I have a EP1 that's been in my family since 1965. I inherited it in '78, my uncle showed me how to care for it. He gave me a schedule for cleaning the heads and replacing the tape. I used it for years live, and it never failed me. The tube pre amp sounds glorious into a Plexi with the echo off. I have yet to hear a digital or analog delay that touches it, and I have had ridiculous offers for it. It's all I use at home.
One of the most inspirational episodes yet. The EP3 genuinely knocked my socks off both when used as part of a clean and distorted sound. The description of it being used by Andy Timmonds to create an almost 'halo' effect is spot on. You also absolutely hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that the point of the show is to engender that sense of inspiration in players and not just to 'train spot' the subtle differences between units for its own sake. Excellent stuff!
I have the Maestro Echoplex EP4 that belonged to Chet Atkins, I have to agree that it adds a certain warmth even when the echo is off. I love that you guys featured the EP3 on your show
I have to Agree !!! - I Love these guys. They are so Passionate about Pedals & Effects ( as am I ). Great Show. Great Information. Great Presentation. - Michael Caz - NYC - Songwriter / Musician / Producer
The EP 3 sounds amazing. The one thing is, there are points in the mechanism that require a touch of oil or grease, so to avoid ruining a vintage unit it is wise to look up the proper maintenance before operating it for too long at any time.
My god...I was just transported back in time to the 1970s and Rush's peak prog era... Lifeson was a huge lover of the EP3 as I recall. His sound back then is one of the primary reasons I picked up the guitar. Thanks so much guys - just another clear example of why, sometimes, old stuff can be just so incredibly sublime. :D There is just quite often a fantastic amount of good-ness in the "imperfections" of analog/mechanical tech. A digital reproduction of the Mona Lisa can be terrific. But there only ever will be one original Mona Lisa, with all its "flaws" and inherent character.
I am just really impressed by the level of knowledge this video presented (except that Dan got the term "flutter" wrong regarding the tape noise. I believe the blip they were hearing was actually a splice or kink in the tape, not flutter. Flutter is actually pitch variation caused by inconsistent tape travel in the tape path, and it's just like Wow, which is simply a slower pitch variation. The cause of wow and flutter is simply the tape speed being slightly inconsistent as the tape travels along the pinch roller, guide arms, tape heads, etc.
8:14 - I totally agree with you.But I'm not sure it's fair to compare the ep-3 with the memory man since it is BBD(Bucket-Brigade-Delay) technology.Both delays have their character though and I too love both of them. 6:26 - I have the same reaction every time I hear a good vintage delay. Great video!
Dan! Mick! I just happened to play a real EP-3 today and it blew my mind how incredible it sounded. I'm now in the market for one. Just kind of funny how I played it today and immediately afterwards, found your video. Truly, it's a beautiful thing. Absolutely incredible.
Hi guys. Another amazing show. If have to say I've been a bit of a "that pedal show" addict for a while now. Have you guys considered a kind of "pimp my pedalboard" feature. The idea would be that you visit a lucky subscriber and using your expertise to transform their pedalboard from shocking to rocking. Needless to say that if you were looking for a Guinea pig for such a feature I would be happy to oblige.
I am absolutely sold on the timeline + ep booster... Might even be worth having the booster as an always on kinda deal, that low end lift and smooth thing it does is just lush.
+Ray Syed Oddly I didn't like the Xotic EP into my Mark V, it changed the tone too much. Dan recommended a J Rockett Archer and bought it from GigRig and it was gorgeous. Keeps the tone, low gains and a hint of treble, just bring out the harmonics of the clean channel.
Really enjoyed this one, thanks guys If you do a part 2, please get ahold of an El Capistan and Belle Epoch! I had my El Cap and real Echoplex side by side and they were very similar in some ways. The El Cap can recreate that unpredictable crinkle and "flutter" sound to some degree. Overall it has a cleaner sort of sheen to it but it's very close.
+Neerav Gupta i would like to watch/ hear that too. Cause the timeline is a great unit but I think the el capistan get's deeper into the tape concept and is a better digital clone. None the less this was an entertaining and informing half hour.
+Роман Колтыгин Was checking the comments to see if anyone had mentioned it. If nobody had, I would have. I've been checking out a lot of Catalinbread pedal videos lately. All the pedals of theirs that I've checked out sound amazing.
I actually typed up my own comment before I saw someone mentioned this. Leaving out the belle epoch seems like an oversight based on what I've heard online. Perhaps, they couldn't get one. I'd also like to the the non-tape echoplex products (pre-amp and digital delay) in their to see if they make any difference in getting that echoplex sound relative to the other brands.
Noted- an EQ pedal, like the Caline 10 band eq or the MXR 10 band eq (via the EQ plus the gain) will function EXACTLY like an Xotic EP boost or the ep-3 preamp, but with more tonal versatility. Just set the EQ pedal to whatever gain you want, and add the low and/or high EQ as desired.
Just started watching your channel...this video was epic :) ...would love to have heard the EP Booster with the Strymon El Capistan vs the real Echoplex
I had a timeline once before but sold it as it didn't get much use. I have been contemplating what delay I will be going with and.. Timeline it is (again) :) Great vid
+Neerav Gupta The sounds I've heard in various A/B has made me a bit more interested in the TL. just a personal preference thing. The dd500 seems real nice too
I can get lost for hours in either the Big Sky or the Timeline. I bought an Echoplex in '78, used for $400...a lot for a high school kid making $2.65 an hour. Now Strymon is giving us so much more , amazing sounds for the buck...it's a great time to be playing guitar right now!
I've been checking out a lot of modern stuff that aims to replicate older equipment. While searching I stumbled across the Fulltone Solid State Tape Echo. I'm surprised you didn't mention it (unless you did and I wasn't paying attention).
Found a 72/73 ep3 over the summer for $600. Now part of my retro rig. 76 Sg/ 78 Les Paul/78 Marshall JMP and just got Marshall Guv'Nor pedal. Your show an inspiration though my GAS and bank account not happy! Thanks for all your hard work!
I would also like to point out the fact that the DMM 1100ms model that you guys are playing with is MUCH darker at longer delay times that a typical DMM. Which, in my opinion, furthers the need for the EQ in the loop.
You might already know this, but the EP Booster has two dip switches inside that can be adjusted to cut off the brightness (it is set in bright setting as default). I have two EP boosters just because one is in default settings and the other one is set with the bright switch off. Great show as usual.
It's like the cars of the 60's and 70's if you still have one.Ok for a Sunday drive,but you wouldn't trust it to get to work everyday.Timeline all the way for me, it's simply the best all round delay pedal.
Chris Legge... 60's & 70's American cars will still be running reliably long after whatever POS your currently paying off for the next 5 years is recycled for scrap metal. So will that Echoplex.
Thanks guys, great lesson and very much enjoyed. I use an Xotic EP into a El Capistan and have now used the secondary function of the Tape Age control to brighten the repeats and its sounds 'extra' killer now! Never realised just how full and equal the repeats are with the original Maestro Echoplex EP-3 till your video clearly demoed !
Congratulations, great review on Echoplex EP 3 and other pedals . The best review of all I've seen. Beautiful work. I also have a Echoplex EP3 I love and not undo me for anything in the world. You have done an exquisite work , in great detail. It was great wow!!!! Thanks.
Full disclosure: I love my EP Booster. Can we see a show called "Every Single Thing Sounds Better With An EP Boost Before or After (or Both?)" Why did we not run the EP Boost into the Echoplex?
.. echoplex is glorious. it sounds spacious and musical. timeline + ep boster or memory man + ep booster are both nice but sound dull and dry in direct comparison (might be settings too, to be fair). sigh. how did they get so many things to sound so awesome in the old days? seems unfair.. well, at least hearing the real thing helps when tweaking the modern stuff. good tip about not overdoing the high end roll-off btw. thanks guys!
Would've loved to have heard the Catalinbread Belle Epoch or the Wampler Faux Tape Echo in comparison to the real deal. Great show. Nothing beats the real thing!
Perfect timing...Just made a mug of tea! I too have the exact same delay units but recently had the EP3 serviced with a must needed change of ropey/aged internals which has changed the sound all for the better (certainly a lot less noisy!). I have to say though that since getting the Replicator all other tape delays are redundant....For now!
Please do a show with that echoplex compared to the Dunlop Ep103, Belle Epoch, El Capistan, and such, along with the Ep101 preamp, Xotic EP booster and any other pedals of that vein. Would love to hear what you guys come up with. Love the show
In the words of Brian May.. .. "A little bit more of the delay stuff".. "If you can get hold of a couple of delay machines, they don't have to be anything very special, they can be.. umm.. old Echoplex's or something like that ".. classic !
Fantastic tones, guys! Dan's Tele through the Carpe Diem drive sounded really great. I can't wait for you guys to do a show on the Replicator! As always, best guitar show on TH-cam!
This video totally changed my way of thinking about analog delays. And that echoplex sounds really clear and pristine,a bit like a digital delay actually.
I'm really glad you mentioned the inspiration and excitement. When Mick goes in his Hendrix blues giant haze you can tell that it and he has the mojo. EP and Timeline was very surprisingly close, the trails lose definition and degrade and get darker a lot faster than the echoplex
Thanks for picking up on that Andrew (Mick here). There's sooooooo much debate about 'sound' when it comes to guitar tones, but at least 50 per cent of the equation is 'feel'. For me Tone = Sound+Feel. I wish it was something that we could measure or comment on objectively, but I don't think it works like that. When you record a guitar tone, you really only get the sound in terms of EQ, gain structure and those things. The feel is in the playing and the inspiration in my opinion. Ergo, for me anyway, no feel means crap playing. (Insert every digital amp that every existed here, even though the 'sound' is virtually indistinguishable at times.) It's a purely personal thing and everyone's 'feel' requirements are different of course. Maybe more detail than you wanted, but it's something that I wish more people could experience in person. That Pedal Show Live, anyone?
+That Pedal Show As you would probably know from me now, I agree 100%. That's what we all do it for. Those inspirational moments where you are just being creative. Like the first time I put a 335 with a deja vibe with an el capistan I ended up in post rock bliss. Sometimes we get lost in the "how do to we get there" rather than just getting there.
Great comparison! Those dropouts in the repeats in the EP3 is usually the tape loop splice running over the record head the exact moment it records the signal. Super tight splice can sometimes avoid this if you don't like it but hey, it's tape!
This video changed me, that original amp is amazing, I picked up Dunlops Ep3 and Preamp, but the original Ep3 amp is my favorite pedal, not that I have one. The Dunlop Pre was pretty nice, can't quite make out what its doing until you turn it off, then you never turn it off again.
It's worth mentioning that analog delays don't get darker as a mistaken attempt at emulating tape; rather the bucket brigade chips generate high frequency clock noise and the only way to get rid of it is with a low pass filter at the end of the circuit. Great demo though, that's a really well maintained EP3! The degradation and warble is usually way more present in units I've heard (which is not necessarily a bad thing mind you!).
Hi George, was actually talking about the tape emulation on digital pedals. So many of them use a simple filter on the repeats to 'emulate' tape. Just wanted to show hat tape is actually a very full frequency repeat :)
Fair enough, but in the video you don't specifically mention digital when you're talking about the EP3's repeat frequencies, you just say 'what nearly everyone gets wrong' and then bring up the Carbon Copy and play the Memory Man. So people could get the impression you mean analog delays as well as digital emulations.
+That Pedal Show Sold enough that after a couple other things, I am picking up an EP Booster to start doing it. I just picked up a PettyJohn Predrive. Could you guys eventually do a Preamp pedal show?
I agree with Mike, there's something about the echoplex... if it sounds like that on youtube it must sound magical!! Timeline + EP Booster really surprised me. You guys are great, thanks!!
Excellent video guys. I'm looking forward to seeing you play with the Replicator when you get it. I've just found out the Replicator has a Tap Tempo switch... that is unbelievable!
This was another stellar comparison, but it was missing some items I'd like to hear together. I've heard the Ep-3 online and looked at a lot of smaller non-tape pedals that come close to the ep-3 sound for less. Since no store close to me has all the pedals I want to try, this has been a long confusing purchase consideration. Thankfully, you did an awesome job of bringing in the EP preamp pedal to demo what some of the most popular pedals sound like with and without the ep-3-like circuit. It does a great job. But the review omitted several of the most important pedals that I would need to hear side-by-side to know what the best compact option is. 1) The Belle Epoch is rumored (based on reviews and consumer reviewers) to be the best ep-3 clone in one pedal (without additional preamp). I'm not sure why this wouldn't be in the test. 2) Echoplex has an analog pedal (Jim Dunlop) that does some of the things their tape delay does in a standard sized pedal. They show this together with their separate preamp pedal (below), so I'm not sure if there is a built in advantage to this pedal (over the other really good pedals). Hearing is believing. 3) Echoplex (Jim Dunlop) sells a preamp in a pedal format. It's a bit larger than the EP preamp pedal you reviewed, and I would like to hear these items side-by-side to the to see if there is any difference. If there is no apparent difference, I'd buy the more compact EP preamp pedal. I'd also love to see a follow-up comparing the ep-3 to a trex.
+google+exgreecian You have great timing! We've just shot round two, that includes the Belle Epoch (we didn't have one when doing the original test), the new Dunlop Echoplex and the Strymon El Capistan. No T- Rex, but we did include a Fulltone SS Tape Echo. It'll be up not this Friday, but the one after... The EP preamp thing will have to be for another day. Cheers!
All the many user comments also reminded me of the Strymon el capistan... which is up there with the belle epoch in positive user reviews that say is sounds close to tape. I second the fulltone solid state tape delay if you do a follow-up. That is what a lot of people would actually buy now, as you guys show an older ep-3 unit that would be pretty hard to buy new, right? Anyway it was an excellent demo...probably not enough room on your board to show what everyone wanted to see in one demo.
Great show as always guys! The echo plex sounds incredible and reminds me of being in a Charing Crossroad guitar shop in the mid 70s and hearing a great guitarist play a Roland re201! I have an Empress vintage super delay and ep3 with comes pretty close too.
Loving all of these videos, amazing work guys! Probably late to the party and still saving the many requisite pennies for an EP3, RE 201 and EchoRec 2... In the meantime, Preset 45 B on the Timeline (EEPlex) with a Wet Dry Wet rig is keeping me very happy indeed :)
Lucky enough to own at least 3 of these: the Echoplex EP3 the Timeline and ARDX. The EP3 is a wonderful thing but it mainly stays at home for recording purposes and I love it, but I must say I was impressed with the EP booster and Timeline as a reasonable compromise. I also like how it sounded with the Memory man and ARDX , I reckon it would sound fine with my old Boss DM2 as well!. Thanks for the video gents always hitting the mark! :-)
I just bought a roland re-150 space echo, and I've honestly never really been a fan of delay, but goddamn the thing sounds so good I can't turn it off! Now I understand fully the cult following for tape units!
When the Catalinbread Belle Epoch had just come out, a friend and I did a shootout of the Belle Epoch vs 3 different actual EP3 tape delays. The Belle Epoch was shockingly accurate albeit less hissy/noisy than the real tape delays. If it's good enough to be on Eric Johnson's pedalboard... The Belle Epoch has been on my board since it came out a few years ago.
Amazing episode. Definitely an eye opener for me. I didn't think the EP booster could make such a difference. I would have loved to watch how the catalinbread echorec would hold against the echoplex. Anyway, thank you very much Daniel & Mick.
What stunning tones! The timeline with the ep boost and carpe diem sounded a better balance than the memory man to me, the memory man just sounded a bit too dark. Might have to give Dan a call when the time comes for his geniousness...
awesome, as usual! Ok guys, how about a few videos on PLAYING the guitar? You guys keep coming back to similar "licks and tricks" in your videos. I, for one, would love a little primer!!
Hey Bob, Mick here. There are sooooo many awesome tuition sites out there - check out Jam Track Central.com for some wonderful stuff. The only thing I could show you would be a few licks and that's the absolute worst way to learn to play. Dan has more knowledge on the subject. Actually, maybe he could teach me! Now that might work...
Love you guys!! Always anticipating new vids. Great stuff guys! Quick questions... Any possibility you can post the timeline settings you used to get the emulation?? That would be so frickin awesome. Also any way you could get Andy Timmons timeline settings? The tone he gets and the board you did for him were insane! Thanks and keep up the amazing work!!!
Cheers +Jayden Friesen yes, the MM preamp is great, been using it for years. What we were experimenting with is if using the EP pre in front of other delay engines would result in a sound closer to the EP3
+That Pedal Show Gotcha. I personally love the DMM preamp. It's almost a part of my sound. All these delays sound close, yet unique in their subtle nuances. Thanks for the great video.
At 1:55 the EP-3's serial number is shown to be 2_344, and so probably a mid-70's 3rd version. I got one in the same general range a few weeks ago, and can tell you this EP-3 in the video has been modified to be like the 1st version EP-3 in the 9068-9450 serial # range. The 3rd version has (mine had, anyway) a much darker FET preamp sound, as well as circuit differences that cause the repeats to have less-broad frequency range and darker repeats. The 3rd version was the most numerous, so I bet that's why/where the older pedal clones of "tape echo" took the cue for dark repeats. I just modified my 21,000-range serial # EP-3 to match the 1st version schematic, and now it duplicates the sounds in your video. I think where some "tape delay" pedals get it really wrong is they get too extreme with the modulation. I know my EP-3 could have a little less chorusing if I got everything within the motor/belt/pinch roller system perfectly set-up. But right now it has just the faintest hint of wow/flutter chorusing, to where you have to carefully listen for it before you notice it's there. And it seems like the random slack areas in the tape cartridge could add this this slightly as well. The clones/sims just seem to try too hard to throw too-wide of modulation in so you're sure to hear it... A subtlety I didn't expect is a careful listen to just the echo repeats reveals there is a slight compression of the transients, even with full frequency range. That little detail pulls the echo back a bit to keep your dry sound forward. I've known guys who use delay pedals to replace reverb in their sound, but the Echoplex does that trick better than most other things.
The EP-3 does sound lovely. I can't imagine finding the space for it though! It was interesting how high fidelity the repeats are on the EP3, if you compare this to a nice BBD like a DM2, the latter is far darker off the bat, while the EP darkens more gradually. This exaggeration used to common in plug-in emulations of classic vintage audio equipment too until recently, but now faithful and subtle analogue desk channel emulation and the like can be found from many software companies.
The time line and the EP Xotic seems to add a lot of mid rangy noise. That Hendrix tune with the Memory Man and EP Boost sounded good! This was almost as much fun as playing it myself.
I'd love to see with these "Let's see if this gorgeous old analogue pedal sounds like this nasty new solid state one" videos, a blind test. It's all good and well getting all gushy about old tech, but unless you're a seasoned pedal expert (Dan) I reckon most folks couldn't tell the difference. (I do really love your videos btw!)
Great video! Every time I watch I want to buy a new pedal! There is still a lot of tweaking you can do on the timeline, I love being able to really sculpt your tone on your delays.
I've noticed the Tube Echo setting on the Line 6 M5 has a definate tone-colouring that I love using with the delay turned down after my overdrives to shape the tone. Worth checking out for a budget option.
The echoplex sounded absolutely amazing, but once the dirt was thrown in I think I liked the ep booster + timeline a little more. I think it had to do with that little bit of high end roll off. The cleans on the EP3 though... just unbelievable. Great video and made me really want to go out and spend some money...
Echoplex is the ultimate! There are a few pedals attempting to emulate the sound. Strymon has another pedal called the El Capistan dTape Echo. Dunlop has 2 pedals, one for a delay pedal, and a separate preamp pedal. There’s also the Wampler Faux Tape Echo, the Empress Vintage Modified Superdelay, the Catalinbread Echorec, and the Catalinbread Belle Epoch. I would love to see a shootout with your opinions. Thanks!
I have a EP1 that's been in my family since 1965. I inherited it in '78, my uncle showed me how to care for it. He gave me a schedule for cleaning the heads and replacing the tape. I used it for years live, and it never failed me. The tube pre amp sounds glorious into a Plexi with the echo off. I have yet to hear a digital or analog delay that touches it, and I have had ridiculous offers for it. It's all I use at home.
How would you compare the tube preamp of the EP1 to the later solid-state ones?
Nice! any tips on caring for an echoplex?
The timeline is my favorite pedal of all time, just inspiration in a box. Every time you use it you get something you've never heard before.
yes i own one and it is my favorite
Haha, that name dropping horn is just awesome.
It was going to be a gong, then Mick found the horn in a little antiques shop. Bloody hilarious ;)
It's funny but not nice when one is wearing headphones. They tend to use it inconsistently too.
Oh my lord. That Echoplex had the best delay sound I've ever heard... Great video!
One of the most inspirational episodes yet. The EP3 genuinely knocked my socks off both when used as part of a clean and distorted sound. The description of it being used by Andy Timmonds to create an almost 'halo' effect is spot on. You also absolutely hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that the point of the show is to engender that sense of inspiration in players and not just to 'train spot' the subtle differences between units for its own sake. Excellent stuff!
Sorry, that should have read Andy Timmons.
Ah, cheers Simon, glad you dig it :)
The EP-3 Echoplex the sound that made careers.
I have the Maestro Echoplex EP4 that belonged to Chet Atkins, I have to agree that it adds a certain warmth even when the echo is off. I love that you guys featured the EP3 on your show
Glad you liked it Andy :)
Does it get any better than That Pedal Show? No, it does not.
+Rafael Andrade Thanks Raf ;)
+Rafael Andrade I second this. This is my favourite TH-cam channel.
Indeed, my favorite TH-cam channel as well
I have to Agree !!! - I Love these guys. They are so Passionate about Pedals & Effects ( as am I ). Great Show. Great Information. Great Presentation. - Michael Caz - NYC - Songwriter / Musician / Producer
It does, go pick up your guitar
The EP 3 sounds amazing. The one thing is, there are points in the mechanism that require a touch of oil or grease, so to avoid ruining a vintage unit it is wise to look up the proper maintenance before operating it for too long at any time.
All your videos are outstanding, im learning a lot more from your show than just straight up pedal reviews.
+kingdarko cheers kingdarko, great to hear ;)
Echoplex, every time...time...time...time...Would really enjoy seeing a demo comparing the EP3 and the Binson Echorec. Thanks for the great vid guys!
Seriously lads I've never enjoyed my Friday cups of tea more than when watching that pedal show! Never stop.
Ah, cheers mate :)
My god...I was just transported back in time to the 1970s and Rush's peak prog era...
Lifeson was a huge lover of the EP3 as I recall. His sound back then is one of the primary reasons I picked up the guitar.
Thanks so much guys - just another clear example of why, sometimes, old stuff can be just so incredibly sublime. :D
There is just quite often a fantastic amount of good-ness in the "imperfections" of analog/mechanical tech.
A digital reproduction of the Mona Lisa can be terrific. But there only ever will be one original Mona Lisa, with all its "flaws" and inherent character.
Lifeson is my biggest inspiration and I love every tone he's ever had. I must have a clone of this pedal. Must.
I think he's more known for using Roland RE-201 space echoes.
Glorious Echoplex, not easy to duplicate guys!
+That Pedal Show, could you do a show featuring the legendary Roland Space Echo RE-201?
I am just really impressed by the level of knowledge this video presented (except that Dan got the term "flutter" wrong regarding the tape noise. I believe the blip they were hearing was actually a splice or kink in the tape, not flutter.
Flutter is actually pitch variation caused by inconsistent tape travel in the tape path, and it's just like Wow, which is simply a slower pitch variation. The cause of wow and flutter is simply the tape speed being slightly inconsistent as the tape travels along the pinch roller, guide arms, tape heads, etc.
8:14 - I totally agree with you.But I'm not sure it's fair to compare the ep-3 with the memory man since it is BBD(Bucket-Brigade-Delay) technology.Both delays have their character though and I too love both of them.
6:26 - I have the same reaction every time I hear a good vintage delay.
Great video!
Getting into Gilmour territory once you kicked in the overdrive.
Dan! Mick!
I just happened to play a real EP-3 today and it blew my mind how incredible it sounded. I'm now in the market for one. Just kind of funny how I played it today and immediately afterwards, found your video.
Truly, it's a beautiful thing. Absolutely incredible.
Ah, yep, there's nothing quite like it :)
you guys have inspired me to spend all of my money on an EP3
Nice ;)
Hi guys. Another amazing show. If have to say I've been a bit of a "that pedal show" addict for a while now. Have you guys considered a kind of "pimp my pedalboard" feature. The idea would be that you visit a lucky subscriber and using your expertise to transform their pedalboard from shocking to rocking. Needless to say that if you were looking for a Guinea pig for such a feature I would be happy to oblige.
Yes! Love this idea :)
+That Pedal Show
That's a brilliant idea! The "before and after' sounds comparison would be fascinating.
I am absolutely sold on the timeline + ep booster... Might even be worth having the booster as an always on kinda deal, that low end lift and smooth thing it does is just lush.
Yeah, really is a special little booster
+Ray Syed Oddly I didn't like the Xotic EP into my Mark V, it changed the tone too much. Dan recommended a J Rockett Archer and bought it from GigRig and it was gorgeous. Keeps the tone, low gains and a hint of treble, just bring out the harmonics of the clean channel.
Really enjoyed this one, thanks guys
If you do a part 2, please get ahold of an El Capistan and Belle Epoch! I had my El Cap and real Echoplex side by side and they were very similar in some ways. The El Cap can recreate that unpredictable crinkle and "flutter" sound to some degree. Overall it has a cleaner sort of sheen to it but it's very close.
Certainly, part 2 on the way :)
It's could be interesting to compare Echoplex or T-Rex Replicator with Catalinbread Belle Epoch
+Роман Колтыгин yeah, would love to hear the Catalinbread Belle Epoch in the comparison as well
+Neerav Gupta i would like to watch/ hear that too. Cause the timeline is a great unit but I think the el capistan get's deeper into the tape concept and is a better digital clone. None the less this was an entertaining and informing half hour.
+Роман Колтыгин Was checking the comments to see if anyone had mentioned it. If nobody had, I would have.
I've been checking out a lot of Catalinbread pedal videos lately. All the pedals of theirs that I've checked out sound amazing.
I know Eric Johnson was using 3 if the Catalinbreads on the Experience Hendrix Tour.
I actually typed up my own comment before I saw someone mentioned this. Leaving out the belle epoch seems like an oversight based on what I've heard online. Perhaps, they couldn't get one.
I'd also like to the the non-tape echoplex products (pre-amp and digital delay) in their to see if they make any difference in getting that echoplex sound relative to the other brands.
Noted- an EQ pedal, like the Caline 10 band eq or the MXR 10 band eq (via the EQ plus the gain) will function EXACTLY like an Xotic EP boost or the ep-3 preamp, but with more tonal versatility. Just set the EQ pedal to whatever gain you want, and add the low and/or high EQ as desired.
Just started watching your channel...this video was epic :) ...would love to have heard the EP Booster with the Strymon El Capistan vs the real Echoplex
Coming up in part 2 :)
+That Pedal Show - suh-weet :) Look forward to it!
Would love to see the Empress Tape Delay as well.
They did that a little after 15 mns in.
I had a timeline once before but sold it as it didn't get much use. I have been contemplating what delay I will be going with and.. Timeline it is (again) :) Great vid
+Neerav Gupta The sounds I've heard in various A/B has made me a bit more interested in the TL. just a personal preference thing. The dd500 seems real nice too
Dude, in the same exact boat right now. Traded my Timeline for a Mobius and now really miss the Timeline! Looks like it's time for another!
I got the Big Sky, loved it so much I got the Timeline. I will never get rid of either of these devices. I'm getting the Mobius next.
*****, Big Sky was my first Strymon pedal. Still my favorite to this day. Cheers!
I can get lost for hours in either the Big Sky or the Timeline. I bought an Echoplex in '78, used for $400...a lot for a high school kid making $2.65 an hour. Now Strymon is giving us so much more , amazing sounds for the buck...it's a great time to be playing guitar right now!
I've been checking out a lot of modern stuff that aims to replicate older equipment. While searching I stumbled across the Fulltone Solid State Tape Echo. I'm surprised you didn't mention it (unless you did and I wasn't paying attention).
Yes! Compare to the solid state and tube versions of the Fulltone Tape Echos
22:08 mick you nailed it !!! what a sound an playing. loved it
+Manuel Borges I ment 22:42
What's 34 seconds between friends Manuel? :0) Thank you for the kind words. Those tones are very inspiring I have to say!
+That Pedal Show 25:43 stole that lick! would love to hear some new pedals like some of bogner or suhr :)
Found a 72/73 ep3 over the summer for $600. Now part of my retro rig. 76 Sg/ 78 Les Paul/78 Marshall JMP and just got Marshall Guv'Nor pedal. Your show an inspiration though my GAS and bank account not happy! Thanks for all your hard work!
+Bruce Wayne well, sorry to your bank account, but happy you're enjoying the show :))))
I would also like to point out the fact that the DMM 1100ms model that you guys are playing with is MUCH darker at longer delay times that a typical DMM. Which, in my opinion, furthers the need for the EQ in the loop.
That Echoplex is UNBELIEVABLE.
Sure is :)
Even on TH-cam it sounds glorious! It's really 'amazingness'!
The EP-3 has such an evocative ambience, so rich and gorgeous.
This is yet another video that confirms to me that I need an EP Booster in my life!
Thanks Luke. Yeah, great pedal to have
this video has totally changed my mindset on delay, brilliant stuff
;)
@3:23 Perfect answer to the question! :D
You might already know this, but the EP Booster has two dip switches inside that can be adjusted to cut off the brightness (it is set in bright setting as default). I have two EP boosters just because one is in default settings and the other one is set with the bright switch off. Great show as usual.
Cheers Ove :)
It's like the cars of the 60's and 70's if you still have one.Ok for a Sunday drive,but you wouldn't trust it to get to work everyday.Timeline all the way for me, it's simply the best all round delay pedal.
Says you and only you
Chris Legge... 60's & 70's American cars will still be running reliably long after whatever POS your currently paying off for the next 5 years is recycled for scrap metal. So will that Echoplex.
I was never a big fan of tape delay. But mainly because I always heard them through digital pedals. But wow blown away by the Echoplex.
Thanks guys, great lesson and very much enjoyed. I use an Xotic EP into a El Capistan and have now used the secondary function of the Tape Age control to brighten the repeats and its sounds 'extra' killer now!
Never realised just how full and equal the repeats are with the original Maestro Echoplex EP-3 till your video clearly demoed !
That's great Kosofffan, yes, the repeats are so full, really important part of the equation to get that magic :)
Congratulations, great review on Echoplex EP 3 and other pedals . The best review of all I've seen. Beautiful work. I also have a Echoplex EP3 I love and not undo me for anything in the world. You have done an exquisite work , in great detail. It was great wow!!!! Thanks.
Our pleasure Marcelo :)
That Pedal Show is the best channel.
I've heard Eric Johnson still uses his EP3's since 70's... and they're still working marvelously!!!!!!!!!!
If maintained and serviced they'll last a long time for sure ;)
He's recently replaced them with a Belle Epoch.
George O'Donoghue Thanks for sharing this information! Belle Epoch is great!
Full disclosure: I love my EP Booster.
Can we see a show called "Every Single Thing Sounds Better With An EP Boost Before or After (or Both?)"
Why did we not run the EP Boost into the Echoplex?
The boost is already in the echoplex.
.. echoplex is glorious. it sounds spacious and musical. timeline + ep boster or memory man + ep booster are both nice but sound dull and dry in direct comparison (might be settings too, to be fair). sigh. how did they get so many things to sound so awesome in the old days? seems unfair.. well, at least hearing the real thing helps when tweaking the modern stuff. good tip about not overdoing the high end roll-off btw. thanks guys!
...and there are people on the planet who have no concept of rewinding a cassette tape with a #2 pencil.
Dang. I did that by hand.
andrewt248 Or by Bic pen.
I usually just use the cassette deck itself to rewind.
And yet it only worked about 40 percent of the time haha
What's a #2 pencil?
Is that bad?
Would've loved to have heard the Catalinbread Belle Epoch or the Wampler Faux Tape Echo in comparison to the real deal. Great show. Nothing beats the real thing!
Yep, that's coming up in part 2 :)
+That Pedal Show i would also be curious to know how other real tape delays compare. like the roland, fulltone and trex
Perfect timing...Just made a mug of tea! I too have the exact same delay units but recently had the EP3 serviced with a must needed change of ropey/aged internals which has changed the sound all for the better (certainly a lot less noisy!). I have to say though that since getting the Replicator all other tape delays are redundant....For now!
Thanks Sam, yeah, can't wait to get it here, sounded amazing in LA
Love this show. I'd watch it everyday! Great to see you both respond to soo many comments.
Going to spend hours tweaking my tc flashback now. ..
Thanks for watching Simon!
Please do a show with that echoplex compared to the Dunlop Ep103, Belle Epoch, El Capistan, and such, along with the Ep101 preamp, Xotic EP booster and any other pedals of that vein. Would love to hear what you guys come up with. Love the show
Proves what i've been saying for years. Everybody needs an EP booster. Best little pedal ever.
Agreed :)
Every time Mick gets the Strat out...so sweet!
In the words of Brian May.. .. "A little bit more of the delay stuff".. "If you can get hold of a couple of delay machines, they don't have to be anything very special, they can be.. umm.. old Echoplex's or something like that ".. classic !
Fantastic tones, guys! Dan's Tele through the Carpe Diem drive sounded really great. I can't wait for you guys to do a show on the Replicator! As always, best guitar show on TH-cam!
Cheers Phil, I have the tracking info for the Replicator so I am beyond excited :))
The EP-3 is just sooooo pure! Love all the delays but dat EP-3!
Yeah, it really is something special
This video totally changed my way of thinking about analog delays.
And that echoplex sounds really clear and pristine,a bit like a digital delay actually.
+elektrodenio yeah, it's surprising that a great sounding digital delay can actually get closer to tape than many analog delays
I'm really glad you mentioned the inspiration and excitement. When Mick goes in his Hendrix blues giant haze you can tell that it and he has the mojo. EP and Timeline was very surprisingly close, the trails lose definition and degrade and get darker a lot faster than the echoplex
Also as an aside, listening to early Van Halen on tape as a kid was the best. Also passion and warfare is also best heard on cassette.
Yeah, we lost him for a bit there
Thanks for picking up on that Andrew (Mick here). There's sooooooo much debate about 'sound' when it comes to guitar tones, but at least 50 per cent of the equation is 'feel'. For me Tone = Sound+Feel. I wish it was something that we could measure or comment on objectively, but I don't think it works like that. When you record a guitar tone, you really only get the sound in terms of EQ, gain structure and those things. The feel is in the playing and the inspiration in my opinion. Ergo, for me anyway, no feel means crap playing. (Insert every digital amp that every existed here, even though the 'sound' is virtually indistinguishable at times.) It's a purely personal thing and everyone's 'feel' requirements are different of course. Maybe more detail than you wanted, but it's something that I wish more people could experience in person. That Pedal Show Live, anyone?
+That Pedal Show As you would probably know from me now, I agree 100%. That's what we all do it for. Those inspirational moments where you are just being creative. Like the first time I put a 335 with a deja vibe with an el capistan I ended up in post rock bliss. Sometimes we get lost in the "how do to we get there" rather than just getting there.
+That Pedal Show as for the live show, absolutely! But in Australia and by Australia I mean Tasmania. ;)
Great comparison! Those dropouts in the repeats in the EP3 is usually the tape loop splice running over the record head the exact moment it records the signal. Super tight splice can sometimes avoid this if you don't like it but hey, it's tape!
Ah yes of course, the splice :) cheers Jonne
This video changed me, that original amp is amazing, I picked up Dunlops Ep3 and Preamp, but the original Ep3 amp is my favorite pedal, not that I have one. The Dunlop Pre was pretty nice, can't quite make out what its doing until you turn it off, then you never turn it off again.
Yeah, those original preamps are so great
Ha, Echoplex! My dad used to play through one back in the 70's. Really special sound. And vid is great as always guys, give us more & more!
It's worth mentioning that analog delays don't get darker as a mistaken attempt at emulating tape; rather the bucket brigade chips generate high frequency clock noise and the only way to get rid of it is with a low pass filter at the end of the circuit. Great demo though, that's a really well maintained EP3! The degradation and warble is usually way more present in units I've heard (which is not necessarily a bad thing mind you!).
Hi George, was actually talking about the tape emulation on digital pedals. So many of them use a simple filter on the repeats to 'emulate' tape. Just wanted to show hat tape is actually a very full frequency repeat :)
Fair enough, but in the video you don't specifically mention digital when you're talking about the EP3's repeat frequencies, you just say 'what nearly everyone gets wrong' and then bring up the Carbon Copy and play the Memory Man. So people could get the impression you mean analog delays as well as digital emulations.
One of the finest sounds I've ever heard was my lap-steel through a WEM Copycat tape echo - nothing in the world like it!
+Howard Sinclair nice
The cool thing about the DMM is that you can use an eq in the effects loop. You can tailor the tone just slightly, and get massive results.
+Zachary Drummond yes, and the eq pedal is a great idea
EP Booster in front of the timeline sounds like secret sauce for the timeline. That got REALLY close.
+Danny Blau yeah, a great little EP3 hack ;)
+That Pedal Show Sold enough that after a couple other things, I am picking up an EP Booster to start doing it. I just picked up a PettyJohn Predrive. Could you guys eventually do a Preamp pedal show?
Agreed - a preamp TPS vid would be great!
Great video, too bad you did not include the Catalinbread Belle Epoche... which has an inbuilt EP pre-amp.
Really useful video as always. I'd like to see something on Mick & Dans personal rigs. Love the name drop horn!
Haha, yes, our personal rigs, has to be done :)
Always have to come back to these tape and analog delay vids!!!
One word for the EP-3... LUSH!! Love it.
Yup :)
That Echoplex is something else.
Man I love your videos, looking forward to how this channel is going to evolve!
Good job guys!
Cheers Chris, we have some fantastic stuff coming up :)
Mick: "Blinking Blimey's". Haha. Soundbite heaven. Great episode mates.
That Echoplex EP-3 ... Gosh, it's beautiful.
Sure is :)
I'ts fabulous vintage sound using Carpe Diem of Fire Custom Shop with EP3....great tones and so clear beams .....Congratulations!!! Awesome video.
Thanks Marcel :)
I agree with Mike, there's something about the echoplex... if it sounds like that on youtube it must sound magical!! Timeline + EP Booster really surprised me. You guys are great, thanks!!
It's the sort of unit that just makes you want to play, so inspiring :)
+That Pedal Show sorry about Mike instead of Mick!
That EP-3 is fucking GLORIOUS!!! Love it!
Excellent video guys. I'm looking forward to seeing you play with the Replicator when you get it. I've just found out the Replicator has a Tap Tempo switch... that is unbelievable!
Yeah, it's amazing
This was another stellar comparison, but it was missing some items I'd like to hear together.
I've heard the Ep-3 online and looked at a lot of smaller non-tape pedals that come close to the ep-3 sound for less.
Since no store close to me has all the pedals I want to try, this has been a long confusing purchase consideration.
Thankfully, you did an awesome job of bringing in the EP preamp pedal to demo what some of the most popular pedals sound like with and without the ep-3-like circuit. It does a great job.
But the review omitted several of the most important pedals that I would need to hear side-by-side to know what the best compact option is.
1) The Belle Epoch is rumored (based on reviews and consumer reviewers) to be the best ep-3 clone in one pedal (without additional preamp). I'm not sure why this wouldn't be in the test.
2) Echoplex has an analog pedal (Jim Dunlop) that does some of the things their tape delay does in a standard sized pedal. They show this together with their separate preamp pedal (below), so I'm not sure if there is a built in advantage to this pedal (over the other really good pedals). Hearing is believing.
3) Echoplex (Jim Dunlop) sells a preamp in a pedal format. It's a bit larger than the EP preamp pedal you reviewed, and I would like to hear these items side-by-side to the to see if there is any difference. If there is no apparent difference, I'd buy the more compact EP preamp pedal.
I'd also love to see a follow-up comparing the ep-3 to a trex.
+google+exgreecian You have great timing! We've just shot round two, that includes the Belle Epoch (we didn't have one when doing the original test), the new Dunlop Echoplex and the Strymon El Capistan.
No T- Rex, but we did include a Fulltone SS Tape Echo. It'll be up not this Friday, but the one after...
The EP preamp thing will have to be for another day. Cheers!
All the many user comments also reminded me of the Strymon el capistan... which is up there with the belle epoch in positive user reviews that say is sounds close to tape.
I second the fulltone solid state tape delay if you do a follow-up. That is what a lot of people would actually buy now, as you guys show an older ep-3 unit that would be pretty hard to buy new, right?
Anyway it was an excellent demo...probably not enough room on your board to show what everyone wanted to see in one demo.
Awesome. Thanks! I'll check it out. Great show....
Great show as always guys! The echo plex sounds incredible and reminds me of being in a Charing Crossroad guitar shop in the mid 70s and hearing a great guitarist play a Roland re201! I have an Empress vintage super delay and ep3 with comes pretty close too.
Cheers Bill, I've had a few Soace Echos, great units. The Empress is fantastic too :)
I dont know why but the memory man just resonated with me. def my next pedal purchase. thanks always for the vids guys!!
That echoplex is beautiful. Wow.
So inspiring
Loving all of these videos, amazing work guys! Probably late to the party and still saving the many requisite pennies for an EP3, RE 201 and EchoRec 2... In the meantime, Preset 45 B on the Timeline (EEPlex) with a Wet Dry Wet rig is keeping me very happy indeed :)
Lucky enough to own at least 3 of these: the Echoplex EP3 the Timeline and ARDX. The EP3 is a wonderful thing but it mainly stays at home for recording purposes and I love it, but I must say I was impressed with the EP booster and Timeline as a reasonable compromise. I also like how it sounded with the Memory man and ARDX , I reckon it would sound fine with my old Boss DM2 as well!. Thanks for the video gents always hitting the mark! :-)
Cheers mate. Yeah, great compromise, they sounded great, but as a tape machine junky like yourself, there's just something about the real thing ;)
I just bought a roland re-150 space echo, and I've honestly never really been a fan of delay, but goddamn the thing sounds so good I can't turn it off! Now I understand fully the cult following for tape units!
+MrBingping yeah, they just sound so freaking great
Thanks for this wonderful review!
I'd love to hear you guys with The Replicator! Just bought one. Killer pedal!
When the Catalinbread Belle Epoch had just come out, a friend and I did a shootout of the Belle Epoch vs 3 different actual EP3 tape delays. The Belle Epoch was shockingly accurate albeit less hissy/noisy than the real tape delays. If it's good enough to be on Eric Johnson's pedalboard...
The Belle Epoch has been on my board since it came out a few years ago.
+Shaun Desjardins nice, yeah, lots of love for the Belle Epoch. Ive been a fan of Catlinbread stuff for years ;)
Amazing episode. Definitely an eye opener for me. I didn't think the EP booster could make such a difference. I would have loved to watch how the catalinbread echorec would hold against the echoplex. Anyway, thank you very much Daniel & Mick.
That's on the way... Part 2 :)
+That Pedal Show fantastic news! Would you also consider to include the Providence Chrono Delay?
Staring at one right now. Done deal :)
+That Pedal Show 😃😃😃😃😃
+Ali Boyacıoğlu Opps, sorry for My confusion above. It's the Catalinbread Belle Epoch that mimics the Echoplex and not the Catalinbread Echorec.
What stunning tones! The timeline with the ep boost and carpe diem sounded a better balance than the memory man to me, the memory man just sounded a bit too dark. Might have to give Dan a call when the time comes for his geniousness...
awesome, as usual! Ok guys, how about a few videos on PLAYING the guitar? You guys keep coming back to similar "licks and tricks" in your videos. I, for one, would love a little primer!!
Actually, that's not a bad idea, but I think we'll get Andy Timmons over to show everyone how it's done :)
+That Pedal Show Ahhh - Andy is awesome!.. but really what you guy's do is more "usuable," if you know what I mean?
Hey Bob, Mick here. There are sooooo many awesome tuition sites out there - check out Jam Track Central.com for some wonderful stuff. The only thing I could show you would be a few licks and that's the absolute worst way to learn to play. Dan has more knowledge on the subject. Actually, maybe he could teach me! Now that might work...
Have an early 70's EP-3...love it, used it for years. To my ears, the Belle Epoch is the closest I've ever heard to it.
Would love to see an all tape episode: ep3 vs Wem Copicat vs Space Echo
Love you guys!! Always anticipating new vids. Great stuff guys! Quick questions... Any possibility you can post the timeline settings you used to get the emulation?? That would be so frickin awesome. Also any way you could get Andy Timmons timeline settings? The tone he gets and the board you did for him were insane! Thanks and keep up the amazing work!!!
Gotta add, you don't need a preamp in front of the DMM. It has its own preamp that sounds lovely. I find the sweet spot is at noon on the gain knob.
Cheers +Jayden Friesen yes, the MM preamp is great, been using it for years. What we were experimenting with is if using the EP pre in front of other delay engines would result in a sound closer to the EP3
+That Pedal Show Gotcha. I personally love the DMM preamp. It's almost a part of my sound. All these delays sound close, yet unique in their subtle nuances. Thanks for the great video.
At 1:55 the EP-3's serial number is shown to be 2_344, and so probably a mid-70's 3rd version.
I got one in the same general range a few weeks ago, and can tell you this EP-3 in the video has been modified to be like the 1st version EP-3 in the 9068-9450 serial # range. The 3rd version has (mine had, anyway) a much darker FET preamp sound, as well as circuit differences that cause the repeats to have less-broad frequency range and darker repeats.
The 3rd version was the most numerous, so I bet that's why/where the older pedal clones of "tape echo" took the cue for dark repeats. I just modified my 21,000-range serial # EP-3 to match the 1st version schematic, and now it duplicates the sounds in your video.
I think where some "tape delay" pedals get it really wrong is they get too extreme with the modulation. I know my EP-3 could have a little less chorusing if I got everything within the motor/belt/pinch roller system perfectly set-up. But right now it has just the faintest hint of wow/flutter chorusing, to where you have to carefully listen for it before you notice it's there. And it seems like the random slack areas in the tape cartridge could add this this slightly as well. The clones/sims just seem to try too hard to throw too-wide of modulation in so you're sure to hear it...
A subtlety I didn't expect is a careful listen to just the echo repeats reveals there is a slight compression of the transients, even with full frequency range. That little detail pulls the echo back a bit to keep your dry sound forward. I've known guys who use delay pedals to replace reverb in their sound, but the Echoplex does that trick better than most other things.
Bea's GigRig rundown/tonal showdown bonanza coming soon?
The EP-3 does sound lovely. I can't imagine finding the space for it though!
It was interesting how high fidelity the repeats are on the EP3, if you compare this to a nice BBD like a DM2, the latter is far darker off the bat, while the EP darkens more gradually.
This exaggeration used to common in plug-in emulations of classic vintage audio equipment too until recently, but now faithful and subtle analogue desk channel emulation and the like can be found from many software companies.
Yep, so many tape delay emulations get this wrong
The time line and the EP Xotic seems to add a lot of mid rangy noise. That Hendrix tune with the Memory Man and EP Boost
sounded good! This was almost as much fun as playing it myself.
I'd love to see with these "Let's see if this gorgeous old analogue pedal sounds like this nasty new solid state one" videos, a blind test. It's all good and well getting all gushy about old tech, but unless you're a seasoned pedal expert (Dan) I reckon most folks couldn't tell the difference. (I do really love your videos btw!)
As mentioned below - would love to hear comparison to Catalinbread Belle Epoch.
Great work Dan & Mick - top show!
Great video! Every time I watch I want to buy a new pedal! There is still a lot of tweaking you can do on the timeline, I love being able to really sculpt your tone on your delays.
Me too, so much fun :)
Love that echoplex and amazing show guys
Cheers from denmark
Thanks Albert :)
I've noticed the Tube Echo setting on the Line 6 M5 has a definate tone-colouring that I love using with the delay turned down after my overdrives to shape the tone. Worth checking out for a budget option.
The echoplex sounded absolutely amazing, but once the dirt was thrown in I think I liked the ep booster + timeline a little more. I think it had to do with that little bit of high end roll off. The cleans on the EP3 though... just unbelievable. Great video and made me really want to go out and spend some money...
Echoplex is the ultimate! There are a few pedals attempting to emulate the sound. Strymon has another pedal called the El Capistan dTape Echo. Dunlop has 2 pedals, one for a delay pedal, and a separate preamp pedal. There’s also the Wampler Faux Tape Echo, the Empress Vintage Modified Superdelay, the Catalinbread Echorec, and the Catalinbread Belle Epoch. I would love to see a shootout with your opinions. Thanks!