The Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo is an Electro-Harmonix delay pedal, currently around $71.30. Close alternatives include the MXR Analog Delay and the JHS 3 Series Oil Can Delay. It pairs well with the PRS HX 50 Head and the Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube.

Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

Electro-Harmonix · pedal

The Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo is a dedicated analog slap-back delay pedal offering three fixed delay times — 45ms, 65ms, and 100ms — optimized for rockabilly, country, and early rock and roll single-repeat echo. Controls include Blend (wet/dry mix) and Level (up to 20dB of clean boost), with delay time set by a three-position switch. The 100ms setting delivers classic rockabilly slap; shorter settings produce tighter, drier doubling. A built-in low-pass filter at full wet mix darkens repeats to mimic tape echo rolloff. True bypass.

What stands out

  • “The Slap-Back Echo is purpose-built for the single-repeat echo of 1950s Sun Studio recording and classic country electric guitar”

    — from the community notes

  • “The built-in low-pass filter that activates at high Blend settings authentically mimics tape delay high-frequency rolloff”

    — from the community notes

  • “The three delay time settings each have distinct practical characters: 45ms produces a tight doubling effect ; 65ms sits at a vintage slap-back length ideal for classic country twang and is the most comm…”

    — from the reviews

  • “optimized for rockabilly”

    — from the listing

  • “a built-in low-pass filter at full wet mix darkens repeats to mimic tape echo rolloff”

    — from the listing

Trade-offs

  • “The main caveat is intentional single-purpose design — it produces exactly one echo repeat per note and cannot produce multiple repeats, longer delays, modulation, or reverb-adjacent trails”

    — from the community notes

  • echo
  • delay
  • country
  • rockabilly
  • filter
  • low pass
  • tape echo
  • clean boost

Good for

  • Live
  • Studio
$71.30View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 22, 2026

Genres the Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo is commonly used in

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

Amps that pair well with the Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

PRS HX 50 Head

PRS

20% match
$2899via Reverb

PRS HX 50 Head leans toward full, and that's a real, usable character to pair with

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube

Engl

19% match
$3169.99via Reverb

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

Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube's own mid-forward character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Synergy SL2 Module

Synergy

tonal match

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Synergy SL2 Module goes in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo in the chain

Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt

Mesa Boogie

tonal match

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

Egnater Tweaker 88 Head

Egnater

tonal match

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put Egnater Tweaker 88 Head in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

Blackstar HT Club 50 MKII

Blackstar

tonal match
$849.99via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put Blackstar HT Club 50 MKII in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

Bogner Snorkler 50

Bogner

tonal match
$3486.18via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put Bogner Snorkler 50 in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

Ceriatone 2202H

Ceriatone

tonal match

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Ceriatone 2202H goes in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo in the chain

Pedals that stack with the Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler

Dr Scientist

21% match
$203.33via Reverb

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler's own fuzzy character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Electro-Harmonix 1973 Violet Ram's Head Big Muff Pi V2

Electro-Harmonix

19% match
$114.30via Reverb

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

What Electro-Harmonix 1973 Violet Ram's Head Big Muff Pi V2 brings here leans toward fuzzy — that's worth building a pairing around

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Walrus Audio Lillian

Walrus Audio

15% match
$218.84via 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 Walrus Audio Lillian after Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

Comes earlier in the signal chain

EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter V3

EarthQuaker Devices

14% match
$199via 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 EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter V3 after Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2

Dr Scientist

tonal match
$203.33via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 goes in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo in the chain

Warm Audio Jet Phaser

Warm Audio

tonal match
$109.19via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put Warm Audio Jet Phaser in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo: modulation lands before the repeats, so the echoes stay defined

Donner Big Mouth Distortion

Donner

tonal match
$29.95via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Donner Big Mouth Distortion goes in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo in the chain

Demon FX Gladiator Double Preamp Just

Demon Fx

tonal match
$64.88via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Demon FX Gladiator Double Preamp Just goes in front of Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo in the chain

Boutique & premium upgrades

JHS The Milkman Echo/Slap Delay/Boost

JHS Pedals

58% similarity
$179via Reverb

Shared character: boost, delay

Alexander Pedals Oblivion Vintage Delay

Alexander Pedals

57% similarity
$329.99via Reverb

Shared character: delay, true bypass, boost

Boss RE-2 Space Echo

Boss

54% similarity
$185.61via Reverb

Shared character: delay, modulation, warm

Strymon El Capistan

Strymon

54% similarity
$379via Reverb

Shared character: delay, full

Electro-Harmonix Nano Memory Toy

Electro-Harmonix

53% similarity
$181.58via Reverb

Shared character: delay, true bypass, mix

Eventide Rose Modulated Digital Delay

Eventide

52% similarity
$350via Reverb

Shared character: delay, analog, filter

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

MXR Analog Delay

MXR

60% similarity

Shared character: delay, true bypass, modulation

JHS 3 Series Oil Can Delay

JHS Pedals

56% similarity

Shared character: delay, true bypass, mix

Keeley Magnetic Echo

Keeley

54% similarity

Shared character: delay, modulation, warm

J. Rockett Alien Echo

J Rockett

54% similarity

Shared character: delay, warm

Dunlop Echoplex Delay EP103

Dunlop

54% similarity

Shared character: delay, modulation, full

JHS 3 Series Delay

JHS Pedals

52% similarity

Shared character: delay, analog, filter

See all alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo?+

The closest matches in character are the MXR Analog Delay, the JHS 3 Series Oil Can Delay, the Keeley Magnetic Echo. Boutique upgrades: JHS The Milkman Echo/Slap Delay/Boost, Alexander Pedals Oblivion Vintage Delay, Boss RE-2 Space Echo.

What pairs well with the Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: PRS HX 50 Head, Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube, Synergy SL2 Module — PRS HX 50 Head leans toward full, and that's a real, usable character to pair with.

How much does the Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo cost?+

Around $71.30 (live listing price, updated Oct 22, 2026).

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