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Electro-Harmonix Memory Man
The original Memory Man was an early bucket brigade delay (BBD) effect pedal that allowed musicians to create echo effects without using tape. It has been claimed by Mike Matthews (founder of Electro Harmonix) that the Memory Man was the first such “stompbox” echo effect. Release dates for the Memory Man and its competition are not easy to find, so I can’t verify the accuracy of that claim. If it was not the first, then it was most definitely at least one of the first.
The original run of Memory Man pedals can be roughly sorted into two groups based on the type of BBD chip used. The early pedals used Reticon SAD1024 chips. This group may have begun in 1976, and may have been discontinued in 1978. From 1978-1984, Panasonic MN3005 chips were used. The vintage units include several revisions of 3 knob, 4 knob, and 5 knob models. 4 knob models were exclusively SAD1024 based, but 3 and 5 knob models were made with both types of chip.
The SAD1024 pedals came in a 3-knob “economy” model and a 4-knob “deluxe” model.
The MN3005 pedals updated the line to include “economy”, “deluxe”, and “stereo” models. All varieties included an optional delay time modulation of the delay time (chorus, or chorus/vibrato on the deluxe). The economy and stereo models had a fixed speed and depth for the modulation (labelled “chorus”), turned on or off via the slide switch. The “deluxe” gained a 5th knob for modulation depth and the slide switch selected between two speeds (slow for “chorus”, fast for “vibrato”).
The Memory Man pedals were reissued circa 1996. Two models were reissued: the last versions of the 5 knob (Deluxe Memory Man) and 3 knob (Stereo Memory Man). The 5 knob was revised a few times, and the 3 knob was deleted after a few years. Panasonic had discontinued their BBD chips by the 2000s, but Electro Hamonix stockpiled them and reissue Memory Man production was OK for a few years.
By the late 2000s, the Panasonic chips ran out. New BBD chips became available from the Shanghai Belling company. These are labelled BL instead of MN. With the new chips, Electro Harmonix released the Memory Boy, the Memory Toy, and deluxe versions.
Economy Memory Man
3 knob version with 3 SAD 1024 ICs and boost switch.
There are at least two variants: one with a noise gate (“ISSUE A” and “7500”) and one without (“1309”).
- BBD ECHO ISSUE A
- EH 7500
- EH 1309
Deluxe Memory Man
4 knob version with 4 SAD 1024 ICs, compander noise reduction, and squelch switch.
- EH 7550
- EH 1307
Economy with Chorus
3 knob version with chorus switch and MN3005 IC.
- EH 7810
- EH 1338
Stereo Memory Man with Chorus
3 knob version with chorus switch, MN3005 IC. Reissued in the 1990s (boards starting with “EC”).
- EH 7811
- EC 2020
Deluxe Memory Man with Chorus/Vibrato
5 knob version with two MN3005 ICs, compander noise reduction, and chorus/vibrato switch. Reissued in the 1990s (boards starting with “EC”).
- EH 7850
- EH 1343
- EC 2000
- EC 2002
In this series: Electro-Harmonix Memory Man
- Electro-Harmonix Memory Man (You are here)
- Electro-Harmonix BBD Echo Issue A (Memory Man version 1)
- EH 7500 Memory Man
- EH 1309A Memory Man
- EH 1309B Memory Man
- EH 7550 Deluxe Memory Man
- EH 7550 Memory Man Calibration
- EH 1307 Deluxe Memory Man with Squelch
- EH 1307B Memory Man
- EH-7810 Memory Man
- EH 7811 Stereo Memory Man
- EH 7811B Stereo Memory Man with Chorus
- EH 7811C Stereo Memory Man
- EH 7850 Deluxe Memory Man with Chorus/Vibrato
- EH 1343B Deluxe Memory Man
- EH 7850 Calibration
- EH 7850C
- EC 2000 Deluxe Memory Man Reissue
- EC 2002 Deluxe Memory Man Reissue