Produced for only a short time in the late 1970s, the Slap-Back Echo is certainly not one of EHX's most well-known stompboxes.
In the decades since its brief production run, though, the analog delay pedal has developed a bit of a cult fanbase, a prominent member of which is JHS Pedals' Josh Scott, who included it in a 2021 YouTube video (opens in new tab) detailing his favorite obscure Electro-Harmonix pedals.
In the aforementioned video, Scott even went so far as to say (opens in new tab), "Electro-Harmonix, if you're watching, I beg you – just reissue this."
Today, Scott got his wish, with the NYC pedal giant unveiling its 21st century take on the delay unit.
Like its predecessor, the new Slap-Back Echo is designed to produce, well, slap back echo, the distinct variety of short delay made iconic in countless early rock 'n' roll recordings, particularly from Sun Records.
From the sounds of it, the pedal delivers that rockabilly hallmark in spades, but it does a whole lot else, too.
At the center of the modern Slap-Back Echo is a new, three-position Time switch that lets users choose between 45ms, 65ms, and 100ms of delay. EHX has also added a Gain knob, which tweaks the input signal before the echo circuit and adjusts the overall volume at the output – with up to +20dB of boost on tap.
Also onboard is the original pedal's Blend knob, which lets users blend the dry signal and the echo signal – from fully dry to fully wet.
Despite the additional functions, the 21st century Slap-Back Echo is also significantly slimmer than its predecessor, measuring at just 3.65" x 2" x 2".
The Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo delay pedal features true bypass switching, and runs on 9V power – with a power supply included. It is available now for $81.
For more info on the pedal, visit EHX's website (opens in new tab).
