(lost in) space echo - now with demo

[StrummersOfThunder]

Danger Swell Throbinson!

Heres a thing:

I picked up what I believe to be an early roland space echo RE 201 recently
Its quite cool. It has a funky low serial number 000004 and is 220v from the factory (more on this)









It works as it should but for a fair amount of tone suck. Now i would say i did expect some of that, and in a sense its part of the lofi charm of the unit, but this has a fair bit.

So naturally I have ordered a new tape for it and will set about cleaning the heads (+/- demagnetising).

So I decided to take it apart of inspect and this is where things get interesting...

[StrummersOfThunder]

I looked at a bunch of stuff on line for layouts and schematics in prep for a potential recap. You can order stuff from a site called echo fix in aussie (tape, felt, springs, caps etc) all in kit form.
When I cracked my space echo I found it differed in a key aspect. It had another small PCB over laying the PT.
All the otehr untis I found online had one large and one small board both affixed to the roof of the unit, where as mine has three.

Also there appears to be some ahem after market fiddling done to the (I presume) power board.

Roland denote their boards with a 6 number serial xxx-xxx and the service manual has these numbers for the main board, power board etc

None of the boards in my unit match up to any numbers ion the service manual, yet they all look very much like roland PCB boards and have the same serial config.

Here is an example of a standard unit from online

[StrummersOfThunder]

And here is my unit.
Note the third board riding the PT





And it looks pretty legit from behind:

[StrummersOfThunder]

And last but not least (sorry to start a sentence with 'And') there is a section of missing components from the main power board plus some evidence of jiggery pokery

[StrummersOfThunder]

So ... was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick and a jar of vasaline?

Some theories thus far:

1. After market fiddling
2. Given the very low serial and the (what would have been) unusual factory voltage 220v (euro spec) maybe this was just one of a handful of factory modded units destined for Ibiza
3. Other

Looking for info so if there are any RE-201 boffins in the house please reach out

[StrummersOfThunder]

Also this is amazing
The spring reverb tank is made in Wisconsin be beautiful women in a sealed chamber

[robthemac]

Also this is amazing
The spring reverb tank is made in Wisconsin be beautiful girls in a sealed chamber

Fixed. Uncomfortably.

[jeremyb]

Far out, excited to hear more as you discover its history!

[Slowy]

Danger Swell Throbinson!

Credit for this!

As for everything else, I got nothing.

[StrummersOfThunder]

Danger Swell Throbinson!

Credit for this!

As for everything else, I got nothing.

Thanks Bruce
Thought you might be the one to spot circa 1965 reference

[JoeBlow]

I'd love to hear some demos of the space echo. So dreamy 🫠

[Cdog]

Fun project and thread. I shall follow with interest

[StrummersOfThunder]

I'd love to hear some demos of the space echo. So dreamy 🫠

I might try and record something tonight. Id like to document pre- servicing sounds anyway

[Slowy]

Danger Swell Throbinson!

Credit for this!

As for everything else, I got nothing.

Thanks Bruce
Thought you might be the one to spot circa 1965 reference

Sigh..... Yeah.

[StrummersOfThunder]

I'd love to hear some demos of the space echo. So dreamy 🫠

Here you go

https://youtu.be/oOxOflan7P4?si=7Mgh8uOEh7tQKE6_