Amps

SELMER-TRUVOICE TAPE ECHO UNITS

(Photo courtesy of Dave Jefferies, Magitec Ltd.)

SELMER ECHO UNITS:
(Click on Model names below for images.)

• THE SELMER-TRUVOICE ECHO 200
  
  Selmer seem to have got into the market fairly quickly, with the introduction of the Echo 200 in 1959. This budget cost unit sold for 36 gns in 1961, which put it in direct competition with the similarly priced Watkins Copicat. Like the Copicat, which had been introduced in the previous year, the Echo 200 had three playback heads and used a small tape loop, again of similar size to the Copicat. The location of the tape loop resisted convention by being in a vertical plane behind a front fold-down panel.
  
  The coverings to the unit followed the trend of the main amplifier range - first red/cream, then blue/grey, and finally crocodile. I suspect that the unit would have been discontinued around 1965, i.e. at the time when echo boxes were becoming unfashionable.
  
  Valve compliment in the unit was 2 x ECC83 and 1 x ECF82. Controls for motor on/off, echo volume, and echo sustain were fitted, together with a further four position rotary control for bring different combinations of replay heads into use. (The rival Copicat initially had a similar rotary control switch for the heads, but changed to the more versatile push buttons for each head in 1960.)
  
  
• THE SELMER-TRUVOICE ECHO 300
  
  This more sophisticated unit was introduced in 1962 during the blue/grey Selmer period. It was probably produced in an attempt to knock the Copicat off its market leader perch, as it was fitted with four replay heads as opposed to the Watkins machine's three and yet it was only six or so guineas more expensive at 45 gns. Furthermore, the 300 was fitted with a three input mixer feeding three balanced level outputs. The Copicat had only a two input mixer feeding the one output. The 300 was therefore ideal for handling the multiple vocals of a band.
  
  Selmer did however take a leaf out of the Watkins' book with the new model, by utilising a push button for each head, giving a very wide selection of multi-tap echo combinations. Echo volume and an echo sustain controls were fitted, plus of course, a motor on/off switch. Valves fitted were 3 x ECC83 and 1 x ECF82, and an erase head was installed, rather than the simple magnet that the Copicat used at that time for wiping the tape prior to the next cycle or record/replay. The Echo 300 was a very attractive machine, both in specification and appearance.
  
  A Mk II version was introduced during 1963 which had improved tape transport.
  
  Again, I suspect that the unit was discontinued around about 1965/66.
  
  
• THE SWISSECHO
  
  The ultimate echo unit, as far as Selmer was concerned. This machine was intended to compete with the Binson, Meazzi, and Dynachords, and it was priced accordingly at 96gns. The unit was actually manufactured in Switzerland, by a company called Uniton AG.
  
  The Swissecho's main claim to fame was its tape system. This, at least during part of the unit's production run, was based on a cassette containing 160 ft (no kidding!!) of "dry lubricated" recording tape. The advantages in relation to tape wear and long life are obvious, providing there were no tangling problems of course! Later models seem to have reverted back to a small "closed -loop" tape, so perhaps the cassette idea wasn't a great success. (Roland seemed to get it right with a smaller length of cassette enclosed tape, some years later.)
  
  Four recording heads were fitted, individually controlled by push buttons, and the input into these was controled by a modulation rotary control, and monitored by a "magic eye" similar to those fitted on the good quality domestic tape recorders of the time. Echo volume and sustain controls were fitted of course, together with a tone control for some unknown reason!
  
  The Swissecho echo unit appeared in the Selmer catalogue from about 1962 to 1965 (again from memory!). It was later joined (in 1963?) by a Swissecho combination PA/Tape Echo Unit, similar in concept to the now highly collectable Meazzi Factotum PA Unit.
  
  I have to say that I only ever saw one Swissecho in use on a stage, and therefore suspect that it was nothing like as successful in the UK as the Binsons etc. Any further information on these very interesting pieces of equipment would be much appreciated!
  
  
• THE SELMER SCINTILLATION REVERBERATION UNIT
  
  A "stand-alone" battery powered unit that was available in the early 70's. This was a solid-state unit, fitted with input volume, tone and reverb depth controls. It did not use a magnetic tape, so perhaps it is a little out of place on this page. Presumably, the reverb effect was obtained by the common spring system? An interesting piece of Selmer history though.
  
  Click HERE to see one of a two Scintillation Units recently (2003) discovered still in their original factory packings - and unopened!

Late 1950's Demonstration EP Record featuring Bert Weedon, Selmer Selectortone Automatic, and "Truvoice Echo Chamber" - Courtesy of Chris Ellis.