Danelectro D-4 Fab Echo

Been playin' guitar for many years. Took my first lesson at age 10. (I wanted to be Elvis!). I play guitar and mandolin, currently in 2 bands, one acoustic, one electric.

I bought this unit new from Guitar center for $14.99. Our new band does some rockabilly, and I needed that 'twang' in my sound arsenal.

Danelectro's Fab Echo is just the ticket if you're looking for a really good sounding, inexpensive, easy to use pedal. I was blown away by the sound of this unit! The price is unreal, and although the body is plastic, it's well made, sturdy, and has held up well for me. It has an easy-to-see blue light when the pedal is activated, and the controls are simple. It doesn't have a lot of range of adjustments, but if you're looking to add that Rockabilly twang to your sound, this pedal delivers!

Plastic chassis is one thing I'm not crazy about, although it seems quite sturdy. Also a limited range of effects, but it's got the vintage twang I was looking for.

Plastic chassis, although seems sturdy. Easy to use, nice footswitch, nice bright blue light to let you know when the pedal is activated.

For $15, I was blown away! Great 50's twang, easy to use, cheap, how could you not want to try it?

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is a pretty interesting echo pedal. It doesn't function in the same way as most reverbs or delays do. Instead, it tries (and succeeds) in recreating the classic sounds of old school records "slapback" echo. The best examples of this sound are heard on Sun Records' classics, by artists such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. This is a simple pedal to operate. There is a 1/4" input and output and two knobs. The pedal turns on by simply depressing the top part of the pedal. It is analog technology. There are no MIDI or computer capabilities with this pedal, and it's not rackable.

UTILIZATION

This is possibly the easiest pedal to use that I've tried. There are two knobs which control volume and speed. The setup couldn't be any easier. The manual is pretty much unnecessary unless you have no idea what the pedal itself is, in which case you probably shouldn't be using it.

SOUND QUALITY

This effect is pretty indiscriminate when it comes to gear. It will sound equally good on a hollow body and a Strat, with a Marshall stack or an AC30. It doesn't really color the sound too much for me, but some people might find that it does. I think that the color that this sound brings is part of its charm, personally, and the slapback echo wouldn't really work without it. The effect itself sounds great, and is honestly far better than anything I've heard Danelectro do before. It is a bit limited in its use, however. The only effect possible is the very cliche slap echo that you've heard on things from the 50s. The cool thing is that it's available in pedal form and not simply as a studio effect. The noise is a slight issue if you're trying to add too many things to it, but I think that combining this pedal with others is simply a bad idea. You're better off with a more versatile reverb or delay if you are combining effects. When it keeping it simple, by using no other effect or a slight overdrive, you're making the most of this pedal.

OVERALL OPINION

I would say that this pedal's probably not for most people. I can't think of much use for it in a practical setting, since I don't really use the slap echo very much. However, I've heard it used to great effect in many new and old recordings, so if it's something you are interested in, check it out. It's surprisingly cheap and sounds good. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes vintage sounds and is looking for something a little different.

It is as the name suggests a Slap Echo.
It has only two buttons, MIX and REPEAT, and therefore we can not control the speed and .... it does not matter since it's a Slap Echo, so it makes for very short speeds and it is supposed to serve only one thing.
The casing is plastic, but it's good plastic. We can safely walk on it, the knob was okay the air.
My only concern is the fact that on one of my other pedals in the series, the battery does not work and I can use it on AC power.
Ah small detail not negligible, I find super sexy red tomato sauce, and the shape of the pedal, as often with Danelectro is really nice and typical 50's.

USE

The pedal works quite simply.
In fact, there are two sounds: either you push the mix and you leave the repeat in the first half of the race, and there is the sound rockabilly.
It's you do the opposite (lower mix, push the repeat) and you have a reverb sound a little cheap kind dub. By just so we can have a "shoegazer" effect to Sonic Youth.
In 5 minutes, we should find the sound that is what we want. Otherwise you have to sell the pedal.

SOUND QUALITY

Oh well there as often in Dano is the surprise. The sound is great.
It's clean, no noise, no click.
Little vintage look. The sound fits perfectly with the head of the pedal. The bottom conforms to the shape. It's cool. Super efficient. Nothing else to report.

A small sample very realistic to get an idea:
http://www.danelectro.com/media/02_FabEcho.mp3

NOTICE GLOBAL

She made two effects (rockab or reverb) and just a few. If it simply, well Investment (20 euros !!!!!!!) is worth it.
Of course, I would do this choice, but it does not prevent me soon to opt for another delay if I need more functions, and to call again if necessary. At that price, why deprive yourself? Everyone should have at home or in backup in case of pedal that crap.

Echo pedal (digital it seems to me) bought 18 euros 2 years ago on a German website (for those see ...)
Box and plastic knob (but it is)
2 potentiometers
1 input
1 output
9 volt DC input for alimantation

UTILIZATION

Very simple configuration
1 MIX: who controls the intensity of the effect, ie the volume of repetitions with respect to its starting
1 potentiometer REPEAT: Who sets the number of repetitions.

SOUND QUALITY

Firstly this pedal does not have to manage the speed potentiometer capable or duration of the echo, so that it turns around more or less of a sound modulated with two other potentiometers. But against this is the very special and very interresting. on the other hand before buying, you better listen because it will not appeal in Toutle world. I use it on guitar but especially singing. And to respond to a notification that I've read, I think the pedal in question must have a problem because I have one that sounds much more than a slight reverb

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years I bought it for the song but it is also great on the guitar. For those who seek more versatile I use the same brand of PB & J Delay, which is around 50 euros, where there is a potentiometer to control the speed of the echo. I saw that was also artec delay pedal cheap, I do not know what they are worth but see, they look interesting. In short, this pedal is a nice echo with a well targeted but quite original, and then for twenty euros new, it is well worth the shot. I would do this choice because that is what I was looking for his voice.