The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anyone out there in Cyber Space know anyone that can repair these tape echo units?

I found the following:

Kurt Pena
Fuzzorama Laboratories - fuzzorama@hotmail.com
12670 San Pablo Avenue
Richmond, CA 94805
Phone: 510-236-2533
Fax: 603-696-0505
Accepts Cash, personal check
Rates:Free estimates. No Bench Charge. $42.50 minimum on accepted jobs. Echoplex, Wurlitzer, Rhodes repairs $85 (and up). Vox and Farfisa repairs $120 (and up). Quarter-tracks $85 (and up)

Maestro Echoplex, Roland Chorus Echo, and other tape loop machines lovingly rehabilitated and reloaded with fresh tape.
Vox, Farfisa, Yamaha, and other transistorized organs debugged.
Tube amplifier repair, restoration, improvement, and alteration to suit.
Wurlitzer and Rhodes piano repair and improvement.
Analog studio gear including quarter-track reel-to-reel machines serviced.
We emphasize full-functionality, reliability, and highest quality sound in every job. Why not send your Maestro Echoplex, Fender Electronic Echo, or other vintage electronic echo effect to us for service?

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ken Fox on 09 April 2003 at 01:31 PM.]</p></FONT>

An Ecco Fonic! Wow, I thought I was the only one that ever had one of those. I bought one from Chuck Levin's music store in DC sometime around 1960. I don't think that the Echoplex was on the market yet. At the time I thought it was the neatest gadget that had ever been made. Actually I know that Chuck sold at least one other one because he told me that I bought the second one he sold and that he'd sold the first to Bo Diddley who was living in the area at the time.

The thing real cranky piece of equipment though and required constant maintenance. I soon learned how to load the tape myself and my father, who worked for NASA, got a hold of some specially lubricated tape that was used in satellites (I don't think they use tape in satellites these days ).

I finally junked it when I was cleaning out the attic in preperation for a move about two-and-a-half years ago.

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Rick Richtmyer
Sugarloaf Recording
Good News

fuzzorama@hotmail.com doesn't exist.

Thanks Ken, Richmond isn't that far. I'll call the guy and see what he says. I powered it up over the course of a day with my VariAC but the motor wasn't running so Turned it off after only a very brief period at 110v so I wouldn't burn anything.
Rick, I've heard these things need lots of maintenance, can you recall what you had to do and how often? How long did a tape loop last?
If anyone finds the missing covers I'd trade or buy them.
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Black on 13 April 2003 at 11:39 AM.]</p></FONT>

.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Black on 13 April 2003 at 11:50 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Black on 13 April 2003 at 11:58 AM.]</p></FONT>

Mike, as I said above, the maintenance level was extremely high. To my knowledge, other than tremolo, which was built into many amps of that era, there were no other effects built for the guitarist. It predated the Hammond spring reverb (and I thought it was a much cooler sound) and the fuzz box (I believe the first use of fuzz was Grady Martin's serendipitously broken amp on Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry 'bout Me.") And it would really, really attract attention.

But the maintenance required was just horrendous. I finally gave up on it although I later bought a used Gibson Echoplex and used that briefly in the early 80's. I guess those gadgets have their "sound" (actually caused by wow and flutter in the tape transport) that isn't usually duplicated by digital echo devices and if you really want that sound than you may have to go that way, but as for me and my house, we'll go digital.

But the straight answer on tape maintenance is that I'd figure on putting a fresh tape in it before each gig. And don't forget to clean the tape path and degauss the heads.

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Rick Richtmyer
Sugarloaf Recording
Good News