Anyone remember the all tube echoplex?

Michael McGee · Post by **Michael McGee** » 26 Sep 2003 10:17 am

To those of us old enough to remember them...

IMHO, nothing ever made a steel sound bigger, wider, fuller, sweeter, etc., than the old tube echoplex. So, if you're interested and your pockets are full:
http://www.fulltone.com/C_S_TubeTapeEcho.asp

Mine always dollared me to death with tape cartridges, rollers, motors, but...

the digital delays don't even hold a candle!

This one is too many pennies for me, but I'd love to have one.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 26 Sep 2003 11:41 am

I think Gibson is marketing the EchoPlex. For around $750.oo if I'm not mistaken.
Erv

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 26 Sep 2003 1:27 pm

I still have the old all-tube Fender version. It was nice...in it's day. Problems with noise, breaking tapes, and being temperature-sensitive (they didn't like cold temperatures) led me to switch to a solid-state (analog) unit.

Buck Dilly · Post by **Buck Dilly** » 27 Sep 2003 2:46 pm

I have an old one (tubes with extra tape) that I don't want. It does not work currently but is repairable. I will consider offers, and will not rip my brethren off. buckdilly@yahoo.com

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 27 Sep 2003 8:05 pm

I bought one on July 31, 1968 and paid about $250 and sold it to a friend about 15 years ago and he still uses it. I also decided the newer digital ones are better is all ways. Tapeless, lighter, better sonically and the list goes on but wish I still had the Echoplex to keep in honor of my 35 year old son as I bought it on the day he was born.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 28 Sep 2003 1:45 pm

I bought mine about 20 years ago from Don Dixon. Ive gotten repair parts from Mike Battles. Those guys invented the unit! Mine works very well, and there's nothing else that sounds like it. The Line 6 digital recreations aren't even close.
They definately color the sound though. Once, at a gig, the tape broke. So I took it out of the chain. The sound man said my sound was suffering badly, so I put it back in without the tape. Made a difference. No echo, but the sound was back. I generally use it for 6-string, but sometimes on steel.
JB

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 28 Sep 2003 3:49 pm

Yes, I had one back in the 60's . I thought it was great at that point in time. But now, times does go by......al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

erik · Post by **erik** » 28 Sep 2003 4:03 pm

Someone is marketing a simulator pedal with all the same features. I think it's Dan Electro.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 28 Sep 2003 5:41 pm

yeah, I've used that pedal. I suspect that all Dano did was add a little white noise to the digital delay and call it analog, and then added a bit more and called it tape simulation. I personally have no problem with digital delay at all. I far prefer it to any tape or analog devices I've ever heard -- primarily for the signal/noise, which I never found acceptable before the digital devices were available. Just my take on it.

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Wayne Cox · Post by **Wayne Cox** » 28 Sep 2003 10:18 pm

The old Echoplexs had one little known feature that still separates them from the modern digital substitutes..."swell". No joke,here. There was a tiny hole in the face plate that had a recessed screw adjustment called "swell". When properly adjusted,it contributed heavily to the incredible sound and tonal character of the unit. There is no modern equivalent that I am aware of. Long ago I owned a tube unit,later a solid-state plex. Nowadays I have two different digital echos which are both high quality,but I still miss the old "swell". I wish some technician would incorporate that feature in a modern digital (non-tape)unit.
~~W.C.~~