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Description

Step into the world of sonic exploration with the Maestro Echoplex, a legendary effects processor that has been a staple in studios and on stages since its inception. Renowned for its authentic tape delay sound, the Echoplex effortlessly bridges the gap between vintage warmth and modern precision. Ideal for musicians and producers who demand a versatile, high-quality echo effect, this unit adds depth and texture to any musical piece. With its intuitive interface, the Echoplex is designed for easy navigation, allowing you to create everything from subtle echoes to complex, layered soundscapes.

The Echoplex’s standout feature is its all-analog circuitry, which delivers unparalleled sound quality and character. This ensures that every note retains its original timbre, while still offering the flexibility to experiment with a broad range of delay times and feedback settings. Whether you're chasing the elusive tone of a classic rock anthem or crafting your own unique sound, the Maestro Echoplex provides the tools to bring your creative vision to life.

Key Features:

  • Authentic tape delay sound
  • All-analog circuitry for superior audio quality
  • Adjustable delay time and feedback controls
  • Intuitive user interface for easy operation
  • Suitable for live performances and studio recording
  • Iconic sound used by legendary musicians and producers
That Pedal Show

That Pedal Show

That Pedal Show – Echoplex EP-3 vs Strymon TimeLine, EHX Memory Man & Analogman ARDX20

Video thumbnail for That Pedal Show – Echoplex EP-3 vs Strymon TimeLine, EHX Memory Man & Analogman ARDX20 by That Pedal Show

That Pedal Show – Echoplex EP-3 vs Strymon TimeLine, EHX Memory Man & Analogman ARDX20

That Pedal Show

That Pedal Show

Video thumbnail for Maestro Echoplex EP-3 Solid State Tape Delay: Andy's Vintage Picks | Reverb Tone Report by Reverb

Maestro Echoplex EP-3 Solid State Tape Delay: Andy's Vintage Picks | Reverb Tone Report

Reverb

Reverb

Video thumbnail for Maestro Echoplex 3 EP-3 tape echo by Alex T

Maestro Echoplex 3 EP-3 tape echo

Alex T

Alex T

Video thumbnail for 1973 Maestro EP-3 Echoplex Tape Delay - Quick Test - David Hislop by David Hislop

1973 Maestro EP-3 Echoplex Tape Delay - Quick Test - David Hislop

David Hislop

David Hislop

Video thumbnail for Maestro Echoplex EP-3 Vintage Tape Echo by Guitarsenal

Maestro Echoplex EP-3 Vintage Tape Echo

Guitarsenal

Guitarsenal

Video thumbnail for Maestro EP-3 Echoplex Tape Echo Delay Demo with Steve Kiernan | Guitar Hangar by Guitar Hangar - Lessons, Rentals, Repairs, and More

Maestro EP-3 Echoplex Tape Echo Delay Demo with Steve Kiernan | Guitar Hangar

Guitar Hangar - Lessons, Rentals, Repairs, and More

Guitar Hangar - Lessons, Rentals, Repairs, and More

Video thumbnail for Maestro Echoplex. Demonstration Record 1972 by Adrian Täckman

Maestro Echoplex. Demonstration Record 1972

Adrian Täckman

Adrian Täckman

Video thumbnail for The Maestro Echoplex EP-3: greatest tape delay ever by Tone Science

The Maestro Echoplex EP-3: greatest tape delay ever

Tone Science

Tone Science

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Maestro Echoplex.

Features and functionality

  • The Belle Epoch Deluxe applies the preamp to the entire signal path, while Dunlop and Hermida models only apply it to the repeats.

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  • Strymon's El Capistan offers a single head mode that can emulate Echoplex sounds but lacks the crucial preamp feature.

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  • The Belle Epoch Deluxe runs its preamp at 22 volts, closely mimicking the original Echoplex's expansive sound, unlike typical 9-volt pedals.

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  • The Belle Epoch Deluxe allows control over the record level, affecting how clean or distorted the repeats sound, offering versatility in tone shaping.

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  • The TC Electronics Flashback pedal's TonePrint slots allow users to simulate aged tape echoes with added warble, enhancing its versatility for vintage tones.

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Comparisons

  • The Dunlop Echoplex is often considered a strong performer, although some view it as a weaker clone compared to the original EP-3.

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  • The Deluxe Memory Man was originally intended as a tape delay clone, highlighting its potential for those seeking EP-3 tones.

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  • Compared to the Binson and Space Echo, the Echoplex is described as having a unique degradation over time that digital versions struggle to replicate fully.

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  • Catalinbread's Belle Epoch is noted for its superior performance compared to the TC Electronics Flashback when seeking authentic vintage tape echo sounds.

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Value and pricing

  • Owners have found the Dunlop Echoplex to be an excellent deal at around $115, but at $200, it competes closely with the Catalinbread offerings.

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Use cases and applications

  • Many tape delay pedals can approximate EP-3 tones, making direct clones less necessary for capturing the essence of the sound.

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  • The Belle Epoch Deluxe is favored for live performances due to its additional modes and features, offering a distinct advantage over plugins in dynamic settings.

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Build quality

  • Early production Maestro Echoplex pedals reportedly used the same high-quality components as the EP-3, but later models switched to cheaper parts, affecting performance.

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Setup and maintenance

  • Real Echoplex units, especially older ones, are noted for being noisy and unreliable due to wear and tear, making them a maintenance challenge.

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  • TonePrint app users can adjust the TC Electronics Flashback's heads and wow/flutter settings to better replicate the "worn" delay sound of classic tape machines.

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User experience

  • Owners frequently find the Echoplex's physical size and weight impractical for pedalboards, pushing them towards smaller, more manageable alternatives.

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 2 Reviews and 13 Ratings

5 star
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crystalhazeband

Echoplex Maestro

The Echoplex has always been one of my closest friends in the LIVE Music business, though I have only used it for recording on the CRYSTAL HAZE BAND 2 Dead of Night album, and the CRYSTAL HAZE BAND Tornado House Album, plus it is in our Live Recordings.

mkn_upa

BUt why I gave it to a friend???

WWWHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYY??????? Cr y cry cry.........

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Kurt Cobain uses Maestro Echoplex

Kurt Cobain

Singer, Guitarist

Nirvana

...
Verified via YouTube

Starting at 1:04, Nardwuar asks Kurt about using an Echoplex, To which Kurt replies "I have one", though it is unknown if it is on any recordings that have been released, and it was likely not used live.

See how Brian May uses Maestro Echoplex

Brian May

Keyboardist, Guitarist

Queen

...
Verified via Petecornish

On his website, electronics tech to the stars of the 70s, Pete Cornish attests that "My first commission from Queen was to eliminate the ground loop hum caused by the interconnection of 3 X Vox AC30 Amps and 2 X modified Echoplex EP3 Delays. In January 1972 I designed and built special circuitry to isolate the amps and echoes, which successfully eliminated all the hum problems. This system was used for their first and subsequent tours up until 1982, also the recording of their albums during this period.

By January 1976 Brian May was using 9 X AC30 amps on stage and the same 2 Echoplex EP3 Delays (see photo 9 X AC30 + EP3s) – this required an enlarged Routing System which I designed and built. Despite the large number of Vox AC30's then in use my system successfully eliminated all Ground Loop hum and noise."

So Brian was using modified solid-state Echoplex tape delays for his huge wet/dry/wet echo sound from at least '72 into '76.

See how Billy Gibbons uses Maestro Echoplex

Billy Gibbons

Guitarist

ZZ Top

...
Verified via guitarworld

Used on “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide”, as recalled by Gibbons in this December 3, 2009 Guitar World interview. It is also visible as a label on Gibbons' pedal switcher in Fuzz: The Sound That Revolutionized the World at 1:20:18.

“I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide”

Deguello (1979)

“We wrote this about the great Texas bluesman Joey Long, a Gulf Coast lead-guitar picker who appeared on a great number of wonderful records by the likes of Slim Harpo and Barbara Lynn. He played on Lynn’s great hit record ‘We Got a Good Thing Going,’ which was covered by the Stones, and which was really one of the important recordings that shaped my understanding of where it was I wanted to go with my life. It was good. And so was he.

“Joey loaned me a multistringed mandolin-like instrument from Parral, Mexico, and I put it to good use on ‘Nationwide.’ If you listen closely, you can hear close-miked mandolin-sounding rhythm accompaniment. The lead track was played on a custom-made, half-size, real short-scaled guitar tuned to G. It was actually standard tuning cranked up a minor third, which remained quite playable thanks to the guitar’s short scale.

“The song’s tail end alternates between three distinct effects created by two pedals: an Echoplex doubler and a Maestro octave box alternating every third bar between having the octave up and the octave down. The song also contains some Hohner Clavinet, which was owned by one of our famous Memphis pals, Carlos De Marlos. It’s such an interesting sound that it ignited Dusty’s [Hill, bassist] interest in learning some keyboard skills, and it was he who subsequently handled all the tickling of the ivories.”

See how Randy Rhoads uses Maestro Echoplex

Randy Rhoads

Guitarist

Ozzy Osbourne

...
Verified via Gibson

In the Gibson article "Revelation: The Tone Secrets of Randy Rhoads," it is noted that Randy Rhoads incorporated the Maestro Echoplex into his rig to enhance and thicken his sound.

See how Eric Johnson uses Maestro Echoplex

Eric Johnson

Singer, Guitarist

The G3 Jam

...
Verified via YouTube

"Lead is just what I always was. A 50 or 100 watt Marshall, a Echoplex and a BK Butler Tube Driver. Same thing for many years."

See how Neil Young uses Maestro Echoplex

Neil Young

Singer, Guitarist

Crazy Horse

...
Verified via Photo

This Guitar World interview says, "Across the top panel are switches for, variously, a Mu-Tron octave divider; an old, AC-powered MXR analog delay; a Boss Flanger in a “blue, cast-metal box”; and an Echoplex."

See how Alex Lifeson uses Maestro Echoplex

Alex Lifeson

Guitarist

Rush

...
Verified via Getty Images

two Echoplex(s) side y side, far left, probably 1976 All the World's a Stage tour.The Mini Moog appeared (not yet recorded) on stage, and the red double-neck had not been damaged by the falling speaker horn at the Blue Oyster Cult gig at the Nassau Coliseum Jan, 1978.

Here's an excerpt from Lifeson's great cover interview in Guitar Player, June 1980.

Which guitars did you use on Rush's first LP, Rush?

I used the 335 and a rented Rickenbacker 12-string. That's it for guitars. I played them through my Marshall 50 with a 4-12 cabinet, and I used a Maestro phase shifter, a Cry Baby wah-wah, and an Echoplex.

Did you go through a guitar-buying phase at that time?

I sure did. Some I bought because I wanted them, and others I bought to replace damaged instruments. We were doing a gig with Blue Oyster Cult at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York, a few years ago, and the double-neck cherry-finish Gibson I had bought in Nashville shortly before that got injured. The rigging wasn't done properly, and a long-throw horn speaker fell right on top of it, shearing the bridges off and taking huge chunks out of the body. Not only that, but the horn also fell on my 335 and gouged its neck out. That really hurt. The 335 had been with me for ten years; the neck was worn down just right, the finish was worn down from playing thousands of bars and high school dances, and I was proud of it. After that I said, "This guitar is staying home. I'm not taking any further chances with it."

What did you replace those guitars with?

I got a white Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck to replace the cherry-finish one, and I had a Gibson ES-355 made in 1976 with a cream-colored custom finish. That's my main guitar now.

See how Frank Zappa uses Maestro Echoplex

Frank Zappa

Singer, Guitarist

The Plastic Ono Band

...
Verified via Killuglyradio

What type of wah-wah do you use? " I have a Mu-tron and the Oberheim VCF (voltage control filter). I've got an example of that on this new album (Zoot Allures). I'm starting to use some Echoplex now, which I've generally avoided in the past. " - Guitar Player Magazine 1977, written down on the Frank Zappa Wiki "Wiki Jawaka"

See how Wes Borland uses Maestro Echoplex

Wes Borland

Singer, Guitarist

Marilyn Manson

...
Verified via Photo

In this interview, Wes Borland talks about the Limp Bizkit album Gold Cobra. He describes the "amp and effects chain that [he] used on My Way," saying, "A Maestro solid-state Echoplex and an Ibanez flanger pedal that has a setting called 'whacked'…"

See how Omar Rodríguez-López uses Maestro Echoplex

Omar Rodríguez-López

Guitarist, Bassist

At the Drive-In

...
Verified via Guitarplayer

"I have about five Echoplexes, all of which have unique qualities"

See how Tom Petty uses Maestro Echoplex

Tom Petty

Guitarist, Singer

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

...
Verified via Thepettyarchives

Mentioned in this March 1983 Musician article.

Ever loyal to their roots, both Petty and Campbell play through very cool looking Vox Super Beatle amps, jazzed up with Echoplex and MXR Dyna Comp.

See how Andy Summers uses Maestro Echoplex

Andy Summers

Guitarist

The Police

...
Verified via Groundguitar

In the very early days of Police, Andy was using just the MXR Phase 90 pedal, and a reverb. As he became more successful, he got himself the Pete Cornish pedalboard, which had all kinds of effects programmed into it, including Mutron Envelope filter, wah wahs, fuzz boxes and distortions like EHX Muff Fuzz and Distortion+, MXR Dyna Comp Compressor, Phase 90 and others. He also used the Roland GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer.

But, the two effects which were really the key to the Andy’s sound with the Police are the Maestro Echoplex tape delay, and the Electro Harmonix Electric Mistress.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Maestro Echoplex, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Gibson Les Paul Standard Solid Body Electric Guitars
4
Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp
Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp Combo Guitar Amplifiers
3
Hohner Clavinet D6
Hohner Clavinet D6 Vintage & Electric Pianos
2
EMS Synthi A
EMS Synthi A Synthesizers
2
Fulltone Tube Tape Echo
Fulltone Tube Tape Echo Effects Processors
2
Crowther Hot Cake
Crowther Hot Cake Distortion Effects Pedals
2

Community setups

Show yours
bios7

bios7

Gear IQ 97

3 alternative and related items for Maestro Echoplex, curated by the Equipboard community.

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Maestro Echoplex EP-2

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Successor of the EP-1.

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