This pedal was used extensively during the ‘In Utero’ era, including the studio sessions for the album. According to Kurt’s guitar tech Ernie Bailey, depending on the day, Kurt would use either this or a PolyChorus for live performances. [Nirvana: Super Fuzz Big Muff]
An important thing to note here is that the Echo Flanger and (vintage) PolyChorus are actually pretty much identical, as they share the same circuitry. Therefore, whether Kurt used this or the PolyChorus on ‘In Utero’ is a point really not worth debating.
The pedal was also brought to MTV Unplugged rehearsals, but apparently, it created unwanted buzz/hum. You can actually hear Kurt strum his guitar at around 0:34 in the video below with the flanger turned on, and stating – “they hearing some kind of buzz from this.” (thanks Sebastian). This is also confirmed by Kurt guitar tech, Ernie Bailey.
The Echoflanger was also brought to the rehearsal [of MTV Unplugged] but it wasn´t used because they created too much 60-cycle hum.
Ernie Bailey – kurtsequipment.com
Apparently, Kurt owned only one Echo Flanger, and during the rehearsals for ‘In Utero’, the pedal broke. Kurt’s guitar tech, Ernie, managed to fix it, but Kurt was worried for a moment because, without it, he felt the album wouldn’t sound as he wanted it to.
They were practicing the night before and Kurt said that his Echo Flanger was broken. Kurt said, ‘It’s the entire album—it’s got to work!’ He had been using his Echo Flanger to do all of this material, and I think he was worried that it wouldn’t sound the same.
Nirvana’s In Utero by Gillian G. Gaar
First recording of Kurt using the Echoflanger was In November 1992, when Kurt went to Laundry Room Studio, Seattle, WA and as Kurt claim “masturbated for 20 Minutes” which Kurt recorded 26 minutes of guitar noise for the William S. Burroughs “The Priest they Called Him” which was sent to Portland, OR based label Tim/Kurr who released it, they edited Kurt’s guitar noise from 26 minutes to about 9-10 minutes. But In the beginning before William spoken word comes In you can hear Kurt playing “Silent Night” the first Live shows Kurt used it was probably 01/16/93 São Paulo but Definitely was used a week later at the 01/23/93 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil show used on songs like “Heart-Shaped Box”, “Scentless Apprentice”, ans also used it on “Aneurysm” instead of his Small Clone,
It was obviously used on the Rio Demos January 19-21, 1993 & the Sessions for In Utero at Pachyderm Studio, Cannon Falls, MN February 12-26, 1993 and every live show after 04/09/93 Cow Palace, Daly City, CA. 07/23/93 Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY. Unknown about most likely the 08/06/93 King Performance Center (Mia Zapata Fund Benefit), Seattle, WA as they opened with “Scentless Apprentice” and also played “Heart-Shaped Box” and then on 09/25/93 Studio 8H, NBC Studios (Saturday Night Live), New York, NY. And then maybe the first few shows of the In Utero North American Tour which started on October 18, 1993… Or Kurt could of used it last on SNL 09/25/93 and I know sometime before the In Utero Tour started Earnie Bailey (Kurt’s Guitar Tech) let him borrow his early 80s Electro-Harmonix Polychrous and when Earnie asked for it back he saw that Kurt used white out to mark his settings for Scentless Apprentice, Heart-Shaped Box, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter on the pedal, so Earnie told Kurt to keep it, I believe Kurt mostly used the Polychrous the most during the In Utero Tour, but of course you can see on the 11/18/93 MTV Unplugged Rehearsals he was trying to use the Echoflanger but it cause a Buzz/60-second Cycle Hum. So that’s why during the MTV Unplugged performance Kurt is using his 1981 Small Clone. (Kurt apparently had two 1981 Small Clone pedals one with the Reticon SAD1024 Chip & the other had the MN3005 Chip) Assuming that one was the EHX Small Clone “Mini Chorus” and the other being the EHX Small Clone “Full Chorus” never was confirmed if Kurt owned one of each, or If they both were the Full Chorus or Mini Chorus, the only thing known Is that Kurt owned 2 Small Clone with the Reticon SAD1024 and the other MN3005 Chips, and that both were permanently wired in the “Up” position as Kurt never used the down side of the Small Clone.
this pedal broke down a lot so Kurt used a polly chorus or a small clone more. he used the small clone the most. i would recommend the small clone for anyone
from louie
“The Echoflanger was also brought to the rehearsal [of MTV Unplugged] but it wasn´t used because they created too much 60-cycle hum.”
http://kurtsequipment.com/
“They hearing some kind of buzz from this.” – Kurt 0:34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERN1D2vIiuE
Oh yeah – he actually strums a guitar and you can hear the flanger. Nice catch!
Befor this came up on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHEbQtFSqiQ
The Unplugged rehearsal was my only source to guess if Kurt used the Panasonic MN3007 or Reticon SAD1024a in his Small Clone. The Echoflanger uses two Reticon chips.