Fulltone Tape Echo anyone?

heepeejeep

Joined: Feb 28, 2013
Posts: 350
Norway

Posted on Jan 05 2016 05:36 AM

Any experience with the Fulltone Tape Echo (tube or SS) in here?
Obviously a big step up in sound & preformance, I was wondering more about durability, longevity of tapes, hum/noise, general maintenance etc.?

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psychonaut

Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1305
2 Download Pins

Posted on Jan 05 2016 07:23 AM

heepjeep wrote:

Any experience with the Fulltone Tape Echo (tube or SS) in here?
Obviously a big step up in sound & preformance, I was wondering more about durability, longevity of tapes, hum/noise, general maintenance etc.?

I don't have a Fulltone but I use an Echoplex ep3, which the Fulltone SSTE is modeled off of. It's 43 years old already and still works and sounds like the day it was made, and I've really put some mileage on it as I use it all the time and gig with it. the tapes are meant to last about 6 months, BUT, they last way longer than that; The current tape I have in mine is going on 4 years already and I haven't noticed any degradation yet! The Echoplex is a little noisey, but no noisier than your average amp, plus you forget about that because of how good it sounds. The Fulltone is supposed to be a much improved and quieter circuit. Tape echoes require maintanance like everything else. Mostly cleaning, lubing, and demagnetizing once in a while -- all really easy to do. If the Fulltone is anything like an EP3, then you'll probably love it. Worth every penny I'd say.

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https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com

Last edited: Jan 05, 2016 08:07:54

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Jan 05 2016 08:22 AM

I concur with the 'Naut – Fulltone makes a great tape echo. For those of us who don't mind the expense and mechanical upkeep, there's nothing like it. I think of it as a musical instrument in its own right, on par with an amp and much more than an effects device, mostly because of its self-oscillating ability, the way you interact with it mechanically (yanking the sliding head back and forth) and the intensity of some effects possible from it. While the more unique qualities of tape delay are largely lost to surf music (except in rare cases of Echoplex solos as in the Surfaris' Moon Dawg)in more electronic music, it plays a large role. psychonaut wrote:

heepjeep wrote:

Any experience with the Fulltone Tape Echo (tube or SS) in here?
Obviously a big step up in sound & preformance, I was wondering more about durability, longevity of tapes, hum/noise, general maintenance etc.?

I don't have a Fulltone but I use an Echoplex ep3, which the Fulltone SSTE is modeled off of. It's 43 years old already and still works and sounds like the day it was made, and I've really put some mileage on it as I use it all the time and gig with it. the tapes are meant to last about 6 months, BUT, they last way longer than that; The current tape I have in mine is going on 4 years already and I haven't noticed any degradation yet! The Echoplex is a little noisey, but no noisier than your average amp, plus you forget about that because of how good it sounds. The Fulltone is supposed to be a much improved and quieter circuit. Tape echoes require maintanance like everything else. Mostly cleaning, lubing, and demagnetizing once in a while -- all really easy to do. If the Fulltone is anything like an EP3, then you'll probably love it. Worth every penny I'd say.

—

Squink Out!

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mad_dog

Joined: Sep 23, 2008
Posts: 349
Montclair, NJ

Posted on Jan 06 2016 06:43 AM

I was on the list at Sweetwater for the new Fulltone SS echo unit. But there have been no end of mechanical problems with the first generation. Hopefully fixed. What got me off the list was a substantial price boost by fulltone. No waiting list committments applied; everybody gets the higher price. Bad business, so I'll pass.
MD

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stratdancer

Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
United States

Posted on Jan 06 2016 07:23 AM

Listening to Psychonaut manipulate his echoplex makes me wish I would have saved my money up and bought one instead of the El Capistan. It truly is a musical instrument. Fantastic stuff!

—

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Jan 06 2016 10:13 PM

Coffin Daggers rock! It's great to know punky hard surf is alive and well and being played on Mosrite guitars! The Ghastly legacy Keeps coming back from the grave, a rotting corpse that won't stay dead!

Oh, and cool echo!

stratdancer wrote:

A> Listening to Psychonaut manipulate his echoplex makes me wish I would have saved my money up and bought one instead of the El Capistan. It truly is a musical instrument. Fantastic stuff!

—

Squink Out!

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TVTheWiredTurtle

Joined: Dec 03, 2009
Posts: 861
Sandy Eggo
United States

Posted on Jan 13 2016 10:01 PM

This SSTE was my second fulltone, I couldnt keep it clean enough for my playing. I will always compare things to my RE301 space echo, I'm ruined. I did do a demo vid on it before sellin to my buddy.

—

http://www.thenocturnebrain.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969

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LittleKahunaCraig

Joined: Jan 09, 2008
Posts: 393
Orange County, CA
United States

Posted on Jan 14 2016 09:44 AM

Very cool! Also the slide show projection during the performance is awesome.

—

Craig Skelly

Little Kahuna
www.littlekahunamusic.com
The Breakaways
The Curl Riders

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heepeejeep

Joined: Feb 28, 2013
Posts: 350
Norway

Posted on Jan 21 2016 02:18 AM

Any thoughts about this unit?

Last edited: Jan 21, 2016 02:20:41

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heepeejeep Joined: Feb 28, 2013 Posts: 350	Posted on Jan 05 2016 05:36 AM Any experience with the Fulltone Tape Echo (tube or SS) in here? Obviously a big step up in sound & preformance, I was wondering more about durability, longevity of tapes, hum/noise, general maintenance etc.? Top
psychonaut Joined: Dec 08, 2007 Posts: 1305	Posted on Jan 05 2016 07:23 AM heepjeep wrote: Any experience with the Fulltone Tape Echo (tube or SS) in here? Obviously a big step up in sound & preformance, I was wondering more about durability, longevity of tapes, hum/noise, general maintenance etc.? I don't have a Fulltone but I use an Echoplex ep3, which the Fulltone SSTE is modeled off of. It's 43 years old already and still works and sounds like the day it was made, and I've really put some mileage on it as I use it all the time and gig with it. the tapes are meant to last about 6 months, BUT, they last way longer than that; The current tape I have in mine is going on 4 years already and I haven't noticed any degradation yet! The Echoplex is a little noisey, but no noisier than your average amp, plus you forget about that because of how good it sounds. The Fulltone is supposed to be a much improved and quieter circuit. Tape echoes require maintanance like everything else. Mostly cleaning, lubing, and demagnetizing once in a while -- all really easy to do. If the Fulltone is anything like an EP3, then you'll probably love it. Worth every penny I'd say. — https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger http://coffindaggers.com/ http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com Last edited: Jan 05, 2016 08:07:54 Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Jan 05 2016 08:22 AM I concur with the 'Naut – Fulltone makes a great tape echo. For those of us who don't mind the expense and mechanical upkeep, there's nothing like it. I think of it as a musical instrument in its own right, on par with an amp and much more than an effects device, mostly because of its self-oscillating ability, the way you interact with it mechanically (yanking the sliding head back and forth) and the intensity of some effects possible from it. While the more unique qualities of tape delay are largely lost to surf music (except in rare cases of Echoplex solos as in the Surfaris' Moon Dawg)in more electronic music, it plays a large role. psychonaut wrote: heepjeep wrote: Any experience with the Fulltone Tape Echo (tube or SS) in here? Obviously a big step up in sound & preformance, I was wondering more about durability, longevity of tapes, hum/noise, general maintenance etc.? I don't have a Fulltone but I use an Echoplex ep3, which the Fulltone SSTE is modeled off of. It's 43 years old already and still works and sounds like the day it was made, and I've really put some mileage on it as I use it all the time and gig with it. the tapes are meant to last about 6 months, BUT, they last way longer than that; The current tape I have in mine is going on 4 years already and I haven't noticed any degradation yet! The Echoplex is a little noisey, but no noisier than your average amp, plus you forget about that because of how good it sounds. The Fulltone is supposed to be a much improved and quieter circuit. Tape echoes require maintanance like everything else. Mostly cleaning, lubing, and demagnetizing once in a while -- all really easy to do. If the Fulltone is anything like an EP3, then you'll probably love it. Worth every penny I'd say. — Squink Out! Top
mad_dog Joined: Sep 23, 2008 Posts: 349 Montclair, NJ	Posted on Jan 06 2016 06:43 AM I was on the list at Sweetwater for the new Fulltone SS echo unit. But there have been no end of mechanical problems with the first generation. Hopefully fixed. What got me off the list was a substantial price boost by fulltone. No waiting list committments applied; everybody gets the higher price. Bad business, so I'll pass. MD Top
stratdancer Joined: Dec 11, 2013 Posts: 2537 Akron, Ohio	Posted on Jan 06 2016 07:23 AM Listening to Psychonaut manipulate his echoplex makes me wish I would have saved my money up and bought one instead of the El Capistan. It truly is a musical instrument. Fantastic stuff! — The Kahuna Kings https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447 https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Jan 06 2016 10:13 PM Coffin Daggers rock! It's great to know punky hard surf is alive and well and being played on Mosrite guitars! The Ghastly legacy Keeps coming back from the grave, a rotting corpse that won't stay dead! Oh, and cool echo! stratdancer wrote: A> Listening to Psychonaut manipulate his echoplex makes me wish I would have saved my money up and bought one instead of the El Capistan. It truly is a musical instrument. Fantastic stuff! — Squink Out! Top
TVTheWiredTurtle Joined: Dec 03, 2009 Posts: 861 Sandy Eggo	Posted on Jan 13 2016 10:01 PM This SSTE was my second fulltone, I couldnt keep it clean enough for my playing. I will always compare things to my RE301 space echo, I'm ruined. I did do a demo vid on it before sellin to my buddy. — http://www.thenocturnebrain.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969 Top
LittleKahunaCraig Joined: Jan 09, 2008 Posts: 393 Orange County, CA	Posted on Jan 14 2016 09:44 AM Very cool! Also the slide show projection during the performance is awesome. — Craig Skelly Little Kahuna www.littlekahunamusic.com The Breakaways The Curl Riders Top
heepeejeep Joined: Feb 28, 2013 Posts: 350	Posted on Jan 21 2016 02:18 AM Any thoughts about this unit? Last edited: Jan 21, 2016 02:20:41 Top

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Fulltone Tape Echo anyone?