Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal 

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

This pedal is a great delay for the average passive-pickup bass because it doesn't suck out the bass frequency, and it's very close to unity gain, so no volume dips when you use it. The Memory Toy ability to dial in a cool analog chorus effect is a big bonus considering a pronounced delay is only usable a couple of times in a set if you're on bass, and chorus is a very usable bass effect. The only con I've found is that you can't have too much attack to your bass notes, as there will be a sort of popping sound relative to how hard you hit the string. This is more a result of the pedal really nailing the analogy tape delay feel and sound, though, so I'm actually impressed. It just keeps it from being used on driving bass lines. Excellent for ambient, however.

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

It's a great compact mini pedal with great tone. If you like not fancy sounds and more hard rock bluesy sound this is it.

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

I use this pedal with an acoustic rig. I won't put it on my electric rig as I don't care for the overall sound through a tube amp and electric guitar.

I found information on the web about tweeking T8, the trim pot screw at the very top of the pedal to do away with that seasick chorus sound. It works fine now, but I still don't use chorus. It's a bit muddy to me, the repeats and the delay don't stand out like they would with a digital or possible better circuit.

It's built well enough and by now they have cured the issue of the boards separating but not by much, just a rubber pad glued to the bottom of the board that recieves pressure from the back plate.

I do like that LED ZEP echo before the chord thing it can do if the blend is put to about 3 o'clock and the others are high too.

Overall, i bought it expecting different, but it's still useful for what I use it for.

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

Again.. this lets me put in a rating but the category isn't showing up.
So.. I'll give it a 9 on general principles.

I would not buy this unit unless I KNEW that I wanted the volume boost it gives.
I don't know of anyone who has a delay on all the time, do you?

Still. I have to say.. the tone is very nice. it's quite analog.. short on features? yeah but we KNEW
that, didn't we? This is the type of pedal I'd want if this didn't have the big vol. boost.
I like my Rogue Delay for the Tweed amp.. and I'll get something else for my Marshall clone.
9 on features as a penalty for the mod switch. you really have to reset the pedal to get a sound you can live with with the mod sw. on.
it varies in sound depending on the other settings of the pedal.
so.. nice but needs a bit of work.
Unlike others, I have NO issues with this pedal. I build and repair amps pedals and guitars.
There's a lot of stuff out there that suffers a bit from mass manufacturing processes.

My pedal does not pop at all. And I use it in an 8 Pedal line up, directly into a tube amp I made myself.

I simply don't have any complaints.
I have no idea what category is supposed to be for this part.. since it doesnt' show up.
so CONSIDER THIS TONE, I guess.

it has a boost. a slight upper midrange emphasis, too.

I would keep this pedal if it weren't for that boost!
Play this, for example, in my Tweed Deluxe clone. which is notorious for having a tender front end..
and it pushes into overdrive every time.
That was a really stupid thing to do.
Each time you turn it on, you're getting a pretty strong signal boost.
The tonal change is in the wrong area.. though I'd prefer to have none, exactly because of that..
it pushes overdrive and pushes fizz!

I have to either set my amp for lower volume so it doesn't boost.. or put another pedal in there to hold it back.
Which means I'd have to turn two pedals on and off at the same time.

it needs a Level control or get rid of that boost!

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

I have not been 100% satified as it sometimes works as expected, sometimes it seems to be useless. I noticed at once when I recieved it ( putting in new 9 volt battery ) that 3 of the screws were partially stripped, so someone had been inside it before. I emailed EH tech support and they were very helpful. I like EH products, but would not buy this one again, probably get Memory Boy next time..
Mod swith adds a lot to usefulness, fairly straightforward in functionality.
Case and switches appear to be high quality and sturdy.
Probably one of the better delay pedals out there for under a hundred bucks.

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

If you get one that doesn't have a noise problem than they are well worth the money, in fact they're a steal. Fantastic little analogue delay, great sound and build quality. I am selling mine to upgrade to something with tap/tempo for church stuff when I don't have time to adjust the settings, but for pre-tweaked sounds this pedal is fantastic and cheap! Only a 7 because the noise has forced me to sell it along with the lack of tap/tempo which in the end costs more. Great pedal!
The mod switch is a nice touch, it is quite subtle though, you need quite long repeats to hear it. Standard 3 knobs for control, easy to get the sound you're after with them.
The build quality is fantastic and it's got a tough enclosure, so it's not about to break on me (that I know of), but it makes a high pitched, swirling, panning sound whenever it's hooked up to my power supply. At first I thought I was running too many pedals off my supple so I got a new one with plenty of power but the noise was exactly the same....I have to discconnect it between songs I don't use it for to stop the noise which is just a hassle.
If it weren't for the noise (which I will forego in this rating) it would be tremedous value. I love the analogue sound and it's really easy and simple to use and I can get most sounds I'm aftre withouth hours tweaking.

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

I sent back 2 of these in 2 weeks time. The first one broke when one chip board stuck to the lid of the battery cover (which is the entire back plate) and seperated from the mother board) the other one worked just fine for 2 days and then died. Before it broke, this pedal sounded wonderful-very easy to use. (it just stopped passing signal-either with battery or one spot-all cables trouble shot to be sure it wasn't them-it was the pedal)Needed an analog, true bypass delay fast so went to one of the local stores looking for a BBE 2 Timer-as my other BBE's are all very reliable...that was out of stock..but they had the Memory Toy and Memory Boy (delux Boy as well as regular)..I decided to give EH one more shot-since the sound quality of the Toy impressed me-if not the reliability and picked up the Memory Boy...glad I did. Only had it 2 weeks now-so not a long term review-but love the sounds it can make-and glad I upgraded to the Boy as well.

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

It has a 2 piece PCB that plugs in together and gets loose easy. Sounds ok though.

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

Yes you get a pop when you switch off or on, that is a common problem with any true bypass effect. There are plenty of sites on the web that explain how to rid any pedal of this problem with some basic soldering skills and a few cents worth of parts. Yes it is noisy, it's analog. The chorus effect is not a shimmery clean pretty sound, it's a dark, warbley, worn out tape sound. With it on, you really can capture some authentic tape type delays. Bare in mind that the low fi, noisy, "warmth", is a feature, not a drawback. If you want crystal clean repeats with no insane oscillation with the repeats past 12'o'clock, buy a digital delay pedal. Very reverby slapbacks to a decent dissonance of delay. The mix well, I'm not a fan of that, I'd rather have a volume control, but I can see the appeal to some players. This isn't an up front in your face delay, this is a back in the mix kinda thing. Again if you want a prominent in your face delay, go digital. I have this and a digital delay, because there really is no other way to get the best of both worlds without buying a super expensive boutique delay. The Malekko 616 that is about $50 more is waaaay more pedal for the buck, but if you aren't in to noise-illation, and just want a mellow delay that sits back in the mix and adds effect, this little guy is the way to go. If the price ever drops to about $75, I don't think anyone would be able to compete with it at all.

Comments about Electro-Harmonix Memory Toy Analog Echo and Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal:

It's a good sounding analog delay, but it isn't transparent. When on it does boost your signal a bit and add some treble. It will self-oscillate. If you're looking for super long delay times, look elsewhere. The Memory Toy does the classic slapback and shorter delays very well. Quality is ok. One knob was crooked and I was able to "straighten" it--not sure about that. Be careful if you use batteries as the screw heads on the bottom are easy to round out.