a completely analog audio path for authentic rich, warm analog delay—made possible only by old-school analog bucket brigade technology. True bypass.
Owner's manual
MXR M169 Carbon Copy User ManualProduct specs
| Pedal Type | Delay |
| Analog/Digital | Analog |
| Max Delay Time | 0.6 seconds (600ms) |
| Inputs | 1 x 1/4" |
| Outputs | 1 x 1/4" |
| Power Source | 9V DC power supply required (sold separately) |
| Batteries | 1 x 9V |
| Height | 1.25" |
| Width | 2.75" |
| Depth | 4.75" |
| Weight | 0.84 lbs. |
FAQs
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Is the MXR M169 Carbon Copy an analog delay pedal?
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Yes, the MXR M169 Carbon Copy is an analog delay pedal, utilizing bucket brigade technology to produce a warm, vintage delay sound.
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What is the maximum delay time of the MXR M169 Carbon Copy?
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The MXR M169 Carbon Copy offers up to 600 milliseconds of delay time, allowing for a wide range of delay effects from subtle slapback to long, ambient echoes.
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Can the MXR M169 Carbon Copy be powered with a battery?
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Yes, the MXR M169 Carbon Copy can be powered by a 9-volt battery, in addition to various 9-volt power supplies like the Dunlop ECB003 adapter.
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What does the modulation feature do on the MXR M169 Carbon Copy?
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The modulation feature on the MXR M169 Carbon Copy adds a chorus-like effect to the delay signal, which can be adjusted internally for width and speed.
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Is the MXR M169 Carbon Copy suitable for bass guitar?
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Yes, the MXR M169 Carbon Copy works well with bass guitar, providing rich and warm delay effects without losing low-end clarity.
Equipboard's Expert Review
Equipboard tested this
Analog Delay Soul with Modern Twists
We love the Carbon Copy's heavy-duty feel and attractive spacy green finish. It screams quality and reliability. In our tests, the pedal felt solid and well-constructed—built to withstand the rigors of touring.
What caught our attention next were the simple, intuitive controls: Regen, Mix, and Delay knobs. While the lack of a tap tempo feature might put off some players, we found the basic controls easy to navigate. The modulation button adds a lovely depth and character, but it is subtle out of the box. Fortunately, the internal trim pots allow for some fine-tuning, though it's a bit of a hassle to open up the pedal.
Sound-wise, this pedal delivers warm, vintage, and rich delays that seamlessly blend into various playing styles. Whether it's for slapback, echo, or oscillation effects, the Carbon Copy excels. The delay sounds natural and organic, adding an unmistakable depth to our tone. However, it's worth noting that the repeats can occasionally sound too dark or even mushy, especially if you're used to using digital delays.
Overall, we think the MXR M169 Carbon Copy is a fantastic analog delay pedal for those seeking a warm, vintage sound without breaking the bank. Its rugged build and reliable performance make it perfect for gigging musicians. However, if you're after crystal-clear, high-fidelity delays or need quick access to modulation tweaks, this might not be your first choice. Nevertheless, for its price and features, it offers great value and competes well with more expensive analog delays.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Reviews
PROS
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Warm, vintage sound enhances tone without overpowering
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Modulation button adds depth and versatility
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Works well with other pedals
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Oscillation feature for creative soundscapes
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Easy to use with straightforward controls
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Reliable, durable build quality
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Affordable compared to similar quality pedals
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Does not require constant adjustments
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True bypass preserves signal integrity
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Bright LED indicators for clear visibility
CONS
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Lacks tap tempo for on-the-fly adjustments
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Internal trim pots for modulation adjustments less accessible
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Can sound dark or muddy with certain settings or setups
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Feedback can be harsh if not carefully dialed in
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Not suitable for those needing a wide range of delay types
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Limited delay time compared to digital models
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Some users find the mix control to be less intuitive
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Not ideal for ultra-pristine delay tones
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Modulation effect may not appeal to all users
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May not fit all aesthetic preferences with its green finish
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about MXR M169 Carbon Copy.
Features and functionality
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Internal trim pots allow for customizable modulation settings, offering a more organic, tape-like sound by adjusting depth and rate.
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The pedal can operate at 12V or 18V for a brighter, louder sound with more regen, but controlling tone becomes harder.
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The modulation switch's LED matches the bypass/power LED, causing potential confusion on dark stages when trying to determine if the modulation is active.
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Self-oscillation can be achieved, but excessive volume can potentially damage speakers, not amplifiers.
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Mods and upgrades
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Owners recommend adjusting the internal trim pots to slow down the modulation rate for a warmer, more organic delay tone.
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Use cases and applications
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By turning the mix up and delay time down, the pedal can double as a chorus effect.
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Setting the regen knob at maximum creates fun feedback noise; adjusting delay length changes the sound.
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The pedal delivers excellent slapback echo with regen at 8 o'clock, mix at 12 o'clock, and delay at 8 o'clock.
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The pedal excels in creating "detachable penis" delay settings with all knobs at 10:00, and an "EDGE style" delay when set with all knobs pointed straight up.
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Setup and maintenance
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Ensuring a dedicated power supply can prevent potential failure, as shared power supplies have caused issues for some users.
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Value and pricing
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Consider purchasing second-hand, as the pedal retains value well and can often be found in excellent condition.
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Comparisons
User experience
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Owners often find that the Carbon Copy is a set-and-forget pedal, with every setting sounding good, providing versatility for both washy medium-long delays and short slapback tones.
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Critic Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Based on 89 Reviews and 560 Ratings
251
Good Delay Pedal
It's the pedal that will do the delay job well. I originally had a BBE Two Timer which was nice until it broke. I floated around a few mini pedal pedals (like the Donner Yellow Fall, etc.) until I ended up with one of these month ago. I can already tell it's built to last. Hard casing that can take a beating on the road. The mod feature is nice and adds a sparkly light chorus touch on top of the effect. Controls are simple and the knobs are quite responsive. I recommend this to all delay lovers. Hope this helps!
Rich sound
The carbon copy is a very common pedal, thanks to the price and quality. It was my first pedal and is still here with me! I use it in the fxloop to fat up my sound, because is anolog and very dark sounding,sometimes to hear the repeats the only thing to do is to play in palm mute otherwise it will completely blend with the dry signal. So i dont use it as my main delay, i use it to put some very good make up to my clean sound and a mistic vibe to my crunch sound. Great pedal but if you are looking for a crystal sounding delay this is not your pedal.
572
Analog vibe for days.
This thing is so gritty and dark. It just has the most amazing character to it. Perfect for pairing with clean digital delays. I would never do a gig or session without it. The self oscillation is gnarly, and it makes a great slapback tone.
I wish it had a more modulation.
822
Hello! By opening the back panel there are two knobs to change the modulation, but I haven’t tried it.
Responsive and warm, one of the best delay out there
Turning up or down the knobs each mm you can ear something is happening. This is not something you can find in other pedals for the same price, it's super responsive, dynamic, dark and glitchy sometimes. It doesn't sound like a tape echo but it has its own distintive sound, that in my opinion is something you can't say for tons of pedal. Before the Gain section it creates echos and atmosphere. highly suggested for super short delay times to add "body" to your chords.
43
Great sounding pedal that is not noticeable unless it's not there. Does that make sense??
I bought this pedal because of the price and some great reviews and YouTube shoot outs. I play an American Strat into a Fender blues deluxe. I don't think this pedal is as versatile as some of the other digital delays but it does deliver a nice mellow analog delay to complement a clean or dirty signal. From slap back to spacey delays, this pedal delivers. It is nice to see the list of professionals using it getting larger too.
466
Classic.
My favourite delay. Not as many options as larger delays and no tap tempo. But still love the tone, this is my “always on” delay. I almost always have it set to a slight delay in the background.
98
This is a professional level stompbox
Everything about it is great. Usually i don't like the narrow sound of mxr guitar pedals but this one really suprised me and as i tried it for the first time i told the worker at the shop that i was going to buy it. At the end, of course i ended up buying it despite it's high price that left me with 100 bucks approx. What i can say is it has it's own unique sound that no other analog pedal can reach. My suggestion is to buy it because you'll never regret it.
A great dark delay
MXR's Carbon Copy delay, while only having been out for a few years, is a great delay for dark echo fans. The oscillation you can get with this delay is amazing, similar to Radiohead's "Karma Police" effect near the end of the song. Great delay for the money, I recommend you get one now!
Artist usage
Add artist
John Mayer posted on his instagram stories:
If your floor doesn't look like this, are you really a guitar player?
On Kevin Parker's right-hand pedalboard, an MXR Carbon Copy can be seen. This pedalboard can be seen in this photo as well.
An MXR M169 Carbon Copy can be seen at 10:00 in his rig rundown, where Billie Joe's guitar tech talks about what effects he uses.
At 2:41 Mac is seen using a MXR Carbon Copy delay, mac usually doesn't run a delay.
In this mini documentary about the making of Edge's signature Fender Stratocaster and Deluxe amplifier, we see him testing the pieces together with the aid of a Carbon Copy delay.
(Edit: Note that this clip is from a visit to the Fender development facility, and the MXR may be a pedal which was on loan for the shoot. It is possible that the Edge neither owns nor uses one of these units.)
Zakk Wylde uses an MXR Carbon Copy delay pedal onstage with Black Label Society. "The settings I have it at...are for Randy Rhodes' guitar solos..." Wylde says at (3:40) in this Guitarist Magazine video. "I could be playing fast and it's not going to muddle any of the playing," he said.
In this interview, Jim Root calls the MXR Carbon Copy Delay, "one of the best delay pedals, ever." (2:20).
Billy uses a MXR Carbon Copy as seen in this rig rundown article.
Here is a direct link to the image.
http://www.premierguitar.com/ext/resources/images/content/2015-09/Rig-Rundown/10.jpg?1442424106
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/23116-rig-rundown-zz-tops-billy-gibbons-and-dusty-hill-2015
"With the Carbon Copy the repeats are a little bit on the darker side. There's a couple of tunes where he'll use the Carbon Copy on where it doesn’t make it so that you notice it so much - it's subtle. The way we have it set is only for like three repeats. For the most part, [Jeff] likes to play very dry, so anything that is going to color the sound like that, he notices too much and it gets in the way," says Jeff Beck's guitar tech.
Mich talks about his setup in this video. MXR M169 Carbon Copy Analog Delay Pedal seen at 03:48-04:19
At 2:31 in this video, Za, Synyster Gates guitar tech, talks about Synyster Gates' use of the MXR delay pedal. "It's awesome man, everybody loves those."
The Carbon Copy delay pedal is also listed as part of Syn's gear on his Dunlop Artist Page.
Album Usage
The MXR M169 Carbon Copy has been featured on the following albums:
Silver Bleeds the Black Sun...
AFI (2025)
Tuff Luff
Mansions (2023)
II
Dead Cross (2022)
Just One Voice
Michelle Willis (2022)
Distant Populations
Quicksand (2021)
Amethyst / I Can See
Harvey Sutherland (2018)
LONER
Caroline Rose (2018)
Batch
FORQ (2017)
The Serenity of Suffering
Korn (2016)
See Us Through
Michelle Willis (2016)
No Good
Kaleo & Kaleo (2015)
Are We There
Sharon Van Etten (2014)
True North
Bad Religion (2013)
Tramp
Sharon Van Etten (2012)
Live In Chicago
Ween (2004)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use MXR M169 Carbon Copy, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
Show yoursSimilar
Add recommendation5 alternative and related items for MXR M169 Carbon Copy, curated by the Equipboard community.
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The Carbon Copy Mini is basically the exact same pedal/circuit as the Carbon Copy, but in a compact footprint and a little BRIGHT switch on the side which makes it sound like the Carbon Copy Bright. So basically two pedals in one, in a tiny enclosure. You need a 9V DC power supply and cannot use a battery with the Mini.
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This model has the original Carbon Copy as well as the Bright version in one enclosure that includes tap tempo.
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