Echoplex EP-3 with valves

[bpier]

Hi, I'm new on this forum. I'm french guitarist who lives in Montpellier, France. Now, my question : I'm just buying a Echoplex EP-3 th a french ebayer. And, when I reveiced it, surprise, this solid state has three valves beside its front panel. Someone have some informations about these models ?
I can post some pictures, if necessary. Regards.

[52 Bill]

Hi, I'm new on this forum. I'm french guitarist who lives in Montpellier, France. Now, my question : I'm just buying a Echoplex EP-3 th a french ebayer. And, when I reveiced it, surprise, this solid state has three valves beside its front panel. Someone have some informations about these models ?
I can post some pictures, if necessary. Regards.

I'm not sure if this is what you have, but in the 1980's (I think), Harris Teller purchased up the remaining stock of parts, etc. from Market Electronics and produced a tube circuit Echoplex, that was housed in what looked like the standard solid state EP-3 chassis. I have only seen one of these, as they are fairly rare. Pictures would be helpful to see what you have there.

[bpier]

Your explanation seems to be the good one. On the circuit board, the year is indicated : 1979. And the signature "JFB" is reproduced on this PCB. My seller has bought this EP3 in 1981 in New York. Tomorrow, I will take some pictures and I will post these.

[bpier]

It's probably an Echoplex made with the stock parts bought by Harry Teller.
The serial number does not correspond to the EP-3 Mike Battle series.

Here the first pictures :

[bpier]

More pictures :

[Steve A.]

Just wondering if you have found a source for replacement tapes? I seem to remember people just taking the cartridges apart and replacing the tape...

Thanks

Steve Ahola

[52 Bill]

This one looks a little different from the one that I remember, but my guess would be that it is one of the Harris-Teller models.

Harris-Teller is a huge wholesaler, that sells to thousands of music stores in the US. They are still in business, but I don't know if they have any info on these models. I do know that they do not have any parts left, as I have tried to get my hands on any old Echoplex parts that they might have had.

Steve:
As for tapes, the Fulltone tape is supposed to be a direct replacement, and Mike Battle was selling his tapes online. Mike Battle's family has stated on the website, that they will continue to make parts available in the future.

I can remember refilling the tape cartridges with 8-track tape stock, when I was too broke to buy a new one. The plastic ones are really difficult to get apart, and the tape is a pain to re-spool. The correct length of the tape is supposed to be 25 feet, but I usually quit after 10, that is if I could get 10 feet loaded on the reels!

[bpier]

Steve
You have different sources for tape cartridges : in Europe, the Banzaieffects site web, a online shop => http://www.banzaieffects.com/home.php ; on Ebay, vklempt who lives in Akron, sells Mike Battle's tape => http://myworld.ebay.fr/vklempt

Regards.

[bpier]

My plex is probably not an Harris-Teller EP-3. Here is a short story of the Harris-Teller Echoplex's, published on this site http://www.vintageguitar.com :

"Harris-Teller Models (late '80s): Following the late-'70s demise of Maestro by Norlin, Market Electronics was left to find distributers for its product. One of its largest accounts was the Chicago-based wholesaler, Harris-Teller. These units say "Echoplex" on the front instead of "Maestro."

With the death of Bob Hunter, the Echoplex division of Market Electronics (and related trademarks/patents) was sold to Harris-Teller around 1984. Manufacturing was jobbed out to a local electronics concern, Crystal Valley Electronics, which used existing parts inventory to build a run of the EP-2, EP-3 ($550) and EP-4 ($550) models. The limited edition EP-2 reissue was called the EP6T ($739.50) and like the original, was all-tube. All three appear similar to the Market Electronics models, save for a "Quality Product from Harris-Teller" tag. Units were sold starting in the Spring of '85 and the company was still selling its stock of EP-4s as late as '91, although demand and awareness from the public had diminished. It still has a large inventory of selected parts that can be ordered through music stores, although you may want to check availability first by writing Harris-Teller, 7400 S. Mason St., Chicago, IL 60638. There are no circuit boards or cases, but motors, heads, and many of the specialty parts are in stock."


Mine is finally a mystery. However, It is built with good parts : two 6EU7 and a 6C4 valves, as the EP-2, caps Orange drop, Mallory...

[Regis]

There are a lot of places that sell replacement cartridges for Echoplexes.

With the passing of Mike Battle a few weeks ago, I have it on good authority that his Tubeplex website won't be selling Plex parts and cartridges anymore. His grandson-in-law Bart runs a site called Mewplexfx.com and will reload old Plex carts as well as selling other parts and probably new carts as well. There are also several other places around the internet that will reload old cartridges.

Mike Fuller will not sell his TTE cartridges to anyone but TTE owners. He says so on his website.

Steve and Bill, I am working on publishing a method for reloading old Plex carts and will have in up on an expanded version of my Echoplex page in a week or so. The pressure pads can be refurbished as well and I'll have info on that too.

[bpier]

After many research, here the response about my EP-3 with valves. It comes from Bart Postlewait (Tubeplex) :

" That model is a Market Electronics made machine. Mike Battle built those by hand. He was concerned that the new solid state machines might not be as successful as the original tube ones so he converted some of them back to tube circuitry. They are very hard to come by and usually sound great! "

Thanks a lot Bart.