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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: moosapotamus on August 28, 2003, 05:28:00 PM

Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: moosapotamus on August 28, 2003, 05:28:00 PM
Here's one by [guess who :)]...

Echo-Matic a (http://www.moosapotamus.com/Echo-Matic_a.jpg)

Echo-Matic b (http://www.moosapotamus.com/Echo-Matic_b.jpg)

~ Charlie
Title: Pretty interesting
Post by: petemoore59 on August 28, 2003, 11:22:52 PM
Get the right [I didn't see what tape deck they were useing] deck in good condition and you'ld have one fine echo maker...speed control might be handy though.
 Looks pretty easy, and would fit most probably not problem in the deck housing.
 Actually with the repeat function, it would I think make a great addition to a PA...the times I've used a good tape echo most of the time it remains at the same settings and the fine echo effect really helps...I can't seem to get that from these competition' echoes [you know the kind] that have the pretty lit #'s on the front....try this, dial that [there it ain't]. Not to say that a high dollar unit wouldn't do it...I'm sure they do but the ones I've been seen using in recent years don't really even rival tape echoes at all IMO...they help some.
  The times I've tried it...[and had it work] the main trick was to get the deck to play AND record at the same time...on the TEAC reel to reel this required jumpering a switch [it had the solenoid touch pads for play rev foreward etc.]AFAIC remember. We had a super Sont tube reel to reel that would do it too. The Sony was a 'Real' to reel that would simultwo tracks!!!!...Stock! Wish I had that around now...
  Speaking of recording...were supposed to be getting the new puter, this one is intended to be setup for RECORDING multitrack...I'm excited. I hope the installation and orientation goes quickly!!! I have a ton of stuff to work on! Gotta get a keyboard with drums iin it...make that a drum set, matched cymbals and some studio mics...!!!...and a keyboard...and...Santa Clause Rules!!!
 <u boddy's got the programs and will be helping me get started!!!
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Thomas P. on August 29, 2003, 03:11:35 AM
This project looks so cool 8)

I wonder if it's possible to use a TL074 instead?

Regards,
tomboy
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Jered on August 29, 2003, 06:49:42 AM
and it looks super easy!  Thanks Charlie.    Jered
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: ExpAnonColin on August 29, 2003, 01:07:23 PM
Very very cool.  I don't think I have a tape deck lying around... in fact, I'm not sure I have a cassette player anywhere in my house.  That board is incredibly simple in comparison to most delays ou there, and you don't have to worry about bucket brigades.  I wonder how it is at self-oscillation.

tomboy-I assume you could use most 14-pin op amps, but as always the gain and noise can vary between different ones, so I normally just stick to what they ask for.
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: mattv on August 29, 2003, 01:46:29 PM
Wow... cool! Thanks Charlie!
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: nightingale on September 02, 2003, 01:16:49 PM
has anyone tried this one yet?
not sure what to cross the IC with. also, is this a 9v circuit? it says it has a draw of 3v-36v i think. if it's not a 9v circuit, what kind of power supply does it need? i am very curious about this one, i just want to make sure i go in with the right parts, and the right idea!
best,
~ryanS
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Arno van der Heijden on September 02, 2003, 04:36:15 PM
Does it matter what type of tape recorder is used?
The article talks about a "three-head tape deck". What does it mean?
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Ge_Whiz on September 03, 2003, 03:50:06 AM
A "three-head" tape deck is one with separate record and replay heads (plus erase, makes three) so that it can record and replay simultaneously.

I think that you could substitute for the op-amp, but with a repeating signal like this, you'd want a decent low-noise unit, otherwise the replay noise will build up pretty quickly.
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: sfr on September 03, 2003, 04:49:22 AM
you know, there's a nice old reel-to-reel that's been sitting at the music store for some time, and the price has gone down quite a bit , and I've been wanting it, but was didn't want to spend the money just for it to look nice on my shelf next to my old typewriter (which does get used)

of course now that i can think of a reason to get it, it'll be gone . . .
Title: Re: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Ben N on September 03, 2003, 12:49:48 PM
Quote from: moosapotamusHere's one by [guess who :)]...

That would be Mr. Anderton, right?  I remember when the original article came out in Guitar Player.  
God, that's a long time ago!
:?  
Ben
Title: Re: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: moosapotamus on September 03, 2003, 02:10:24 PM
Quote from: Ben NThat would be Mr. Anderton, right?
Nope. His initials are N.B. :mrgreen:

~ Charlie
Title: Reel to reel's are nice anyway
Post by: petemoore59 on September 03, 2003, 06:00:26 PM
Thicker tape [more to grab the sound with], plenty o' tape per reel [you could either make a loop with the third 'gravity tension' reel, or just run the tape from one reel to the other.
 I seems that maybe you could use it to record as usual? and double as an echo device. we have tons of moldy [dang it] reel to reel tapes of old bands..as I remember they play for hours on just one side.
 One cool echo device is what one would be having with one of these retro-engineered tape deck echoes!!!
Title: Are Echoplex's that expensive?
Post by: Bluesgeetar on September 04, 2003, 03:44:18 AM
I got a 1967 Echoplex for $250 from Broadway Music (online) back in 1999.  Have their prices shot up?  I wouldn't sell mine for the world!  They really are that great.  Didn't believe it til I got one.
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: nightingale on September 04, 2003, 01:46:30 PM
so a simple cassette recorder is out of the question?
~ryanS
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: toneless on September 04, 2003, 07:24:48 PM
Very good project but i don't think that a cassette player will work...except if it records and play back at the same time.
I've made a topic in the old forum and a guy send his web page.He had made an echoplex clone from two canibalized cassette recorders!This is a very smart idea.He used the one cassette player for recording and the other for playing back.You can also use a feedback pot for repeats!

Nick
Greece
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Craig V on July 16, 2004, 11:52:15 PM
Has anyone tried this yet?
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Hal on July 17, 2004, 12:46:41 AM
i've been thinking about sometihng like this for a while....

I figure you could take a tape deck, and put another head in it.  Shouldn't be too hard.  I'll try to take pictues when i can...the problem would be getting the tape to loop...otherwise you've gotta flip after 45 minutes ?
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Fret Wire on July 17, 2004, 12:54:08 AM
There was Ritchie Blackmore interview from 1982, where he said he modified a reel to reel tape recorder into an echo/fuzz unit. He said it also gave him some pre-amp boost. He would turn up the deck's output for some "fuzzy effect". He went on to say he got a continual echo with it.  Blackmore said people always thought he was recording his solos. Funny, you can see it in the photo art for Rainbow's live album, "Onstage" (1978). When that album came out, I thought the same thing.
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Fret Wire on July 17, 2004, 01:06:10 AM
(http://img51.photobucket.com/albums/v156/maxlaughs/Blackmore.jpg)

Even the pro's do a little DIY.
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Nasse on July 17, 2004, 04:20:22 AM
:) No wonder in that if Blackmore knows tape echo stuff. He played quite well British "instro" style a´la Hank Marvin & The Shadows music before he become a guitar god.
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: jsleep on July 17, 2004, 05:35:49 PM
Quoteso a simple cassette recorder is out of the question?

any 3-head tape player will work.  Doesn't matter what format of tape machine it is e.g. reel to reel, cassette, etc.  but, it's gotta be a 3-head tape player, which is fairly rare in cassette format and not really even that common on home RtoR players.

JD Sleep
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: RDV on July 17, 2004, 07:22:26 PM
What a "hair farmer"!

RDV
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: LP Hovercraft on July 18, 2004, 02:07:00 PM
Cool photo.  I wonder what kind of conditioner/rinse he uses.  Ritchie also wore those platform shoes to break ground loops as well as accentuate Ronny James Dio's tinyness.  Wasn't that picture from "Rainbow Live:  Hair Farmers and Hobbits Unite!"?
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Lonestarjohnny on July 18, 2004, 02:38:31 PM
you need to read about Lester William Polfus, he sorta invented a lot of thing's back in his early day's and tape looping was one of them.
8)  8)  8)  8)  8)  8)
JD
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: Paul Marossy on July 18, 2004, 05:37:53 PM
Initials are N.B.? From the looks of it, it must be from the Stompbox Cookbook.
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: puretube on July 19, 2004, 02:58:05 AM
on the PCB it says: Boscorelli...
Title: DIY Tape Echo
Post by: theaxeman on July 19, 2004, 05:04:57 AM
Hi

How can you tell if your tape deck has 3 heads? My tape deck is  way old (1980s) it is a seperate, it has line in and out as phono, do you think this is suitable?