WEM Watkins Copicat?

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:14 pm

I'd been looking at getting an analogue delay of some sort, most probably an EHX Memory Toy, but now I've been offered a 1972 Copicat for Â£100. Having seen demos online it looks like it does what I want, but would it be worth it? It seems like a vintage tape delay is worth the extra Â£40 (a new Memory Toy is Â£60), but what does ShortScale think?

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:29 pm

They're lovely fun, but can be finicky little fuckers, and they're all really starting to show their age now. There are valve and transistor models (this one will almost inevitably be the trannie version). The tape loops they use are disposable.

What I'm driving at is: they're grief. Get a nice analogue (or analogue-emulating) delay instead. Buy a Copicat for a fiver when you see one at a car boot sale, like you're meant to.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:30 pm

i wouldn't gig with one, buy a nice pedal instead unless you're a home studio boffin.

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:37 pm

Hmm, so I'd probably do better to get the Memory Toy then?

Would it be worth borrowing the Copicat and having a go anyway?

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:42 pm

definitely; like tim says, they're cool, just not particularly reliable as they get older.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:45 pm

The Memory Toy is notoriously flakey as well. If it's just a delay you're after (no modulation etc.) the Behringer VD400 is even better than the SF300.

I'd offer you a money-back guarantee, but...

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:48 pm

I am quite interested in the modulation to be honest, although it isn't a necessity.

I'll see if I can have a go with this Copicat anyway, and then I'll let you know my thoughts!

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:59 pm

Don't get a Memory Toy, though: they're shit.

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:03 pm

Is the Memory Boy any less shit?

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:12 pm

Yep, the memory boy is a bundle of fun, can be used as an analogue vibrato, you can plumb in an expression pedal, and it's not been plagued with the QC issues the Toy has.

Johno · Post by **Johno** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:24 pm

Line 6 Echo Park has tape/analog/digital settings plus modulation.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:34 pm

Freddy, Did you find this?
http://shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.p ... ht=copicat

Plenty of "modulation" from the old beast but you do need to meddle with the controls a bit, that "demo" of mine doesn't show much of it at all but you can make a real racket with one once it's warmed up.

I you have chance to borrow one then go for it!

gypsyseven · Post by **gypsyseven** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:39 pm

The Copycats sound great, but if you really want a reliable analog delay then get a MXR Carbon Copy.I never look back or elsewhere...

Bill Oakley · Post by **Bill Oakley** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:29 pm

Most people give kudos to the MXR pedal. I have a Roland Space Echo RE-201 that I love and haven't had issues with yet but I wouldn't gig with it. It's too big and I wouldn't trust it. Just too much can go wrong. I did buy the RE-20 since I love my tape Space Echo so much and I absolutely love the RE-20.

Benmurray85 · Post by **Benmurray85** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:20 am

this thread reads like my most wanted pedals list

only pedal ive had any first hand experience of is the memory boy which i borrowed off a friend for a few weeks.

it really was top draw. couldnt fault it at all. ive got a friend who raves about the carbon copy as well though.

would love one of those old WEM's though

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:25 am

Problem with the Memory Toy (and Boy ?) aside fro the QC issues are the volume boosts you can get from it on certain settings.

For example, if you have the blend knob below 12 oclock for nice subtle delays then there's a jump up in volume when engaged which gets louder as you turn anti-clockwise. I found it really irritating otherwise it's a magnificent pedal and I would have kept it. My first 2 were faulty out of the box... but I have a feeling they're fixed these quality control issues now. Really not bad for the money. You'll probably need to tweak the trim pot too for friendly modulation.

Personally I find the Carbon Copy a little dark.... although it's been a while. Perhaps that's what you want ? A lot of people do.

I'd have a look at the Echohead delay, I think it's fantastic... failing that a Boss DD of some kind, a lot of these have analogue settings.

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:55 am

for not much more than the price of the WEM I've been considering getting a TC Electronic Flashback - http://www.tcelectronic.com/flashback.asp I've been eyeing these up for some time now and they look the business