The Echoplex EP-3 is an Echoplex delay pedal. Close alternatives include the Dunlop EP103 Echoplex Delay and the Dunlop Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay. It pairs well with the Marshall Super Bass and the Peavey MAX 150 150W 1x12 Bass Combo.

Echoplex EP-3

Echoplex · pedal

The Echoplex EP-3 (EP103) is a vintage tape echo machine from Maestro (Gibson), originally produced in the late 1960s and 1970s, delivering warm analog tape echo through a moving magnetic tape loop. The Echoplex creates echo repeats by recording the signal to a tape loop and playing it back with a variable delay head position. Famous for its warm, slightly fuzzy echo character and the distinctive preamp tone of the input stage. Used by Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, and many others.

What stands out

  • “Strengths: Authentic tape loop echo delivers warm, organic echo character with natural tape compression and warmth that”

    — from the reviews

  • “Famous for its warm, slightly fuzzy echo character and the distinctive preamp tone of the input stage”

    — from the listing

  • “The Echoplex EP-3 delivers warm, organic tape echo through genuine magnetic tape loop recording and playback, producing the distinctive warm-echo-with-preamp character that made Echoplex the most influential tape echo machine in rock histor…”

    — from the community notes

  • “The Echoplex creates echo repeats by recording the signal to a tape loop and playing it back with a variable delay head position”

    — from the listing

  • “Echoplex preamp input stage adds its own tonal character to the dry signal, boosting and warming the guitar tone”

    — from the reviews

  • echo
  • tape echo
  • organic
  • stage
  • classic rock
  • recording

Good for

  • Live
  • Studio

Genres the Echoplex EP-3 is commonly used in

  • Classic Rock
  • Rock
  • Blues
  • Lo Fi
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rockabilly
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Ambient
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the Echoplex EP-3

Marshall Super Bass

Marshall

30% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Feed the Super Bass's clear, pedal-platform headroom with the Echoplex's warm, organic tape echo so the repeats stay natural instead of picking up the amp's own overdrive.

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Peavey MAX 150 150W 1x12 Bass Combo

Peavey

30% match
$399.99via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Peavey MAX 150 150W 1x12 Bass Combo's bright balances out the warm tone

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Swart Space Tone Atomic Jr. Two-Tone

Swart

11% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Run Echoplex EP-3 in Swart Space Tone Atomic Jr. Two-Tone's effects loop, clear of Swart Space Tone Atomic Jr. Two-Tone's own gain stage

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Morgan AC20 Combo

Morgan

10% match
$1899via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Morgan AC20 Combo's dynamic voice out front: Echoplex EP-3 goes in Morgan AC20 Combo's effects loop so its analog warmth voice doesn't muddy it

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Mesa Boogie Split Back 2x12

Mesa Boogie

9% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Echoplex EP-3 in Mesa Boogie Split Back 2x12's effects loop, clear of Mesa Boogie Split Back 2x12's own gain stage

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Randall NB King 112 Nuno Bettencourt Signature 30W 1x12 Combo

Randall

9% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Randall NB King 112 Nuno Bettencourt Signature 30W 1x12 Combo's dynamic voice out front: Echoplex EP-3 goes in Randall NB King 112 Nuno Bettencourt Signature 30W 1x12 Combo's effects loop so its analog warmth voice doesn't muddy it

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Komet Songwriter 30

Komet

9% match
$3547.63via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Echoplex EP-3's analog warmth voice goes in Komet Songwriter 30's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Komet Songwriter 30's own dynamic character

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Orange Marcus King MK Ultra Head

Orange

9% match
$2887.48via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Echoplex EP-3's analog warmth voice goes in Orange Marcus King MK Ultra Head's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Orange Marcus King MK Ultra Head's own dynamic character

Comes earlier in the signal chain

See all 33 amps that pair with the Echoplex EP-3 →

Pedals that stack with the Echoplex EP-3

Tech 21 SansAmp

Tech 21

32% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Run Tech 21 SansAmp after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright

Comes earlier in the signal chain

EarthQuaker Devices Chelsea

EarthQuaker Devices

32% match
$178.26via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Where this leans warm, EarthQuaker Devices Chelsea answers back bright

Comes earlier in the signal chain

IdiotBox Effects End of Line

Idiotbox Effects

27% match
$49via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep IdiotBox Effects End of Line after Echoplex EP-3 in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Echoplex EP-3

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Walrus Audio Lillian

Walrus Audio

25% match
$213via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put the Lillian's subtle phasing after the Echoplex's warm tape repeats so the sweep moves the decay instead of the dry attack.

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Electro-Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator

Electro-Harmonix

16% match
$307.15via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put Echoplex EP-3 after Electro-Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Electro-Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Musitronics Mu-Tron III

Musitronics

16% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Echoplex EP-3's analog warmth voice goes after Musitronics Mu-Tron III in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Musitronics Mu-Tron III's own mid-forward character

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Strymon Lex V2

Strymon

15% match
$349via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put Echoplex EP-3 after Strymon Lex V2 in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Strymon Lex V2

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Collision Devices The Ranch

Collision Devices

14% match
$290via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Echoplex EP-3 after Collision Devices The Ranch in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Collision Devices The Ranch

Comes earlier in the signal chain

See all 123 pedals that pair with the Echoplex EP-3 →

Alternativessee all similar tone character →

Dunlop EP103 Echoplex Delay

Dunlop

68% similarity
$170via Reverb

Shared character: delay, warm, classic rock

Dunlop Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay

Dunlop

68% similarity
$209.99via Reverb

Shared character: dry signal, delay, warm

Keeley Magnetic Echo Delay v2

Keeley

65% similarity
$127.49via Reverb

Shared character: delay, warm, classic rock

Keeley Eccos Neo-Vintage Tape Delay

Keeley

65% similarity
$199via Reverb

Shared character: delay, warm, classic rock

TC Electronic Gauss Tape Echo

TC Electronic

65% similarity
$75.67via Reverb

Shared character: delay, warm, classic rock

Strymon Volante

Strymon

64% similarity
$399via Reverb

Shared character: delay, warm, classic rock

J. Rockett Immortal Echo

J Rockett

63% similarity
$119via Reverb

Shared character: dry signal, delay, warm

Donner White Tape

Donner

62% similarity

Shared character: delay, warm, classic rock

Strymon Magneto Four Head dTape Echo

Strymon

61% similarity

Shared character: delay

Strymon EC-1

Strymon

61% similarity
$279via Reverb

Shared character: delay, warm

Crazy Tube Circuits Echotopia

Crazy Tube Circuits

60% similarity

Shared character: delay

Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo

pedal

59% similarity

Shared character: delay, warm

See all alternatives to the Echoplex EP-3 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Echoplex EP-3?+

The closest matches in character are the Dunlop EP103 Echoplex Delay, the Dunlop Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay, the Keeley Magnetic Echo Delay v2.

What pairs well with the Echoplex EP-3?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Super Bass, Peavey MAX 150 150W 1x12 Bass Combo, Swart Space Tone Atomic Jr. Two-Tone — Feed the Super Bass's clear, pedal-platform headroom with the Echoplex's warm, organic tape echo so the repeats stay natural instead of picking up the amp's own overdrive..

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