Maestro | Echoplex EP-3 Solid State

Echoplex Wikipedia Website Link

Model Number or Name:

Echoplex EP-3

Discontinued
Delay

Sugaree Licks Rating: Love

Circuit Type: Analog

Component Info: Solid State

Original Price: $300

Excellent Used Price: $1,250

Year Released: 1970

Year Discontinued: 1991

Alternate Version(s)

Echoplex EP-1 (1959 - 1963)
Echoplex EP-2 (1963 - 1970)
Echoplex EP-4 (1975 - ?)

Market Electronics held off on using transistors while other companies made the transition. Nevertheless, in the late 1960’s they set Battle and Dixon to the task of creating the first transistor version of their product. Once the two were satisfied, beginning in the 1970’s, the solid-state Echoplex was offered by Maestro and designated the EP-3, but Mike Battle, unhappy with the sound of the EP-3, sold his interest in the company.

This unit offered echo, sound-on-sound, and a number of minor convenience improvements. Having been produced from 1970 to 1991, this unit enjoyed the longest production run of all the Echoplex models and was used by Tommy Bolin, Andy Summers, Jimmy Page, Brian May, and many other notable guitarists of the 1970’s. About the time of the public introduction of the EP-3, Maestro was taken over by Norlin Industries, then the parent company to Gibson Guitars.

Designed by Mike Battle, who was by then working for Market Electronics full-time. And as always, it had to meet Don Dixon’s approval, which reportedly did not come right away.
Addition of a 1/4″ jack for the output, replacing the attached cable and requiring/allowing the player to use a separate cord of any desired length and quality.
Long delay was now attained by sliding the erase/record head all the way to the right, as opposed to far left on the tube models.