The Gurus Echosex 3º Steve Lukather Delay is an analog echo pedal from the Italian designers at Gurus that recreates the Binson Echorec, the vintage Italian echo unit whose swirling, drum-echo repeats shaped everything from Pink Floyd to early rock studio work. Guitar World's Jonathan Horsley described it as "an emulator (and then some) of a vintage Binson Echorec echo unit"1. This version is a 10th-anniversary signature edition built for Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, who has used variations of the Echosex since the line was first launched in 2014 and keeps it always on as a core part of his sound12.
What it is and where it came from
The Echosex line began as Gurus' take on the Binson Echorec, and the company has been refining it for a decade. An earlier model, the Gurus Echosex 2° T7E, was a recreation of the Binson Echorec 2° T7E3. Pedal of the Day's 2017 review of the Echosex 2 noted its 60ms to 660ms delay range was about twice as much as the original Binson machines could produce4. The Echosex 3º pushes further still: Guitar World reports its Echo control sets the delay time from 35ms to "a generous 730ms"1.
MusicRadar's review notes that the pedal replicates the Binson Echorec 2 famously used by David Gilmour2. The signature edition marks a decade of the line, with a new look and neon green settings marking Lukather's preferred positions2.
Lukather's own stake in the pedal is the point of the signature. Guitar World quotes him directly215:
Gurus positions the Echosex 3º Steve Lukather as a premium pedal: reviewers have described it as not hugely affordable2.
His tech Jon Gosnell has also shown the signature Echosex 3º unit on Lukather's pedalboard in MusicRadar's rig rundown5.
The tube and the power section
Two hardware details set this pedal apart from most delays. First, there is a 12AU7 preamp tube "stylishly exposed at the very heart of the pedal," which MusicRadar says is there to add warmth to the effected signal2. Second, the signature edition comes with a wholly redesigned power section, with the internal tube running at 262V, the same operating voltage as the old Binson Echorec units1. That is real plate voltage, not the starved-tube approach common in hybrid pedals, and it is the detail Gurus leaned on to get close to the original machine's character.
The controls
The panel carries five knobs plus the two footswitches2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume Echo | Sets the volume of the effected signal2 |
| Echo Time | Sets the echo time2 |
| Length Of Swell | Sets the number of repeats, resulting in some infinite swells when cranked up2 |
| Rep. Tone | Adjusts the brightness of the effected sound2 |
| Age Of Damage | Replicates the natural warble and modulation that come with worn-out rubber parts in the original machines; at maximum it creates a virtual wear suited to shoegaze and noise rock2 |
Age Of Damage is the knob that gives the pedal its character. MusicRadar calls it "perhaps the one you can have the most fun with," because it emulates the degradation of the rubber parts that gave real Echorecs their wobble as they aged2. Combined with the Length Of Swell control's self-oscillation at high settings, the pedal covers everything from clean, steady repeats to deteriorating, modulated washes.
The two footswitches handle switching and timing: one turns the delay on or off, the other is a self-calibrating tap tempo2. Tap tempo on an all-analog Echorec-style pedal is a genuine differentiator, since most analog echo designs of this type have no synchronized timing at all.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review is the main published verdict. The reviewer, Amit, praises the design's relay-assisted true bypass for silent switching and no coloration of tone when disengaged, and highlights the exposed 12AU7 tube and the playful Age Of Damage control2. The one reservation recorded is price: the review calls it "not hugely affordable"2. Guitar World's coverage frames it as a signature product rather than a mass-market pedal1.
The signature edition differs from earlier Echosex models: it has the redesigned power section running the tube at 262V, Lukather's settings marked in neon green, and tap tempo. Earlier models such as the Echosex 2° T7E do not share these features123.
Questions
Is the Gurus Echosex 3º true bypass?
Yes. MusicRadar's review describes a relay-assisted true bypass design, intended to give silent switching and no coloration of your tone when the delay is disengaged. The pedal also runs a 100% analog signal path when engaged.
Does the Echosex 3º have tap tempo?
It does. The pedal has two footswitches: one turns the delay on or off, and the other is a self-calibrating tap tempo, according to MusicRadar's review. That makes it unusual among Echorec-style analog delays, which often lack synchronized timing.
What is the delay time range of the Echosex 3º Steve Lukather?
Guitar World reports that the Echo knob sets the delay time from 35ms to 730ms. For comparison, the earlier Echosex 2 offered 60ms to 660ms, which Pedal of the Day noted was already about twice what the original Binson machines could produce.
Is the Echosex 3º Steve Lukather signature analog or digital?
It is analog. MusicRadar's review describes a 100% analog signal path, with a 12AU7 preamp tube exposed at the heart of the pedal to add warmth to the effected signal.
Who makes the Gurus Echosex 3º Steve Lukather pedal?
The pedal comes from Gurus, the Italian company whose Echosex line Guitar World reports is distributed under Foxgear. Foxgear launched the Steve Lukather Signature edition of the Echosex 3º in March 2023.
What does the Age of Damage knob do?
Age Of Damage replicates the natural warble and modulation that come from worn-out rubber parts in the original Binson machines. MusicRadar calls it perhaps the most fun control on the pedal: at maximum it creates a virtual wear suited to shoegaze and noise rock.
Sources (5)
- Foxgear launches the Gurus Echosex 3º Steve Lukather Signature pedal, the “always-on” Echorec emulator that gives the Toto guitarist his secret sauce, Guitar World, 2023-03-23
- Gurus Echosex 3º Steve Lukather Delay review, MusicRadar, 2023-03-22
- Gurus Amps Announces Echosex 2° T7E Pedal, Guitar World, 2017-07-24
- Gurus Amps Echosex 2 Echo Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2017-02-20
- See Steve Lukather's talented guitar tech Jon Gosnell demo his pedalboard, MusicRadar, 2023-09-06
Steve Lukather
