The Copicat is back.........to celebrate 50 golden years of service to music.
To hear some Shadows style sound clips by Kevin Ball of Canada using his new COPICAT GOLD click the links.
Kevin has produced and played all sound clips with the Copicat Gold's preloaded patches, as straight out of the box, adjusting only the GAIN & Master volume levels.
Kevin is not a professional musician, he is simply an enthusiastic guitar player much like the majority of us. He has been a customer of mine to whom I have supplied Copicat spares and advice over the last few years or so. He is a keen Shadows fan, who has sent me some samples of his music in the past, now stored in my music files. I must add that his musical taste is not restricted to the Shadows, it covers a wide spectrum including Garry More and Eric Clapton etc. Below is an unedited testimonial Kevin sent me in an email with his views on the new Copicat Gold.
Hi John,
What pleases me so much about the Gold is that it is capable of giving that warm analogue echo sound where when a string is left to ring you hear NO discrete echo pattern, just a long woody tone that sustains for ever. Then as soon as you mute the string you hear just how much echo you are really using. So many people don't realize that that is the true way to get Shads sounds. However the Gold is the easiest machine EVER to get these sounds from. You could literally unpack it, plug it in, turn it on and play Apache! ( that's the first default patch) Press one button and you have Blue Star and countless others.
Press 4 buttons to load the second bank and you have presets for Wonderful
Land, Cosy, Atlantis and many many more. It's the EASIEST EVER. Most of the
presets are very very accurate. I've only found one which I slightly disagree
with and that's just a simple matter of turning off one head and slowing the
speed. The beauty of that is that although it only takes seconds to adjust, you
can easily commit the new setting to memory for one button access in the
future. Yes this machine is the real deal.
Best regards
Kevin Ball.
The spec:
Contains 10 basic tape echo’s which may then be edited and stored in any of the 12 patch memories
All quarter inch jack connectors. Single input switchable from High impedance for guitar or line inputs to low impedance high sensitivity for low impedance microphones. Direct signal cancel for series/parallel effects loops. Mono/Stereo mode switch. Effect on off button.
Jacks for 4 footswitches which are assignable to any of the patch or control buttons for easy foot operated changes.
Each echo unit has 5 heads with 2 sets of head spacing's - these set the basic echo pattern. Each head has editable volume level and may be panned across the stereo image.
Cross, stage traversing stereo function helps eliminate many experimental hours to secure within patches for inclusion with a split second recall to a current mixer set up.
Effects include reverb, flanging phasing, tremolo.
The perfected sounds of Binson - Space Echo - Meazzi etc. PLUS the product of 3 original Watkins Copicat's. PLUS A WHOLE, BUILT IN LIBRARY OF EFFECTS.
This is no mass produced item, it's a "boutique" hand built echo unit produced by Watkins Electric Music, with a direct hands on approach from Charlie Watkins himself right here in the UK. To date there are just twelve in existence, several of which have been sold overseas. I am pleased to offer Number CW011 which has been personally signed by Charlie Watkins especially for you.
The first batch of Copicat Gold echo units have all been sold, I have been advised that a second batch should be available from the Autumn of 2010.
As the Copicat Gold is mostly hand made by just a couple of people, production is a slow process, they are made in small batches of about 12 units at a time.
The lucky owner of these has a unique piece of of history from the most famous, longest outstanding maker of echo units the world, is ever likely to see. Mr. charles-watkins
To secure one of the next batch, please register your interest by emailing or phoning John Beer at amp-fix. I will hold your details on file and notify you on the basis of first come first served when they become available. No money will be asked for until they are ready. Your details will not be passed on to anyone else. If you want one act fast, the first batch all went within a few weeks.
Enquiries welcomed at Amp-Fix.
Fender Stratocaster, VOX AC-30, Watkins Copicat. Perfect match, everybody should have one.
Latest update from Watkins on the 16/06/2010 is that the Copicat Gold should again be available in 8 - 12 weeks. price to be confirmed.
Tel: 08 45 47 22 14 5 Return to Items For Sale Home Contact
Please be aware this unit is DIGITAL, not tape
Below, an overview of settings etc.
"Copicat" is a registered trademark of Watkins Electric Music