The Keeley Eccos is a true stereo delay and looper pedal from Keeley Electronics, built as a digital throwback to one of the oldest effects in the electric guitar's history: analog tape delay1. At its heart is what the press has called a "neo-vintage delay with unprecedented control over tape-style echoes," with delay lines whose trails are tape-flanged, echoing the sound of vintage reel-to-reel tape decks12. Premier Guitar described the result as "instant, highly controllable classic studio tape flange and analog delay sounds"3.
It is a hybrid design: the delay and looper run on Keeley's proprietary Quad 24/56-bit Dream DSP, but when the pedal is disengaged the signal path stays 100% analog14. The looper records up to 120 seconds in mono or 60 seconds in stereo, and the delay offers up to 1.5 seconds of delay time12.
The controls and secondary functions
The front panel gives you Time (up to 1.5 seconds of delay), Rate, Blend, Depth and Feedback controls, plus a Mode switch for choosing the voice width16. Time, Blend and Feedback form the basis for shaping the repeats, while Rate and Depth control the modulation speed and intensity added into those repeats7.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets delay time, up to 1.5 seconds12 |
| Blend | Sets the delay/modulation mix; can take the modulation toward a more vibrato-like flavor32 |
| Depth | Controls modulation intensity in the repeats; increases flange feedback intensity32 |
| Rate | Controls modulation speed7 |
| FDBK | Sets repeats and flanging; doubles as a push button for the secondary controls32 |
| Mode switch | Chooses the voice width8 |
The FDBK knob is the gateway to a second layer of controls. Pressing it doubles as a push button switch for the secondary set, which includes Vibe (modulation style), Tone, and Regen (flanger regeneration)7. Premier Guitar found the feedback dial especially sensitive, and noted that pressing and holding it while moving the rate control engages a high-pass filter3. The modulation depth control carries a lot of color, enabling what the reviewer called "distinct and authentic 'Bold as Love' swirls"3.
There is a Tap Tempo switch on board, and an expression pedal output assignable over any parameter and in any direction1. An input for a remote tap tempo control is also provided, though neither the expression pedal nor the remote is included with the pedal3.
Delay mode and looper mode footswitches
The Eccos has two stomp switches whose jobs change with the mode. You switch between Looper mode and Delay mode by quickly double tapping the FDBK knob1.
- Delay mode: the switches handle true-bypass of the signal, tap tempo, and even endless feedback from the delay14.
- Looper mode: the same switches let you record, play, reverse the current loop, halve its speed, or trigger a "play-once" mode15.
The looper also offers sound-on-sound recording capabilities and a runaway feedback oscillator3. Holding the tap tempo switch down plays your loop backwards, and double tapping it drops the loop to half speed3. Holding the FDBK knob down for one second undoes the last recorded passage2.
The pedal stores three presets for instant recall1. To use them, double tap the Bypass switch or tap the FDBK knob, select slot 1, 2 or 3, and hold down Bypass for two seconds to save7. Presets can also be created and recalled via the tap tempo switch3.
Delay-time subdivisions come in Quarter, Dotted Eighth, Eighth and Triplet flavors, selected by holding the FDBK knob and hitting the small toggle switch7. Used in stereo with both outputs, the pedal creates a slight stereo field, with ping-pong echoes when the subdivisions are engaged7.
History and versions
The Eccos was first announced at the 2018 NAMM show, a full two years before it reached the public at NAMM 20209. Robert Keeley said the company had been working on it for the last two years, through several revisions, and that the newest addition to the design was a fully featured looper5. In Keeley's own words from the announcement:
"The Eccos Delay/Looper pedal has truly become our flagship design."5
The pedal became available at Keeley dealers on January 16, 20205, listing for $2494, a price Premier Guitar still cited as its street price in 20233. It sits in a Keeley delay line that has since grown to include the Keeley Halo Andy Timmons Dual Echo, the Keeley Halo Core and the Keeley RK2000 Funk Siren Delay.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com) called the Eccos "up there with the best they've ever released," praising its unique and amazing delay portion7. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the delay tones "warm and dark," thickening the sound deliciously, with flanging effects that were open and airy with single-coil pickups, and concluded the pedal was well worth mining for classic analog delay colors and authentic studio flange, with easy looping overall3.
Delicious Audio's best-delay-pedals roundup took a more measured view, summing up its pros and cons as610:
"Pros: Great tape-style echo and flanger sounds, the looper is a nice extra. Cons: Not very intuitive."6
The same site's best pedals of 2020 feature placed the Eccos in 3rd position in its combined ranking10.
Videos
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Questions
How long can the Keeley Eccos loop?
The looper records up to 120 seconds in mono or up to 60 seconds in stereo. From the two footswitches in looper mode you can record, play, reverse the loop, halve its speed, or trigger a play-once mode, and holding the FDBK knob down for a second undoes the last recorded passage.
Does the Keeley Eccos have trails?
Yes. The Eccos offers stereo true-bypass or trails operation, and you can switch between the two on the fly rather than committing to one at setup. In delay mode the stomp switches handle true-bypass, tap tempo and endless feedback.
How do you save presets on the Keeley Eccos?
The pedal stores three presets. Access them by double tapping the Bypass switch or tapping the FDBK knob, then select slot 1, 2 or 3 and hold down Bypass for two seconds to save. Presets can also be created and recalled through the tap tempo switch.
What delay subdivisions does the Eccos have?
Quarter, Dotted Eighth, Eighth and Triplet subdivisions are available. You select them by holding the FDBK knob and hitting the small toggle switch. Premier Guitar also notes the fdbk control lets you choose several delay time subdivisions.
Can you use an expression pedal with the Keeley Eccos?
Yes. There is an expression pedal output, and an expression pedal can be assigned to any parameter and in any direction. Pedal of the Day used one to control the Blend parameter. The expression pedal itself is not included with the pedal.
Sources (10)
- Keeley Eccos Stereo Delay/Looper, Delicious Audio, 2025-05-09
- Keeley's ECCOS Delay Looper gives you neo-vintage, flanged stereo delay tones, gearnews.com, 2019-11-11
- Keeley Eccos Delay/Looper Review, Premier Guitar, 2020-10-04
- Demo: Keeley’s Eccos is a vintage delay married with a looper, Guitar.com, 2020-01-20
- Keeley Electronics Releases the Eccos Delay/Looper, Premier Guitar, 2020-01-16
- The 3 Best Delay Pedals Per Type, In 2023, Delicious Audio (delicious-audio.com), 2023-08-25
- Keeley Electronics ECCOS Delay Looper, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2020-03-14
- NAMM 2019: Keeley announces new Synth-1, DDR, Fuzz Bender and Eccos, gearnews.com, 2019-01-24
- GW live at NAMM 2020: Did Keeley Electronics' Eccos delay/looper live up to the hype?, Guitar World, 2020-01-21
- The Best Guitar Pedals Of 2020 according To The Internet Experts, Delicious Audio, 2021-01-21
