DIY SS Tape Echo

[new05002]

Figured we could discuss if its possible to make a compact solid state tape echo. Certainly a huge undertaking but thats why Id love to discuss it with some other peoples (hopefully some builders). My starting point here is to take an EP-3 echoplex and sort of understanding the schematic

http://www.webphix.com/schematic%20heav ... 8-9450.pdf

It was the first SS echoplex that came out after the tube models

Some basic ideas I can think of is that I would follow Fulltones lead and convert to a DC brushless motor instead of a AC motor for 2 reasons. Noise and Control. You can minimize the noise using DC and you can have much more control over motor speed using with DC. Motor speed is correlated to delay time.

[Ancient Astronaught]

Interesting, I didn't know scheme's were out there. How available are the tape heads and other non-typical pedal parts?

[new05002]

Those are things I dont really know. Quality of the tape heads, and the quality of the tape is going to affect the quality of the delay. Its something I would have to research.

[Ancient Astronaught]

Gotcha, I'm really interested to hear how this could work out. Like said earlier this with a built in spring reverb, or built in analog modulation and maybe digital plate verb in a head case would be pretty sick. This is a fairly untapped market, most likely due to the cost and labor involved in building them.

[new05002]

The additional things would have to be way way far out there. The level of design to even just get the delay is likely too much yet to think about additions

[Ancient Astronaught]

Gotcha.

[new05002]

the EP-3 scheme is not awful really. Its actually somewhat simpler than other tape schemes I have seen like the Roland stuff

[amnesiac305]

Very interested to see where this may lead.

[dazedbyday]

I don't know too much on this but from what my boss has said and what I picked up in school, is that tape heads are fairly expensive for the quality ones since no on really makes them any more. The other problem is finding the tape that would have to be used.

[new05002]

You can use mastering tape that people use in studios so long as you can get the right size. Usually no one recommends using NOS tape as its not something that hols up over time.

[dazedbyday]

Yeah my boss was explaining the tape to me and basically anything after a certain time period is pretty crappy because of the oils used. They switched to a synthetic oil that actually starts to break down after 20 years or so (we are past that time) and becomes like glue. So we have to bake some tape to try and get that glue to become like oil again but that only lasts for a short period.

[Demon666]

Just make it! I don't have time for the nerd shit.



Oh yeah I'll take two also.

[dazedbyday]

The other thing I was thinking of would be the ability to get the enclosure right so that you can maintain tape tension correctly. Would you just reuse an echoplex box? This seems to be a complex and expensive project with the mechanical bits.

[new05002]

an enclosure would have to be designed. Hell yea its definitely a pain in the ass.

[dazedbyday]

Hahaha, I guess you have the stuff needed to start planning out how that would need to work. Doing a quick search there seemed to be a few places to buy replacement parts at least that you could scrounge from. Might be cheaper to buy up old machines and salvage though. What kind of tape were you looking at? Looking at the fulltone one, some old videos of the echoplex you would only need a small single track tape since the levels won't be too outrageous and you are only doing the delay signal. No need for 2 inch. Just maybe 1/8" inch or so?