THE RE-201 BECAME THE DELAY TO OWN. FAMOUS USERS INCLUDED BOB MARLEY, KING TUBBY AND LEE ‘SCRATCH’ PERRY
A brief history
Roland was founded in April 1972 by Ikutaro Kakehashi and, in its first two years, released a wide range of products that would set a precedent for the next five decades. There were drum machines (TR-33/55/77), synths (the SH-1000 and SH-3), pianos, guitar pedals, and, in 1973, two delays, the RE-100 and RE-200 tape echoes.
Roland was attempting to cash in on the popularity of the tape delay, which was based around tape loops and had been a popular effect since the 1950s. These were pretty simple: a recording head recorded what you played, and a
