BABY BINSON ECHOREC - sold

This is a valve (tube) Baby Binson disc echo from the late fifties or early sixties in excellent cosmetic condition and full working order. It comes complete with the original case, oil bottle and a full set of undamaged original knobs.

We've tested this against our benchmark Baby (a pristine machine restored by Eric at ESE Music/Binson UK) and it performs superbly.

Everything works as it should and this unit sounds very good indeed - not to be confused with the tired and poorly-maintained machines that periodically show up on Ebay. The first four presets are simple single head delays, followed by another eight combination settings which create the unmistakable Binson halo-style reverb sound: think Hank Marvin. There's just the right amount of modulation to create those wonderfully rich and warm timbres that are so evocative.

The motor starts well and the disc spins smoothly and quietly (Binsons can be slow to get started if they've not been used for a while). It will go into self-oscillation if required (this can be adjusted via the internal trimpot) and is capable of all sorts of cosmic noises - Binsons do tend to encourage experimental noise-mongering. The repeats are not hifi - this is after all 50 year-old technology - if you want perfect repeats, buy a digital delay. 

Binson Echorecs are amazingly designed and engineered: where a tape echo's (ie Copicat) input sound is recorded to tape, on a Binson it is recorded onto a circular spinning disc which has replay heads poisitioned around it. It is possible to select single and repeating echoes or reverb-like swells - these units have a sound all of their own. The green Magic Eye valve glows with the level of signal and looks fantastic at night (or on a darkened stage).

Authentic fifties slapback echo, Hank Marvin, psychedelic Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd, Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin: all these sounds and more can be had from this little baby.

Now fitted with an IEC socket for safety, the fuse holder incorporates a voltage selector so it can be used worldwide without an additional transformer. This unit has a German faceplate.

There is some residue from very old gaffa tape on the bottom of the case, though this should come off with careful cleaning.

It sounds fantastic and inspires creativity when you play through it - whoever buys this will be getting a great machine in excellent operational condition which should give many years good service. Being a good quality valve unit, it also sounds wonderful as a pre-amp.

The photos clearly show the excellent cosmetic condition this is in.

There are currently no operational issues with this unit at all, but please be aware that these units require looking after and that regular maintenance is the key to keeping this in good working order.

For optimal performance, the jockey-wheel, motor pin and flywheel should be kept clean; the magnetic band should be regularly cleaned and oiled; the heads should be regularly cleaned.  

Binsons were one of the must-have pieces of equipment for bands in the early sixties, alongside the Fender Stratocaster and Vox AC30. Famously-used and abused by Barrett, Gilmour, Waters and Wright of Pink Floyd in the 60s and early 70s (Echorec 2s are very much in evidence on Live at Pompeii and can be seen on photos from many Floyd live shows), Binsons are increasingly sought-after today by studios, mix engineers and producers for their unique sound: Michael Brauer (Stones, McCartney, Coldplay) famously has an Echorec 2 in his arsenal of vintage delays.

Please be aware that it is a vintage unit and may not take kindly to being shipped. It will be well-packed, but if it's not behaving as it should on receipt, please get in touch. Please be aware that to own a machine such as this, you must be prepared to have it regularly checked over and maintained by a competent technician: it should withstand being shipped, but some calibration may be necessary.

Some of our gear will have VAT at 20% added in the UK/EU, but a lot of it won't. This should hopefully clarify the situation but if you have any questions then please get in touch.

ITEMS WITH VAT:

• These items will have two prices visible: with and without the tax.
• If you are buying in the UK/EU you will receive an invoice showing the tax component.
• If you are buying these items outside the EU when you get to the check out and enter your shipping location you will be charged the ex-VAT price.
• VAT-free sales are also possible to businesses within the EU with a valid VAT number. You will need to contact us in order to buy via this means.

ITEMS WITHOUT VAT:

• Much of what we sell is classified as "Second Hand Goods" and so while we still pay some tax, there is no recoverable/deductible component for sales to any part of the world.
• So, the price you see is the price you pay wherever you are.

ALSO NOTE:

• Shipping charges are also subject to VAT at 20% within the UK/EU - this is included within the prices you see for shipping to those areas - it is not shown separately in the cart but will be shown on the VAT invoice you receive with your goods.

We are very experienced at packing and shipping valuable and sensitive gear worldwide. Binson Echorecs, large valve amps, vintage synths, rare racks, and even a CS-80 or two - you name it, we've sent it and it has arrived in one piece and ready to play.

SHIPPING DISCOUNT ON MULTIPLE ITEMS:

We keep it simple: if you buy more than one item you only pay the shipping on the item that has the highest shipping cost. This is the same no matter how many items you buy together (so the more you buy together, the bigger your shipping discount). If you check all the items out all together this will be calculated automatically at checkout. However, if you make an order and then wish to add to it before it ships please get in touch and we will refund the shipping on the item(s) that are cheaper to ship.

Note that this also allows you to purchase add on items such as transformers and other accessories, and also t-shirts and other merch, without paying any extra shipping on them.

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CAN I COLLECT MY GEAR (and save on shipping?)

Yes! If you want to use this option either get in touch before you purchase, or contact us afterwards and we will just refund you the shipping. Note that collection is by appointment only and only during weekday office hours.

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MORE SHIPPING INFO:

The shipping prices for our gear vary considerably depending on the type of gear, value and destination. To see shipping costs put the item you are interested in the cart and then either use the shipping estimator or go into the check out process. Or just contact us and we'll tell you what you need to know.

It is a fact that, with vintage items, there are going to be times when gear arrives in need of some adjustment or calibration, and some times a piece of gear that was working 100% just chooses the day after arriving for a new fault to develop. However, having been working with sensitive vintage gear for many years, we are very experienced at dealing with these occurrences and will always work with you and get the problem solved as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Note that we have have not entered automatic shipping for every country. The countries we ship to most often will have shipping rates and we are in the process of adding more shipping fees to the check out process. But if you are looking at an item that doesn't have the fee information you need then please use the contact page or call on +44 1773 856475.

Which carriers do we use?

We usually use Royal Mail, UPS and DPD/Interlink - it depends on the item and destination as to which is the most economical. If you have a preference then we should be able to accommodate it (but we may need to pass on any additional costs) - just let us know what you need.