The WEM CCB-1 Copicat is a preamp and boost pedal made by Hiwatt, based on the Watkins Copicat, and sold exclusively through Reverb. Rather than recreate the Copicat's tape echo, the CCB-1 exports the original's transistorised preamp circuit, houses it in a pedalboard-friendly enclosure, and adds a powerful EQ for boosting treble or bass frequencies1. MusicRadar's reviewer Jonathan Horsley described it as a tone sweetener in a modern, convenient format.
Controls and power
The pedal keeps things deliberately simple. "There is a control for Level and one for Frequency," Horsley wrote in his MusicRadar review, and the whole unit is a compact two-knob design with no manual to read1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets the output level of the preamp and boost circuit1 |
| Frequency | The tone-shaping half of the circuit, giving the EQ Hiwatt describes as powerful enough to boost treble or bass frequencies1 |
On power, the CCB-1 is flexible: "You can run it on 9V DC from a pedalboard power supply or 18V should you require more headroom and dynamics"1. The 18V option is there for players who want the extra headroom and dynamics; at 9V it runs from a standard pedalboard supply.
Where it comes from: the Watkins Copicat
The circuit the CCB-1 borrows has a long history. In 1958, the Watkins (also known as WEM) Copicat hit the scene, and GuitarPlayer's Dave Hunter called it "the first independent tape-loop-based echo unit in the world"231. JHS Pedals' history of tape echo dates its arrival to the same year3.
The original worked by running a continual tape loop past one record head and three playback heads, with a feedback loop allowing a variable echo-repeat effect2. Its controls were gain, depth and repeats, and the original units were tube powered, running on two ECC83 (a.k.a. 12AX7) and one 6BR8 tubes2. Versions of the Watkins/WEM Copicat remained in production well into the 2000s, though Hunter noted the current state of its availability was unclear at the time of his writing2.
| Watkins Copicat (original) | WEM CCB-1 Copicat | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Tape-loop-based echo unit2 | Preamp and boost pedal1 |
| Controls | Gain, depth, repeats2 | Level, Frequency1 |
| Circuit | Tube powered: two ECC83 (a.k.a. 12AX7) and one 6BR82 | Transistorised preamp circuit from the Copicat1 |
| Echo | Continual tape loop past one record head and three playback heads, with a feedback loop for variable echo repeats2 | None: no tape mechanism2 |
The CCB-1 is not that machine. It carries the Copicat's transistorised preamp circuit into a pedal, so what reaches your amp is the preamp and boost character of the Copicat rather than its tape repeats. Players looking for actual echo would look at delay pedals instead; the CCB-1 sits alongside boost pedals as a front-end tone shaper1.
The CCB-1 is available exclusively via Reverb, so it will not appear in a general pedal retailer's catalog1.
Price and availability
The WEM CCB-1 Copicat was released on 25 September 2024, available exclusively via Reverb1. On price, the two figures in MusicRadar's coverage disagree slightly: Horsley's verdict states "And best of all it retails for just $79," while the release coverage gives $79.991. Both date from the same review, so the list price is $79 or $79.99 depending on which line you read.
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Questions
What does the Hiwatt WEM CCB-1 Copicat do?
It is a preamp and boost pedal made by Hiwatt, based on the Watkins Copicat. The CCB-1 exports the original's transistorised preamp circuit, houses it in a compact pedalboard-friendly enclosure, and adds a powerful EQ for boosting treble or bass frequencies. The sound is inspired by the British-made tape echo units that rose to prominence in the '60s and were used extensively in studios across the world during the '70s.
Where can I buy the WEM CCB-1 Copicat?
The WEM CCB-1 Copicat is out now and available exclusively via Reverb, the online gear marketplace. Hiwatt sells it only through that channel, so it will not appear in a general pedal retailer's catalogue.
Can the WEM CCB-1 Copicat run at 18V?
Yes. According to MusicRadar's review, you can run it on 9V DC from a pedalboard power supply, or at 18V should you require more headroom and dynamics.
Is the WEM CCB-1 Copicat a tape echo?
No. The CCB-1 is a preamp and boost pedal, not a delay. It takes the transistorised preamp circuit from the Watkins Copicat, which was a tape-loop-based echo unit, and puts it in a pedal without the tape mechanism. The sound is inspired by the British-made tape echo units of the '60s and '70s.
How much does the WEM CCB-1 Copicat cost?
MusicRadar's review, dated 25 September 2024, gives the list price as $79 in its verdict and $79.99 in its coverage of the release, so the two figures differ slightly between the two accounts.
Sources (3)
- “The CCB-1 gives you access to the boost and tone-shaping capabilities of the Copicat preamp in a modern, convenient format”: Is the WEM Copicat the $79 tone sweetener you've been waiting for?, MusicRadar, 2024-09-25
- Here's How the Watkins Copicat Tape Delay Helped Define the Sound of an Era, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2022-02-24
- ULTIMATE HISTORY OF TAPE ECHO, JHS Pedals