The Goodrich Updated Baby Bloomer is an always-on preamp pedal from Goodrich Sound Company, designed to sit last in your chain and shape your overall tone rather than to overdrive or distort it. Goodrich describes it as a tone enhancer that "makes everything sound bigger," adding clarity, warmth and harmonic depth without noise or distortion, while preserving your natural tone and dynamics1.
The pedal is a refined evolution of Goodrich's original Baby Bloomer design, with what the maker calls a cleaner circuit and improved build1.
Echoplex circuit roots and the update
The circuit traces back to the tape echo that gave countless players their tone. Goodrich says the Updated Baby Bloomer is "inspired by the early Echoplex units, particularly the Maestro EP-2 and EP-3," and that it uses a JFET preamp to deliver the big, full vintage tone players associate with those machines1. Goodrich's own support material describes the Baby Bloomer as an "always-on tone enhancer inspired by classic EP-style preamp circuits"2.
The Echoplex preamp has a documented history as a tone secret: players ran their signal through the machine's preamp stage even when not using the echo, because of what it did to the sound. The original EP-3 preamp ran on a 20V supply inside the tape unit3, and the circuit has been reproduced in pedal form by other makers. Pedal of the Day, reviewing the Catalinbread Epoch Pre, noted that it "emulates the preamp circuit from the original EP-3 Echoplex"4. The Baby Bloomer follows the same idea: take the preamp stage players loved, put it in a pedal, and leave it on.
The "Updated" part of the name refers to the revision of Goodrich's own design. The maker describes the Updated Baby Bloomer as a refined evolution of the original Baby Bloomer, featuring a cleaner circuit and improved build1.
Controls and what they do
The pedal keeps its control set simple: one gain knob and a three-way toggle1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bloomer (gain) | At 12 to 2 o'clock, gives a ~3dB+ boost with slight phase shift and what Goodrich calls rich, 3D tone enhancement1 |
| Toggle, Early mode | Brighter, clearer tone1 |
| Toggle, Late mode | Warmer, thicker response1 |
The Bloomer knob is the heart of the pedal. Goodrich's guidance is that the 12 to 2 o'clock range is where the effect opens up: a boost of roughly 3dB or more, a slight phase shift, and the "3D" enhancement the maker names the pedal after. The Early/Late toggle lets you aim the voicing, with Early leaning brighter and clearer and Late leaning warmer and thicker1.
Bypass, power and size
The Updated Baby Bloomer has a true bypass footswitch1. That said, Goodrich positions it as an always-on, last-in-chain preamp, so the bypass is there for when you want it out of the chain entirely rather than for regular stomping1.
On size, Goodrich's product page gives a specifications table listing the pedal at 2 lbs, and a feature description calling the enclosure a durable, low-profile aluminum box1. Either way it is a compact, board-friendly box.
Does it add distortion?
No. Goodrich is explicit that the pedal "adds clarity, warmth, and harmonic depth without noise or distortion" and that it "preserves your natural tone and dynamics"1. It is not an overdrive, distortion or fuzz pedal; the Bloomer knob controls gain in the preamp sense, shaping fullness and harmonic content, not clipping. Players looking for grit would pair it with a drive pedal rather than push this one into breakup.
Price and availability
Goodrich lists the Updated Baby Bloomer at a sale price of $225.00 USD, down from a list price of $325.00 USD1.
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Dave Zirbel
Questions
Is the Goodrich Updated Baby Bloomer true bypass?
Yes. The Updated Baby Bloomer has a true bypass footswitch, so when it is switched off the signal passes through without the pedal's circuit in the path. Goodrich also describes it as an always-on, last-in-chain preamp, meaning many players leave it engaged permanently at the end of their signal chain.
Is the Baby Bloomer based on the Echoplex preamp?
Yes. Goodrich says the Updated Baby Bloomer is inspired by the early Echoplex units, particularly the Maestro EP-2 and EP-3, and uses a JFET preamp to deliver a big, full vintage tone. The company's support pages describe it as an always-on tone enhancer inspired by classic EP-style preamp circuits.
What does the Bloomer knob do at different settings?
The Bloomer control is a gain knob. Goodrich says that set between 12 and 2 o'clock it gives roughly a 3dB or more boost with a slight phase shift and what the maker calls rich, 3D tone enhancement. Lower settings keep the effect subtler while still adding clarity and warmth.
How big is the Goodrich Updated Baby Bloomer?
Goodrich lists the pedal's dimensions as 6 x 2 x 5 inches and its weight as 2 lbs, and also describes the enclosure as a durable, low-profile aluminum box measuring 4.75 x 2.4 x 1.5 inches. It is a compact pedal that fits easily on a small board.
Does the Baby Bloomer add distortion?
No. Goodrich states that the Updated Baby Bloomer adds clarity, warmth and harmonic depth without noise or distortion, and that it preserves your natural tone and dynamics. It is a preamp and tone enhancer rather than an overdrive or distortion pedal.
Sources (4)
- Goodrich Baby Bloomer Tone Enhancer, Goodrich Sound Company
- Goodrich Volume Pedal Repairs, Goodrich Sound Company, 2026-04-12
- Ares Vintage Preamp / Echoplex EP-3 Preamp, Aion FX, 2019-10-18
- Catalinbread Epoch Pre EP3 Preamp Buffer, Pedal of the Day, 2019-07-19
