Fender Echo Reverb II

[loudthud]

I ran across something that I've never seen before or paid any attention to. It is a Fender Echo Reverb II from the late 60's. Looking inside to try to date the thing I was surprised to see a motor driving something inside a can about the size of a tuna can. Apparently these are quite rare because oil leaks out of the tuna can and they destroy themselves. How does it work, what is the technology used ? I see something about an aluminum disk, but not much more. Fender got the technology from a company called TelRay, but not much info on that company that I've found so far.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Couple years back I ran across a video of someone who restored one of these type echo devices. Besides TelRay, they were made by other outfits like Adaneko & Morley. Even Gibson, as with their amps & other gear, had some shop make one to put their name on. I have the Gibson version here and I dread tackling the project. On the DeadKoby YT video, the tech explains there's an Ebay based outfit that supplies Union Carbide LB65 replacement oil in quantities sufficient to re charge a couple of tuna cans. Years in the past, that oil was way scarce, only sold in quantity. Lucky somebody went to the trouble of making LB65 available in shop-friendly amounts, and affordable price. Let's hope they're still around. And that oil is special stuff, no substitutes work. Also, contrary to rumors, it isn't toxic. Well, no more toxic than any other petroleum product.

DeadKoby takes one down to nuts & bolts for you here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6kv7I4cPQc

Bonus vid: doughty ol' Uncle Doug resurrects a TelRay here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VvrmsT6zfw

"You can do this." If you have the patience, I'm sure. I'm not so sure about me for that Gibson that's lurking in my junk room.

Let us know how you progress. Good luck!

[vintagekiki]

TelRay is electro mechanical analog delay unit which uses rotating disc inside a small metal drum filled with electro-static fluid, which allows to create echo effects in a live performance without using echo chambers or tape devices.
Fender in the beginning is used TelRay as delay devices.
TelRay is mostly popular at Morley electrostatic delay line effects.

About TelRay

http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/oil_can_delays.htm
The Technology of Oil Can Delays

https://offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=112137
Tel Ray or Fender oil can units

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/telrayoilcanaddicts/
TEL-RAY Oilcan Addicts

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/telrayoilcanaddicts/viewtopic.php?p=3079#p3079
Fender Variable Delay Echo Reverb restoration

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/telrayoilcanaddicts/schematics-and-instruction-manuals-f67/
Schematics and Instruction Manuals

https://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php?topic=117342.0
Oil Can Echo Schematic Questions

https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?t=6677
Fender - Special Effects Center

http://www.voxshowroom.com/us/misc/v807_hood.html
Vox V807 Standard Echo Reverb Unit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6kv7I4cPQc
All about Tel-Ray Oil Can Delays, Electrostatic Delay Line, Adineko

[Enzo]

When I worked in the music store, we had a drawer with things for this.. Had a can of oil, had a disc. Had some of the conductive black rubber pads used as pickups. As I recall, it worked with static charges being placed on th e disc edge. We mostly saw the Morley version.

If interested, here:

[vintagekiki]

About TelRay part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbkkuvZvCY
Fender Echo-Reverb mk1 Oil Can Delay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldTrCiY8Hl0
Fender echo-reverb II oilcan delay Tel Ray 1967

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oX82BtPW54
Fender Echo Reverb III - vintage oil can delay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuPSNSgpn9Y
Fender dimension IV oil can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZC4o33dYmQ
Fender Variable Delay Oil Can Echo Reverb Tel-Ray Adineko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVcBAiWZWEo
Oil Can Reverb Ressurection - Part 1 - with Sylvia Massy

http://gretschpages.com/forum/other-amps/whats-the-deal-w-oil-can-reverb/46850/page1/
What’s the deal w/ ‘oil can’ reverb?

Schematics

https://elektrotanya.com/showresult?what=OILCAN

Fender Echoreverb II
Fender Echoreverb III
Fender Dimension IV
Gibson GA-4RE

Tel-Ray/Morley Ad-n-Echo
Tel-Ray/Morley Delay Echo Reverb
Tel-Ray/Morley Deluxe Organtone
Tel-Ray/Morley Echo-Ver-Brato
Tel-Ray/Morley Rotating Wah

[loudthud]

My thanks to everyone who responded and hat's off to vintagekiki for all the links, more that I could ever get through.