The Dunlop Echoplex Preamp is a Dunlop preamp pedal, currently around $135. Close alternatives include the K Pedals Vintage Preamp and the Strymon Riverside. It pairs well with the JHS Angry Charlie and the Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster.
Dunlop Echoplex Preamp
Dunlop · pedal
The Dunlop EP101 Echoplex Preamp is a preamp pedal built around the circuit of the legendary Maestro Echoplex EP-3 tape delay unit, designed to capture the tonal coloration that the EP-3 preamp added to the signal before the tape heads. The EP-3 preamp is associated with Eddie Van Halen, whose rig included an Echoplex for its tonal sweetening effect, and with Eric Johnson. The EP101 delivers up to 11dB of boost with light asymmetrical clipping at higher gain settings, adding rounded warmth, silky high-frequency content, and enhanced upper midrange presence. It is designed as an always-on tone enhancement tool that refines and enriches the core guitar signal before reaching subsequent gain stages or the amplifier.
- preamp
- gain
- silky
- frequency
- stage
- warmth
- clipping
- clean boost
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Dunlop Echoplex Preamp is commonly used in
- Alternative Rock
- Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Dunlop Echoplex Preamp
JHS Angry Charlie
JHS Pedals
28% matchWhere this leans warm, JHS Angry Charlie answers back bright
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
Dallas
28% matchRun Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
IdiotBox Effects End of Line
Idiotbox Effects
21% matchKeep Dunlop Echoplex Preamp's smooth voice out front: IdiotBox Effects End of Line goes after Dunlop Echoplex Preamp in the signal chain so its bright voice doesn't muddy it
Arcade Audio Button Masher Compressor
Arcade Audio
20% matchRun the Button Masher's smooth optical compression ahead of the Echoplex Preamp for even attack before the silky preamp gain reacts.
Boss DD-200 Digital Delay
Boss
12% matchKeep Boss DD-200 Digital Delay after Dunlop Echoplex Preamp in the signal chain, clear of Dunlop Echoplex Preamp's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Alexander Pedals History Lesson Vol. 2
Alexander Pedals
12% matchKeep Alexander Pedals History Lesson Vol. 2 after Dunlop Echoplex Preamp in the signal chain, clear of Dunlop Echoplex Preamp's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Maxon FF10 Fuzz Elements Fire
Maxon
tonal matchMaxon FF10 Fuzz Elements Fire leans bright right where the warm tone needs it
Roger Mayer Axis 27
Roger Mayer
tonal matchWhere this leans warm, Roger Mayer Axis 27 answers back bright
Cheaper alternatives
Smokin' Amp Co. FX10 BiFet Preamp
Smokin Amp Co
74% similarityShared character: subtle, stage, warm
EarthQuaker Devices Arrows
EarthQuaker Devices
72% similarityShared character: signal, boost, subtle
Dunlop MXR M293 Booster Mini
Dunlop
71% similarityShared character: boost, subtle, amp
DigiTech DOD Overdrive Preamp 250
Digitech
70% similarityShared character: circuit, subtle, warm
Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive
Boss
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Xotic BB Preamp
Xotic
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
MXR EP3 Echoplex Preamp
MXR
74% similarityShared character: circuit, boost, delay
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
73% similarityShared character: amp, circuit, boost
Beetronics Nectar Tone Sweetener
Beetronics
72% similarityShared character: subtle, amp, warm
Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII
Benson Amps
72% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, signal, circuit
Boss OD-1 Overdrive
Boss
70% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, signal, boost
DryBell The Engine
Drybell
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
K Pedals Vintage Preamp
K Pedals
73% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, boost, subtle
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
73% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, boost, stage
EarthQuaker Devices '- Speaker Cranker
EarthQuaker Devices
71% similarityShared character: signal, boost, subtle
Snouse BlackBox Overdrive 2
Snouse
71% similarityShared character: signal, circuit, boost
Source Audio ZIO
Source Audio
71% similarityShared character: delay, warm, preamp
Analogman NEW Analog MAN BAD BOB Boost
Analogman
71% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, circuit, boost
See all alternatives to the Dunlop Echoplex Preamp (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Dunlop Echoplex Preamp?+
The closest matches in character are the K Pedals Vintage Preamp, the Strymon Riverside, the EarthQuaker Devices '- Speaker Cranker. Budget picks: Smokin' Amp Co. FX10 BiFet Preamp, EarthQuaker Devices Arrows, Dunlop MXR M293 Booster Mini. Boutique upgrades: MXR EP3 Echoplex Preamp, Xotic BB Preamp V1.5, Beetronics Nectar Tone Sweetener.
What pairs well with the Dunlop Echoplex Preamp?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: JHS Angry Charlie, Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster, IdiotBox Effects End of Line — Where this leans warm, JHS Angry Charlie answers back bright.
How much does the Dunlop Echoplex Preamp cost?+
Around $135 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).