Echoplex Preamp Pedals

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matttornado

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Years ago a built a few homemade EP3 pre-amp circuits from their original schematics. I wasn't that impressed at the time. Maybe I had unrealistic expectations?

I have not tried any others but was wondering is the Dunlop EP101 any good? Could a simple 6 band MXR EQ be set to do the same thing? If so, how would I set it?

I'm playing through a cranked Superlead and even though it sounds great on its own, I'm always looking for just a little more. I'm boosting it with the MXR 6 band and it sounds great.

I also have a BOSS SD-1! LOL I use that too but not for this purpose.
 
What were you expecting from it? To my ears that style is more for adding a certain color rather than as a big, obvious booster, and also not what I´d try to cover with a six-band graphic. A friend of mine has several versions of that general preamp section and some of them are just barely boosting at all.
 
Dave L said:
What were you expecting from it? To my ears that style is more for adding a certain color rather than as a big, obvious booster, and also not what I´d try to cover with a six-band graphic. A friend of mine has several versions of that general preamp section and some of them are just barely boosting at all.
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I was expecting more of a boost I guess. It did color the sound a little though, but it wasn't "magic".
 
Catalinbread one is better than the Dunlop in my opinion, but like the other guy said it’s more for color than boost.
 
lol said:
I like them. Not really meant to be a boost but to add color to your tone. I have a chase tone secret preamp and I keep it on all the time.
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Yeah it's a great unit for sure. And yes it's the tone rather than the slight boost that makes it so special.
 
MXR Booster Mini is what I use. It's the Echoplex preamp and the Micro amp in one pedal. Dial the color in with an internal pot, with boost and tone on top. I leave mine on all the time.
 
matttornado said:
I was expecting more of a boost I guess. It did color the sound a little though, but it wasn't "magic".
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The slight boost the original Echoplex added was not really intentional.
It was the coloration that made the tone desirable.

I used an Exotic EP Boost which isn't the exact same circuit but it gets lots of
raves from folks who've played the real deal. Plus it's a small footprint.

https://xotic.us/effects/ep-booster/
 
I always wanted a bit more of a boost too from these type of pedals and found with the EP booster that it felt bigger but not gainier. I think most of us are probably looking for that gain boost. Moreover, a tighter gain boost, not more bloat or thickness. My favourite tone would probably be Mattias Jabs with his NMV Marshalls and an echoplex "boosting". But then again, he also used a pretty high output pickup at the time.
 
Kapo_Polenton said:
I always wanted a bit more of a boost too from these type of pedals and found with the EP booster that it felt bigger but not gainier. I think most of us are probably looking for that gain boost. Moreover, a tighter gain boost, not more bloat or thickness. My favourite tone would probably be Mattias Jabs with his NMV Marshalls and an echoplex "boosting". But then again, he also used a pretty high output pickup at the time.
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He had Bill Lawrence pickups in his stage strats, no idea what was in the Explorers (probably stock T tops), and he used an old Les Paul on a lot of the recordings (No One Like You is all Les Paul). The Bill Lawrence, AFAIK, were L500s, NOT the L500XLs like Dimebag used. So nothing real high output there, more PAFish.
 
paulyc said:
He had Bill Lawrence pickups in his stage strats, no idea what was in the Explorers (probably stock T tops), and he used an old Les Paul on a lot of the recordings (No One Like You is all Les Paul). The Bill Lawrence, AFAIK, were L500s, NOT the L500XLs like Dimebag used. So nothing real high output there, more PAFish.
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I thought the bill Lawrence were the l90 or l90xl? You seem to know more about the hear though so I am not going to say you were wrong.

Yes the no one like you tone is the shit. Love it. I'm guessing that would just be straight up PAF then? My dimarzio 36 anni might be in the ballpark for that. Still that lil' extra push. Hard to believe that's the echoplex Pre. Maybe some coloration from the preamps being pushed too.
 
Kapo_Polenton said:
I thought the bill Lawrence were the l90 or l90xl? You seem to know more about the hear though so I am not going to say you were wrong.

Yes the no one like you tone is the shit. Love it. I'm guessing that would just be straight up PAF then? My dimarzio 36 anni might be in the ballpark for that. Still that lil' extra push. Hard to believe that's the echoplex Pre. Maybe some coloration from the preamps being pushed too.
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Hmm, I’ve never even heard of the L90 or L90XL, were they precursors to the L500 and L500XL ? I also have no idea if he used an Echoplex before the amps with nothing else, I doubt it based on how hot it sounds, but I could be totally wrong.
 
Not exactly an echoplex , but has that sound

Strymon Deco
 
This one sounded way better than the MXR stuff

ClinchFX


EP-PRE-2012-Logo.png
 
I found them to be tone coloring pedals vs boosts by definition. Not a major change in my opinion but a nice change nevertheless. YMMV
 
What is the exact nature of the Echoplex preamp coloration? I'm guessing its a subtle creaminess or mild compression?
 
thegame said:
What is the exact nature of the Echoplex preamp coloration? I'm guessing its a subtle creaminess or mild compression?
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Pete does a good job of explaining it here way back in 2011 - thickens and adds slight boost which I can see being great for leads. Dial bass back on amp to compensate if it doesn't cut enough.

 
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