Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo review – a delay, boost and tonal thickener in one

Previously we reviewed the Electro-Harmonix Lizard Queen, a reimagining of a pedal the company had never actually made in its 1970s prime. 

Here, however, we have a revamped version of a pedal that the company did make back in 1978, but in such small quantities that it has become an expensive collector’s item.

This new 2023 version takes the original ethos of the Slap-Back Echo and puts it in a pedalboard-friendly, pico-size enclosure with modern accoutrements such as a status LED, nine-volt power supply and true bypass.

While ostensibly what you’re getting here is an all-analogue (BBD) delay pedal that specialises in short delays with a single repeat, you also have something that can boost your signal to a goodly degree as there’s 20dB of it available from the Gain knob.

This controls the input signal before the echo input so can be combined with the echo, but should you wish to use it purely as a boost, you can set the Blend knob (which dials in the sound of the repeat all the way to fully wet) to zero for a completely dry sound. This is not a transparent boost: when kicked in, there’s a thickening effect, fattening up the lower midrange while keeping the top-end intact.

As for the delay, a toggle switch calls up three different delay times – 100ms, 65ms and 45ms. It’s the 100ms setting that offers the true slapback that’s instantly recognisable as the rockabilly guitar sound.

Set a blend that sits the echo just right with your dry guitar and get rocking, especially with a bit of palm-muting to bring out the rhythmic aspect. The other two delay times offer a different vibe. 

At 65ms, the delay gives you a nice degree of ambience without the obvious ‘extra’ note of the 100ms setting, while the 45ms, with a lower setting on the Blend knob, is a great thickener and particularly effective with some boost also dialled in.

Specs

• PRICE: $81/£79
• ORIGIN: USA
• TYPE: Delay pedal 
• FEATURES: True bypass, 3x set delay times: 100ms, 65ms & 45ms
• CONTROLS: Gain, Blend, Time switch, Bypass footswitch
• CONNECTIONS: Standard input, standard output
• POWER: 9V DC adaptor (supplied) 15mA
• DIMENSIONS: 50 (w) x 92 (d) x 45mm (h)
• CONTACT: Electro-Harmonix