The ClinchFX EP+ is a guitar pedal built on the ClinchFX EP-PRE circuit, a JFET preamplifier based on the preamp section of the Echoplex EP-3 tape echo unit. On top of that front end, the EP+ adds a second JFET boost stage, giving it more output than the EP-PRE alone. ClinchFX first described the pedal as new on its product page, and listed it at USD$149 plus $10 for Air Mail shipping in the US12.
What it does
The EP-PRE circuit at the heart of the EP+ is a JFET preamplifier traced back to the Echoplex EP-3 tape echo. ClinchFX does not describe the EP-PRE as a boost as such: "It will deliver a few db of boost, but I don't consider it as a boost," the maker's page says, preferring words like enhance, fatten and enrich for its effect on tone2. The company positions the EP-PRE as a "Tone Polisher", in contrast to its Burnish Boost pedal, which it calls a burnishing tool4.
The EP+ keeps that front end and adds the ability to select EP-3 early or late serial number tones, reflecting the differences between production runs of the original tape echo1. The circuit itself was originally traced by Aion FX in 2015, according to Aion FX's project page5.
The second stage
The difference between the EP+ and the EP-PRE is the extra stage. "In the EP+ there is a second JFET boost stage, similar to the EP-PRE circuit, but with reduced output impedance," ClinchFX explains. The maker is explicit that "this second stage is an active boost stage, not a unity gain buffer"1.
ClinchFX also notes that "when driven to clipping, the EP+ creates a softer type of clipping, unlike many other solid state circuits"1. For players comparing it against overdrive or distortion pedals, that is the maker's description of how the JFET design behaves when pushed.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Fully anti-clockwise gives no output; clockwise increases output1 |
| EP-3 tone select | Selects EP-3 early or late serial number tones1 |
| Footswitch | Custom made stomp switch with gold contacts for maximum reliability when switching very low current in pedals1 |
Power and price
The EP+ operates from a 9 to 12V DC, center negative power supply1. ClinchFX's page gives no current draw figure, so check your supply's budget against the maker's current specifications before adding it to a daisy chain.
The USD$149 price plus $10 Air Mail shipping dates from the maker's 2018 product page, and payment is by PayPal, with direct bank deposits in Australian dollars accepted from Australian customers only1.
Where it came from
The EP+ is a new release from ClinchFX, listed by the maker as "The new ClinchFX EP+ Guitar Pedal"3. The circuit carries over ideas from the company's earlier work: the second stage is an active boost stage rather than a unity gain buffer, and the pedal uses a custom made stomp switch with gold contacts, built to the maker's specification for maximum reliability when switching very low current in pedals1.
Videos
Brett Kingman
Brett Kingman
Brett Kingman
Questions
What power supply does the ClinchFX EP+ use?
The EP+ operates from a 9 to 12V DC, centre negative power supply, according to ClinchFX. The maker's page does not list a current draw or battery option, so plan your supply accordingly and treat it like any other centre negative pedal on a board.
How is the ClinchFX EP+ different from the EP-PRE?
The EP+ is based on the EP-PRE but adds a second JFET boost stage with reduced output impedance. ClinchFX describes that second stage as an active boost stage, not a unity gain buffer. The EP+ also includes the ability to select EP-3 early or late serial number tones.
How much is the ClinchFX EP+ in the US?
ClinchFX listed the US price for the EP+ at USD$149 plus $10 for Air Mail shipping, as stated on the maker's product page in 2018. Payment is by PayPal, with direct bank deposits in Australian dollars accepted within Australia.
Is the second stage of the EP+ a buffer?
No. ClinchFX states that the second stage in the EP+ is an active boost stage, not a unity gain buffer. It is a second JFET boost stage similar to the EP-PRE circuit, but with reduced output impedance.
Sources (5)
- EP Plus < ClinchFX, ClinchFX, 2018-07-26
- EP-PRE < ClinchFX, ClinchFX, 2025-09-29
- ep-plus-final-cropped < ClinchFX, ClinchFX
- ClinchFX Burnish Boost < ClinchFX, ClinchFX, 2025-09-29
- Ares Vintage Preamp / Echoplex EP-3 Preamp, Aion FX, 2019-10-18
