Mojo Hand FX Speakeasy

The Mojo Hand FX Speakeasy is a compact preamp and boost pedal based on the EP-3 circuit, the preamp stage of the vintage Echoplex tape echo. Mojo Hand FX describes it as "Based on the revered EP-3 circuit," and positions it as a way to put that preamp character on a pedalboard in a small enclosure¹. It belongs to the family of preamp pedals and boost pedals that trace their lineage to players running an Echoplex in front of the amp.

The EP-3 lineage

The original Echoplex EP-3 was a tape echo, but players long ago discovered that its preamp stage was worth keeping even with the echo switched off. MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen noted the appeal of running "an Echoplex EP-3 tape echo before your amp," pointing to the EP-3's FET-based preamp as the reason². Guitar World's review of the EP-3's preamp character made a similar point: "the EP-3 has a sweet-sounding preamp that does wonderful things to a guitar's tone, even when the tape echo effect is bypassed"³.

Aion FX, which builds its own EP-3 style preamp project, describes the underlying circuit as "a pretty simple JFET gain stage, but it does something special with the phase response of the signal," and notes that the original ran from a 20V supply⁴. The Speakeasy takes that circuit idea and packages it as a pedal with its own controls.

Controls and what they do

Mojo Hand FX argues that the Speakeasy "one-ups the competition by giving you more shaping ability and tonal range," and that "the separate gain and volume controls essentially double the preamp's usability"¹. In practice, that means the pedal can be set as a clean level boost with the gain low, or pushed into more aggressive preamp territory with the gain up, using the thickness toggle to tailor the low end and punch at higher settings.

The company's own page for its Rook Royale pedal refers to that pedal as "a simplified two knob version of the EP-3 based Speakeasy," which gives a sense of where the Speakeasy sits in the Mojo Hand FX range: it is the fuller-featured EP-3 based preamp in the lineup⁵.

Power and practicalities

The Speakeasy runs from a standard 9V DC center negative supply or a 9V battery, neither of which is included, and draws approximately 3mA¹. That current draw is light enough that the pedal is unlikely to strain even a modest power supply, and battery operation remains a practical option.

The pedal is true bypass, so when it is switched off the circuit is removed from the signal path¹. Its footprint of 4.8" L x 2.62" W x 1.55" keeps it compact on a board¹.

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