The SolidGoldFX Electroman is a compact delay pedal from Canadian effects manufacturer Solid Gold FX1. It is a digital-delay pedal with an analog voicing, offering up to 600 ms of delay time from short slapback echoes to longer repeats12. What sets it apart from a basic delay box is its Warp footswitch, which pushes the repeats into self-oscillating feedback on demand, and an effects loop jack that lets you run outboard effects through the delayed signal13.
SolidGoldFX announced the relaunched Electroman in November 2012 alongside the Surf Rider Deluxe reverb, with new cosmetics, added features, and a reduced street price of $199.00 for the handmade pedals2.
Controls and footswitches
The Electroman keeps its control set simple: four knobs and two footswitches21.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets the time between echoes, from short slapback up to 600 ms14 |
| Level | Sets the delay volume4 |
| Repeat | Sets the number of repeats, from one up to self-oscillation4 |
| Tone | Darker or brighter repeats4 |
The two footswitches are Bypass and Warp1. Warp induces a self-oscillation effect: it instantly turns up the Repeats into self-oscillating feedback and returns to your normal settings when you release it, which works well for swells and ambient textures43.
"With the Warp switch depressed, you can still tweak the Time control to pitch-bend the oscillations, creating a cool Doppler effect."
The pedal also carries a 1/4" effects loop jack, which lets you add textures to the delay via outboard effects and a TRS Y cable1. Anything you patch into that loop affects only the repeats, not your dry signal.
Sound and character
In terms of features and sounds, Premier Guitar's reviewer found the Electroman is most inspired by vintage tape delays such as the Echoplex1. Delicious Audio described the Warp button's behavior in practical terms: with lower settings of Tone and Repeats the Warp effect grows more slowly, while running the delay at full bright settings drives it closer to the edge3.
Versions and history
The Electroman's look changed over its run. The first color scheme was a bright, almost fluorescent green with some black overtones; newer versions moved to a more subtle color scheme4. The 2012 relaunch put the pedal in a metallic sparkle green case with a bold new silkscreened graphic2. At least one unit was rehoused by its original owner, who was not a fan of neon, in a smooth silver finish4.
The Electroman was named among the Best Stompboxes of 2018 according to Dennis Kayzer5.
| Electroman | Electroman MKII Delay | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum delay time | 600 ms12 | 1000 ms6 |
| Controls | Four knobs, two footswitches12 | Five knobs, four toggle switches6 |
| Extras | Warp footswitch, effects loop13 | Modulation with variable speed, effects loop6 |
The Electroman is handmade by Solid Gold FX, and its street price was reduced to $199.002.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, summed up the original Electroman as having "great features, killer delay sounds and an easy-to-use control setup," calling it "one of the most versatile, exciting and useful pedals in any effects arsenal"4. The Electroman was also selected for Delicious Audio's Best Stompboxes of 2018 according to Dennis Kayzer5.
Videos
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Questions
How long is the SolidGoldFX Electroman's maximum delay time?
The Time knob sets the time between echoes, from short slapback up to 600 ms of delay. The later Electroman MKII Delay extended the maximum delay time to 1000 ms, roughly one second, alongside a larger control set of five knobs and four toggle switches.
What does the Warp footswitch do?
Warp instantly pushes the Repeats into self-oscillating feedback while you hold it, then returns to your normal settings when you release it. Premier Guitar's reviewer found that with Warp engaged, turning the Time control pitch-bends the oscillations for a Doppler-like effect.
Is the Electroman true bypass?
Yes. Both SolidGoldFX's announcement and Premier Guitar's review describe the Electroman as true bypass, so the pedal's circuit is taken out of the signal path completely when it is switched off.
What is different about the Electroman MKII Delay?
The MKII, announced in January 2018, extends the maximum delay time from 600 ms to 1000 ms and expands the controls to five knobs and four toggle switches. It adds modulation with variable speed and keeps the effects loop, and Delicious Audio described it as a very warm sounding echo.
Does the Electroman self-oscillate?
Yes. The Repeat knob runs from a single repeat up to self-oscillation at its maximum, and the Warp footswitch brings that feedback in momentarily with your foot. Delicious Audio noted that lower Tone and Repeats settings make the Warp effect grow more slowly, while full bright settings push it closer to the edge.
What colors did the Electroman come in?
The first color scheme was a bright, almost fluorescent green with black overtones; the 2012 relaunch moved to a metallic sparkle green case with a new silkscreened graphic. Later units used a more subtle color scheme, and at least one owner had a unit rehoused in smooth silver.
Sources (6)
- Solid Gold FX Electroman Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-03-15
- SolidGoldFX Launches Surf Rider & Electroman Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2012-11-30
- SolidGoldFx's Electroman Delay, Delicious Audio, 2012-12-31
- SolidGoldFX ElectroMan Analog Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2016-01-15
- Best Stompboxes Of 2018 According To Dennis Kayzer, Delicious Audio (delicious-audio.com), 2018-12-31
- SolidGoldFX Electroman MKII Delay, Delicious Audio, 2018-01-18
