Binson Echorec's...Got oil?

Ah yes, cheese, warble and what does  that wire do?

One of the coolest echo units of the 60's era is certainly the Binson Echorec and it's variants. As a repair technician I have had several of these units in my shop for repair and I can point out a few things that might help in your decision on purchasing one

First and very important, please make sure the seller can verify that the unit is working. I mean, actually passes both dry and wet signals. If it does not, then it's a repair job likely to cost you some decent change. This will not only change it's real value but cause you some headaches if you proceed and buy a questionable unit anyway.

Here is why:

Power supply needs a rebuild, the record / playback electronics need attention...some of these items are hard to find, especially the heads! One of the biggest problems with these vintage varmits is the wire...not just the recording magnet wire on the drum (another story) but the wire used in the looms within. These wires were of old manufacturing technology and very poor quality. The rub here is that the insulation not only disintegrates but oozes a slimy oily resin that migrates from within the makeup of this insulation. This nasty chemical common in older plastics will eat up copper! Just touch one of those wires with your forceps and poof, broken wire. The copper has actually turned to dust from it's original state. SOOO, you KNOW what that means...where is the signal going to go? Nowhere. A complete rewire will be in order.  If the unit was properly maintained by the use of Clock oil being applied to the leather pads, chances are that the heads will be okay. Because the friction fit of the heads and drum, this lubricant is very neccesary. Micro inspection of the heads will reveal the type of wear that took place. Hopefully, this wear will be minor and consistant from head to head.

I won't go into a complete discussion of all aspects concerning this unit at this time. However, the call of the day concerning these wonderful widgits is knowing what you are buying and that the seller knows what they are conveying in terms of real world information. If not, there is a 50/50 chance that you will get something thats usefull or a really cool paper weight. At the prices that they are commanding these days, it's very important to err on the side of caution. When properly serviced and maintained, they are simply amazing...the tube units that is. The solid state units??? The jury is out on that one.

"Get yer Valve on"   Ampman1961