Magnetic Effects Electrochop

The Magnetic Effects Electrochop is an optical tremolo pedal from UK manufacturer Magnetic Effects, built around the LFO (low-frequency oscillator) section of the classic Vox Repeat Percussion¹. Where a basic tremolo gives you one speed and one shape, the Electrochop offers ten waveforms, tap tempo through an external switch, and a speed range that runs from a slow, smooth pulse up to rates that push into ring-modulator territory¹².

Magnetic Effects describes it as a versatile optical tremolo that "excels at subtle, smooth tremolo sounds as well as choppy sounds or pattern type tremolo sounds"¹. In other words, it covers both ends of the tremolo spectrum: the gentle amp-style shimmer and the hard, rhythmic chopping that the Repeat Percussion circuit was known for.

From smooth pulse to choppy patterns

The Electrochop's character comes from its lineage. Magnetic Effects built the pedal around what it calls "the classic, unique LFO section from the Vox Repeat Percussion," paired with a newly designed audio circuit². The Vox Repeat Percussion was a choppy, rhythmic tremolo, and the Electrochop inherits that character while adding modern control.

How choppy it gets depends on the settings. Delicious Audio noted that at higher speeds "the sound morphs into a ring modulator type effect"⁵, and Premier Guitar's reviewer found that high-depth settings at the fastest speed range "yield almost ring modulated effects, while lower depth settings conjure unique twitching textures"⁶. For players who want a tremolo that can go beyond conventional pulse into more experimental territory, that top end of the speed range is where it lives.

The controls

The current version keeps the control set simple but deep:

The depth control is worth a note: Premier Guitar's reviewer points out it is "actually, a blend for the dry and modulated signals"⁶, which means at lower settings your dry signal stays present rather than simply getting a shallower wobble. That is closer to how a parallel effects loop works than a conventional depth knob.

An LED next to the footswitch indicates the speed and depth setting in both bypass and active modes, with its color signifying whether the pedal is active or bypassed¹. Guitar.com's reviewer also noted that the LED pulses in time with the effect, whether it is on or off⁷.

History and versions

The Electrochop has been through several versions since it first appeared:

• 2013: Magnetic Effects, a UK manufacturer, announced the original Electrochop. This version was 9V DC adapter or battery powered⁵⁷.
• 2016: A limited-run reissue, built in limited numbers and available only in black⁸. Around the same time the pedal was updated with top mounted jacks and a DC socket¹.
• 2019: The refined version covered by most reviews: ten waveforms, tap tempo via external switch, 9 to 18V DC operation, priced at $175 US plus shipping or £125 RRP in the UK¹⁴.

Players comparing used or older units should check which version they are looking at, since a new version of the Electrochop has been released³.

What reviewers said

Premier Guitar reviewed the Electrochop in 2021 at a street price of $138⁶. The reviewer's most striking finding concerned the volume control: he found it so effective that it became his primary source of clean signal boost⁹.

Premier Guitar's reviewer, on the Electrochop⁹

That is about as strong an endorsement as a pedal gets from a working reviewer. On its relationship to its inspiration, the reviewer found that "compared to a vintage Vox, the repeats are less noisy and a touch more contoured and civilized, yet they're still deep and heavy"⁶.

The reviewer also tested it in combination with other effects, finding that the Electrochop "positively excels with a nasty, buzzing '60s-style fuzz out front"⁶. For players running a fuzz into a tremolo, that pairing is where the pedal showed its strengths.

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