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Mike Battle's Echoplex was used by Chet Atkins and Joe Walsh
By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Thursday, Apr 10, 2008
His invention was used by such guitar greats as Jimmy Page, Joe Walsh, Les Paul and Chet Atkins.
It was called the Echoplex and it was invented by Akronite Mike Battle, a Ford retiree who lived in Goodyear Heights.
The 90-year-old Mr. Battle died Monday.
Calling hours for the man who also invented a device known as the Tubeplex for musicians will be from 6 to 8 tonight at the Hopkins Lawver Funeral Home, 547 Canton Road, Akron.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, followed by burial at Chestnut Hill Cemetery in Cuyahoga Falls.
The Echoplex, which was small enough to carry in one hand, allowed musicians to ''incorporate studio quality echo effects to their live performance,'' according to Mr. Battle's Web site, http://www.tubeplex.com.
Chet Atkins and Les Paul were among the first users of the device, according to a Web site.
In an interview with Looper's Delight, at http://www.loopers-delight.com, Mr. Battle said Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Joe Walsh of the James Gang also used the device.
''Its functionality has been time proven and almost every delay effect made after it has paid homage to its design: variable delay time, variable repasts/regeneration, wet/dry balance control all in one panel easily adjusted by the player,'' Mr. Battle's Web site stated.
In a 1984 Beacon Journal story, Mr. Battle talked about being in a Florida bar where he spotted an Echoplex being used on stage by the band.
''When the band finished, I went up to one of the band members and asked him how he liked using it,'' Mr. Battle said. ''He raved about it, so I told him, 'Hey, I'm the guy who invented it.' ''
Mr. Battle said the musician told the next performer, country-western singer Tommy Overstreet, that the inventor of the Echoplex was in the audience and Overstreet introduced Mr. Battle on stage.
''Embarrassed the hell out of me, but I did kind of enjoy it,'' Mr. Battle said.
Mr. Battle's Web site said ''guitarists have been the main users of this effect,'' but saxophonists, singers, synthesizer players and more used it as well.
Mr. Battle operated Battle's Electronics on East Market Street for many years.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
His invention was used by such guitar greats as Jimmy Page, Joe Walsh, Les Paul and Chet Atkins.
Get the full article here.
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