“Shadows Echoes and Amps From Then to Now”

[Spike]

Hi Everyone

Trace the history of echo units used by The Shadows from the early sixties to the current period.
Paul Rossiter’s thorough research and accompanying pictures are very interesting and will answer many questions regarding what tunes were played with what echo machines. It also gives examples of where these units were used in live performances. There is also some technical information about each unit that gives an insight into the number heads, delays, feedbacks, levels and other information.

To see this interesting article go to the TVS website http://www.tvsspecialtyproducts.com and click on the “Shadows Echo Machines” tab.

You can also read about the amps that were used over this period at the next link down from “Shadows Echo Machines”. It’s called Amplifiers Used By The Shadows.

Happy reading
Spike

[rockinscott]

Fantastic reading, thanks Spike and Paul, some nice pics as well.

Scott

[dave robinson]

Great stuff, thanks for posting.

[Spike]

Hi Scott and Dave

Thanks for taking the time to read the articles.
There is a lot of work gone into that!

Spike

[Tab]

Essential reading - thanks Paul, Spike

[Spike]

Thanks Terry!!

Spike

[StuartD]

Hi

That's a great piece. Thanks for posting it.

I can add a little to this discussion.

When Hank used the green Binson the settings were as follows:

The switch - the right hand knob - was always on 9

The middle two knobs were always on 10 past the hour

The left hand knob - the input control - was adusted between 5 to the hour and ten past depending on the number. For something like Dance On it was at 5 to and Apache, Slaughter, Somewhere, it was at 10 past.

Somehwere I have a taped converstion with Hank where he explains that and I also have a picture that i took backstage showing the settings. As it was after the show - it will have been set for FBI and the input control was at 5 to the hour.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Stuart

[dave robinson]

I have noticed that the Watkins Shadow Echo isn't included. Hank showed me this unit at Sheffield Bailey's Club backstage, when he did the Marvin/Farrar tour. It wasn't by any means the 'right' echo box. but it sounded great when he used it.

[JimN]

Hi, Spike.

Great couple of articles!

I'm sure you're totally correct on the echoes (and there's a lot of info there I'd never previously encountered), but I'm equally certain that you'll want to make a small correction to the caption or heading "7. May 1962: 3rd AC30/6 (smooth black with gold piping, leather handles, add-on Top Boost)". The first shot, featuring Jet, can't have been taken as late as May 1962, because he had left The Shadows in early April of that year and Licorice had started performing with the group by the end of April. The picture is likely to have been taken in March (or possibly very early April) 1962.

The second photograph under that heading (featuring Licoroce and showing Hank with his "French" haircut) is actually a capture from the TV coverage of the 1962 Royal Variety Performance - the only occasion that Licorice ever used that Fiesta Red Fender Jazz Bass.

Very best wishes and congratulations on an excellent piece of coverage.

JimN

[AlanMcKillop]

Hank was also known to have used a Roland RE-201.

Having been an owner of the Roland RE-3 digital unit, I doubt very much if this was ever used, certainly not for recording as it gives very precise even echo repeats which don't feature in the Snowman, but it did have fabulous reverbs.