Keeley Electronics 30ms Automatic Double Tracker. Delay & Reverb.

The Keeley 30ms is a genuinely stand out pedal, and one that captures the spirit of the Beatles and ’60s Abbey Road. There’s something completely charming about it – it doesn’t just gesture at that sound, it actually gets you to Studio 2!

Double tracking is one of those production tricks that’s easy to hear and hard to fake live. The thickened, slightly detuned sound of two takes of the same part playing together, the kind of thing Abbey Road engineers were doing with tape machines.

The 30ms Double Tracker takes that idea and puts it under your feet, and it works.

There are three core modes.

• Dimension mode creates two separate voices from your signal, each one independently tuned and delayed by up to 30ms, giving you a double-tracked spread without the pulse of a chorus pedal’s LFO.
• Abbey mode goes for something closer to a classic chorus sound, simulating a pair of tape machines running slightly out of sync with each other.
• Slapback mode is built for rockabilly-style echo, and pairs well with the onboard Abbey Verb reverb for a genuinely vintage feel.

In its standard mono setup, the pedal includes that built-in reverb alongside the double-tracking modes.

The reverb effect, Keeley’s “Abbey Verb” is modelled on the ambience of Abbey Road Studio 2.

Switch it into Stereo Double Tracker Pro mode via the internal dip switches and the reverb channel steps aside in favour of full manual control over both voices. You can tune each one up to 30 cents sharp or flat and set the delay between them. This is where this pedal moves from “cool effect” into genuinely useful studio tool territory.

Controls:

• Tuning:
  • Dimension and Slapback modes
    • It sets how sharp or flat the doubled voice is by up to 30 cents either way. This is what gives Dimension mode its detuned, two-voices-at-once character.
    • In Abbey mode it controls the modulation rate and depth
• Time: Sets the delay between your original signal and the doubled voice.
  • Dimension and Abbey modes:
    • This covers a tight 0-30ms range, close enough to the original that it reads as one thickened sound.
  • Slapback mode
    • The range roughly doubles, giving you enough separation for an audible rockabilly-style echo rather than a subtle double.
• Reverb: Controls the amount of the built-in Abbey Verb
• Level: Sets the overall output level.
• Internal switches:
  • Sets the wet output where you can have either dry and effected sounds or just the effect output. Great for stereo.
  • Select Stereo Double Tracker Pro Mode, the unit drops the reverb channel in favor of complete control over the double-tracked voices in this mode.

Watch The Keeley 30ms In Action

FAQs

What does the Keeley 30ms Double Tracker do?

It’s a studio-style double tracking pedal that thickens your sound the way recording two takes of the same part would. Includes a built-in reverb modelled on Abbey Road’s own Studio Two.

What are the three modes on the 30ms Double Tracker?

Dimension mode creates two independently tuned and delayed voices for a stereo double-tracked spread. Abbey mode simulates a pair of tape machines running slightly out of sync, closer to a classic chorus sound. Slapback mode extends the delay time for a rockabilly-style echo, and pairs well with the built-in reverb.

What power supply does the 30ms Double Tracker need?

A standard 9V DC centre-negative supply, drawing 65mA.

Is the Keeley 30ms Double Tracker true bypass or buffered?

It is true bypass

Can I use the 30ms Double Tracker in stereo?

Yes. Flip the internal dip switches to engage Stereo Double Tracker Pro mode, and the pedal drops the reverb control in favour of full manual control over both voices. You’ll need a TRS cable and a TRS-to-dual-TS adapter for a proper stereo rig.

How is this different from a standard chorus pedal?

A chorus pedal uses a low frequency oscillator (LFO) to create movement. The 30ms creates its thickened sound from two independently tuned voices.