The Echoplex tape delay machine has inspired a lot of echo pedals – as a matter of fact, most of the ones included in our guide to the best tape-style delays on the market. The Geckoplex EP-5 by Eugene, OR’s Gecko Pedals, is a high-end reinterpretation of that circuit, with the addition of a reverb and a few other welcome extras.
You can expect a pedal costing well over $500 to be fully featured, and the Geckoplex doesn’t disappoint in that department with its analog FET input preamp gain stage delivering up to +11dB, 2 seconds of delay time, 3 Fully programmable presets, Tap Tempo with 3 subdivisions, Trails toggle, and buffered output.
But this pedal goes beyond that, with creative features like the 40-second Sound on Sound mode (simulating the effect produced by tape machines, where each pass of the loop is played back and then re-recorded to the tape, causing tape saturation and audio degradation with each cycle), the Warp knob that adds the beloved character of worn-out tape, not to mention the Reverb knob, which can take this device into ambient territory.
Another interesting feature is the Shift knob, which simulates shifting the delay slider back and forth while a note is played, causing the echoes to “shift” in pitch down and back up, or up and back down, depending on the knob direction.
The motorized Delay Time fader generates its own awe factor with its towering presence on top of the layout and can be controlled via Expression In (all the pedal’s settings can, by the way), while the Wet/Dry outputs will certainly excite the guitarists who enjoy unconventional routing setups.
New in V2 (2022):
- Full MIDI control, with up to 64 MIDI accessible presets, clock sync, and clock master mode.
- Can be fully bypassed. The off-state output modes are user selectable(buffered with preamp active, or fully bypassed).
- User selectable max delay time (650ms, 1sec, 2sec).
- User selectable expression pedal functions in the Sound on Sound looper mode (playback volume, playback speed, or loop degradation).
- Independent control of reverb parameters via MIDI (mix, decay time, tone).
- Over 2X higher headroom before clipping.
- Even lower overall noise floor.
- Limited Edition white version (pictured)
Check out the first demo video of the Geckoplex EP5, below, we added this pedal to our article about the best Tape Echo Pedals and to our category of creative pedals.
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This was V1, videos below:
A modern feature-rich delay pedal inspired by 1960’s era tape delays
Meet the Geckoplex. Inspired by 1960’s era tape delays, but with some more modern digital features added in, the Geckoplex EP-5 is about as close as possible to having an actual tape delay unit on your pedalboard. It is full-featured and versatile, handling anything from a simple slap-back, to creating dreamy, spacious science-fiction soundscapes that combine reverb with nearly endless, twisted, wavering echoes. Pair it with an expression pedal for hands-free control of any set controls over any range in real-time.
Mount it on your pedalboard, or put it on top of your amp stack for some hands-on action instead. However you decide to use it, it has your delay needs covered, and is solidly built to last a very long time.
Each Geckoplex is built by hand in the USA, in small batches with genuine, quality components. Absolutely everything, including circuit board assembly, machining, powder coating, screen printing, assembly, and testing, is done in-house right here in Eugene, Oregon. Each one is also hand numbered on the back side.
Features include:
• Analog FET input preamp gain stage, with gain up to +11dB, adjustable by the GAIN knob.
• Up to 2 seconds of delay time.
• Sound on Sound mode for looping playback of up to 40 seconds.
• Separate WET/DRY outputs for use with dual amp setups.
• 3 Fully programmable presets, with seamless switching between them.
• Expression pedal support, allowing full control of any set of controls over any desired range on each preset.
• Tap tempo with selectable subdivisions (eighth note, quarter note, and dotted eighth note subdivisions).
• External tap tempo switch jack allows remote control of the delay time.
• TRAILS toggle switch to control whether trailing effects are heard after the unit is switched off.
• Buffered outputs, capable of easily driving amps with clarity, even through long cables or into Lo-Z inputs.
• Motorized slide control to set the delay time, similar to a tape write head position lever found on some vintage tape delay units.
• 6 effect control knobs: echo VOLUME, REPEATS, TONE, WARP, an independent REVERB, and a Gecko Pedals original effect: SHIFT.
• LED level meter bar (6 LEDs).
• The WET OUT dry signal can be switched off for pure WET/DRY outputs (internal switch).
• Nerdy technical bragging rights:
—Bleeding-edge super fast ARM Cortex M7 processor.
—The enclosure is powder coated and artwork is printed with epoxy ink for ultimate finish durability.
—Gold-plated contacts on the circuit board (ENIG finish).
—Real genuine Davies Molding knobs, made in Chicago, USA
—Real genuine Hammond Manufacturing all metal enclosure.
—Only polyester and ceramic capacitors are used throughout. No electrolytic or tantalum capacitors to worry about drying up or otherwise failing.
—Polyester capacitors are used exclusively in the audio signal path.
—Silicone wire cable assemblies are used for all peripheral circuit board connections.
