DIY Tape Echo

[moosapotamus]

Here's one by [guess who ]...

Echo-Matic a

Echo-Matic b

~ Charlie

[petemoore59]

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!!!

[Thomas P.]

This project looks so cool

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

Regards,
tomboy

[Jered]

and it looks super easy!  Thanks Charlie.    Jered

[ExpAnonColin]

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.

[mattv]

Wow... cool! Thanks Charlie!

[nightingale]

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

[Arno van der Heijden]

Does it matter what type of tape recorder is used?
The article talks about a "three-head tape deck". What does it mean?

[Ge_Whiz]

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.

[sfr]

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 . . .

[Ben N]

Here'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

[moosapotamus]

That would be Mr. Anderton, right?

Nope. His initials are N.B. :mrgreen:

~ Charlie

[petemoore59]

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!!!

[Bluesgeetar]

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.

[nightingale]

so a simple cassette recorder is out of the question?
~ryanS

[toneless]

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

[Craig V]

Has anyone tried this yet?

[Hal]

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 ?

[Fret Wire]

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.

[Fret Wire]

Even the pro's do a little DIY.