Chet's Echoplex

[Ray Bohlken]

I was going through George Gruhn's list of articles and ran across this one. I thought y'all might find it interesting. I don't think it's been posted before, but with my memory, you never know.
Ray

http://www.gruhn.com/features/chetechoplex/MC0045.html

[Steve Sanders]

My old Echoplex is just like this one of Chet's with the exception of the power indicator light. Mine is the rounded one that glows orange instead of the round flat top one in this picture that glows red. Other than that everything else looks the same. These are great macines and really put out that vintage "Chet" tone. I believe mine is a transitional model. The EP-2 I think was a tuber and the EP-3 was a solid state model. Mine says EP-3 Solid State but it has 3 tubes! Who can figger? Anyway, you ought'a hear Blue Ocean Echo on one of these, it's great!! Folks say the Lexicon PCM42 is "the thing" but there's a lot to be said about the old analog technology. One thing for sure.....it's a LOT heavier!!! Steve

[albertgen]

I have an old EP2 and a EP3. I like them both but prefer the EP2. Al

[Ray Bohlken]

I always wanted one of these, but could never find one at price I'd pay...cheapskate I guess. I did have a Binson Echorec. It was a decent unit, but I never quite got the sound I heard from Echoplex units. It's all in the hands and I'm sure that was the reason for that.
Ray

[Tom Workman]

I had one of these back in the 70's. I bought it from a friend who needed the money for $275 and sold it a couple of years later for the same amount and I sure wish I had it back. Even with today's digital technology, they can't match the sound of these units IMO. -Tom W.

[albertgen]

I hear a lot of good things about the Fulltone Tube Tape Echo, but they quite expensive. Al

[gmoseley]

Hello Al,
I understand Steve Wariner is using one of the Fulltone units and really likes it. They're supposed to be quiet as a mouse,,,no tape hiss like we used to get with the old Echoplex. Those things always had their own sound qualities, awfully hard to beat! (Of course, so is the old Lexicon PCM-42, but if you can find a nice one they'll set you back big bucks too, I saw one "like new" . . . it went for over $1,400 on E-Bay)

Gayle

[albertgen]

I have a Lexicon PCM-42 which is a lot of fun, what made me want a Lexicon PCM-42 so bad was when I first heard Chet play Knucklebusters. He would play a line then hit that A6/9 chord and hear it comeback and it just blew me away. My old EP2 I've had for a long time. I sent it back to Mike Battle in Ohio and he put all new parts in it before he died. It works like a charm. I also have an EP-3 in mint condition from the 70's and I had that one done too. They are both great pieces of gear. I would love to get a Fulltone sometime, I like the idea of them using 12ax7a tubes and a quiet motor. The tubes in the EP-2 are expensive and are more noisey. Al