The dpFX Pedals Echidna is a bass overdrive pedal from a maker based in Greece. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in December 2019, describing it as a compact pedal built for bass players who want dirt that keeps their fundamental tone intact1.
How it works and what it does
The Echidna makes exclusive use of FET technology, by way of several cascading JFET and MOSFET stages. Pedal of the Day's reviewer found the result was a smooth overdrive, "not harsh, tinny or treble-y in the least, adding a bit of tube-like harmonic content to your signal and sound"1. For a bass player, that means the pedal's dirt comes from transistor stages rather than a clipping arrangement that can thin out low end, which is why the reviewer heard it as smooth rather than brittle.
Controls
Four knobs make up the control section1. The review identifies the G knob, which sets the amount of gain1. The pedal carries a smaller footprint than its older brother, the dpFX FuzZ-2, with what the reviewer called "just a couple of controls"1.
Echidna or FuzZ-2?
The Echidna and the FuzZ-2 come from the same maker but do different jobs12:
| Echidna | FuzZ-2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Effect type | Overdrive | Bass fuzz with octave2 |
| Sound | Smooth overdrive, tube-like harmonic content1 | "Tasty and massive fuzz effect" with a great variety of sounds2 |
| Footprint | Smaller | Larger, the older brother1 |
Pedal of the Day's October 2019 review of the FuzZ-2 called it "an explosive fuzz with a bit of octave madness throw in for good measure" and said "Your bass will never sound the same after you play it through this pedal"2. If you want growling fuzz with an octave-up footswitch, that is the FuzZ-2's territory; the Echidna is the smoother, smaller overdrive of the two.
What the reviewer said
Pedal of the Day's verdict on the Echidna was that "this little monster will up the ante in your bass playing game in an instant"1.
Videos
the wetter bass
Pedal of the Day
the wetter bass
Questions
Is the dpFX Echidna an overdrive or a fuzz?
It is an overdrive. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in December 2019 as a bass overdrive, describing the sound as a smooth overdrive that adds tube-like harmonic content rather than the massive fuzz effect its sibling, the dpFX FuzZ-2, delivers. The two pedals come from the same Greek maker but sit in different dirt categories.
How many knobs does the dpFX Echidna Bass Overdrive have?
Four knobs make up the control section, according to Pedal of the Day's review. The review identifies the G knob, which sets the amount of gain. The pedal also has a smaller footprint than the FuzZ-2, its older brother in the dpFX range.
Does the Echidna make a bass sound harsh or tinny?
Not according to Pedal of the Day, which described the sound produced as a smooth overdrive, not harsh, tinny or treble-y in the least, adding a bit of tube-like harmonic content to the signal. The reviewer attributed that character to the pedal's exclusive use of FET technology through several cascading JFET and MOSFET stages.
What is the difference between the Echidna and the dpFX FuzZ-2?
The Echidna is a bass overdrive and the smaller sibling of the FuzZ-2, which is a bass fuzz with octave. Pedal of the Day described the FuzZ-2 as delivering a tasty and massive fuzz effect with a wide variety of sounds, while the Echidna has just a couple of controls, a smaller footprint and a smooth overdrive voice.
Sources (2)
- dpFX Pedals Echidna Bass Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2019-12-19
- dpFX Pedals FuzZ-2 Bass Fuzz Octave, Pedal of the Day, 2019-10-17
