Watkins Super Shadow Copicat – Pre-Owned

The Watkins Super Shadow Copicat is a rare and highly sought‑after analogue tape echo delay unit from Watkins Electric Music (WEM), famed for producing some of the UK’s earliest and most iconic echo machines. Unlike modern digital pedals, this unit uses real tape heads and a motor‑driven loop to deliver warm, organic repeats with the characteristic imperfection and quality that made tape echo such a defining sound of classic rock, blues, and experimental music.

Part of the legendary Copicat lineage — a lineup of tape echo units that dates back to the late 1950s — the Super Shadow model upgrades the concept with multiple playback heads, variable controls, and a richly musical response. Its tactile layout and physical mechanics give players hands‑on control over the delay’s character, tone, and feedback, creating everything from subtle slapback to cascading, rhythmic repeats.

Favoured by collectors and vintage gear aficionados, this unit embodies classic analogue delay charm and remains a benchmark for authentic tape echo sound, especially for guitarists and engineers chasing real tape vibe instead of digital emulation.