Gearank

Gearank Recommendation

The Custom Shop Tube Tape Echo appeared on our recommended list for Analog Delay Pedals from November 2020 until October 2021 when it was out-ranked by other pedals.

Overview

The original Echoplex of the 60s and 70s is a finicky beast: You had to maintain a lot of things like the tape and be careful with the unit as it has plenty of fragile parts.

Today there are several pedals in the market that promise to provide the famed Echoplex delay sound without the tape. Many well-attuned ears gladly settled with this compromise until Fulltone decided to re-engineer the original Echoplex for the 21st Century.

The Fulltone Custom Shop Tube Tape Echo is a refined reconstruction of those classic Echoplex units, improved upon with more reliability and features.

Going beyond just a solid-state recreation, the Custom Shop Tube Tape Echo features real tube circuitry in a more reliable and compact form factor than the original.

Many veterans say that the unit sounds exactly how they remember it when they used the originals; without the fragility and reliability issues.

While reliability has been improved over the original unit, tube circuitry will still be more fragile than solid state circuitry and needs proper maintenance for longer operating life.

Whether you're a nostalgic guitar player or looking to have a taste of true analog tube and tape sounds, the Fulltone Custom Shop Tube Tape Echo is the closest you can get to the famed Echoplex.

Specifications

• Controls: Stereo Mode, True Bypass toggle, Guitar Volume, Delay Volume, Record Level, Echo Tone, Echo repeats
• Delay Time: Up to 2000ms
• Switching: True Bypass
• Power: Mains Input 120v (can be professionally rewired to 220v. See: Manual)

Demo