The Echoplex EP-3 is an Echoplex delay pedal. Close alternatives include the Dunlop Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay and the Dunlop EP103 Echoplex Delay. It pairs well with the Marshall Super Bass and the Traynor SB110.
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.
- echo
- preamp
- recording
- tape echo
- organic
- stage
- classic rock
Good for
- Live
- Studio
Genres the Echoplex EP-3 is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Rock
- Blues
- Rockabilly
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Lo Fi
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Ambient
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Echoplex EP-3
Marshall Super Bass
Marshall
27% matchFeed 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.
Traynor SB110
Traynor
27% matchFeed the SB110's midrange-forward, practice-ready voicing with the Echoplex's warm, organic tape echo so the repeats stay natural.
Morgan MVP23 Combo
Morgan
5% matchRun Echoplex EP-3 in Morgan MVP23 Combo's effects loop, clear of Morgan MVP23 Combo's own gain stage
Swart STR Tremolo
Swart
5% matchPut Echoplex EP-3 in Swart STR Tremolo's effects loop, clear of Swart STR Tremolo's own gain stage
Vox Micro SuperBeetle Guitar Mini Stack
Vox
5% matchKeep Echoplex EP-3 in Vox Micro SuperBeetle Guitar Mini Stack's effects loop, clear of Vox Micro SuperBeetle Guitar Mini Stack's own gain stage
Laney Digbeth DBV212-4 Cabinet
Laney
5% matchPut Echoplex EP-3 in Laney Digbeth DBV212-4 Cabinet's effects loop, clear of Laney Digbeth DBV212-4 Cabinet's own gain stage
Boss Dual Cube Bass LX
Boss
5% matchEchoplex EP-3's analog warmth voice goes in Boss Dual Cube Bass LX's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Boss Dual Cube Bass LX's own pristine character
Morgan PR12 Head Driftwood
Morgan
5% matchPut Echoplex EP-3 in Morgan PR12 Head Driftwood's effects loop, clear of Morgan PR12 Head Driftwood's own gain stage
Pedals that stack with the Echoplex EP-3
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez
36% matchThe Screamer's mid-forward boost feeds the Echoplex's organic tape echo a driven signal instead of a clean one, not really stacking gain with it.
Klon Centaur
Klon
32% matchRun the Klon's transparent midrange push after the Echoplex's organic tape echo so the drive picks up extra saturation instead of the repeats staying clean.
Walrus Audio Lillian
Walrus Audio
21% matchPut the Lillian's subtle phasing after the Echoplex's warm tape repeats so the sweep moves the decay instead of the dry attack.
TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger
TC Electronic
20% matchRun the Stereo Chorus/Flanger's subtle stereo shimmer after the Echoplex's organic tape echo so the modulation colors the repeats instead of the dry signal.
Revv Shawn Tubbs Tilt
Revv
8% matchKeep Revv Shawn Tubbs Tilt's clean boost voice out front: Echoplex EP-3 goes after Revv Shawn Tubbs Tilt in the signal chain so its analog warmth voice doesn't muddy it
Boss VB-2W
Boss
7% matchKeep the tape-warm Echoplex after the VB-2W's liquid vibrato so the pitch modulation trails off in natural analog repeats.
EarthQuaker Devices Pyramids V1 Stereo Flanging Device
EarthQuaker Devices
7% matchKeep EarthQuaker Devices Pyramids V1 Stereo Flanging Device's shimmer voice out front: Echoplex EP-3 goes after EarthQuaker Devices Pyramids V1 Stereo Flanging Device in the signal chain so its analog warmth voice doesn't muddy it
Warm Audio Mutation Phasor II
Warm Audio
7% matchEchoplex EP-3's analog warmth voice goes after Warm Audio Mutation Phasor II in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Warm Audio Mutation Phasor II's own modulated character
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Dunlop Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay
Dunlop
74% similarityShared character: dry_signal, delay, classic_rock
Dunlop EP103 Echoplex Delay
Dunlop
73% similarityShared character: delay, classic_rock, stage
NuX Tape Echo Delay SOS
Nux
71% similarityShared character: classic_tone_machine, delay, classic_rock
Catalinbread Epoch-Set
Catalinbread
70% similarityShared character: dry_signal, compression, delay
Universal Audio Starlight Echo Station
Universal Audio
70% similarity“a Tape EP-III mode emulating the Echoplex EP-3 tape delay with adjustable wow, flutter, and noise”
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man
Electro-Harmonix
70% similarityShared character: signal, delay, classic_rock
Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay
Mad Professor
69% similarityShared character: dry_signal, amp, delay
Catalinbread Belle Epoch
Catalinbread
69% similarityShared character: delay, amp, warm
J. Rockett Immortal Echo
J Rockett
68% similarityShared character: dry_signal, delay, warm
Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo
pedal
68% similarityShared character: delay, warm
T-Rex Reptile Delay
T Rex
68% similarityShared character: delay, warm, analog
Binson Echorec Delay
Binson
68% similarityShared character: recording, natural, 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 Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay, the Dunlop EP103 Echoplex Delay, the NuX Tape Echo Delay SOS.
What pairs well with the Echoplex EP-3?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Super Bass, Traynor SB110, Morgan MVP23 Combo — 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..