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My friend, you've discovered the glory that is old tape echos! That
echo effect you refer to is called 'staggered echo repeats.' It is a
result of multiple playback heads mounted varying distances apart
from each other that, when activated, will give echo repeats at
different times, thus - staggered echo repeats! Almost all the
old/original echo units had something like this. The Shadows and the
Atlantics were famous for making very effective use of this effect.
Some of the most famous echo units from the sixties that were able to
get this effect were made by mostly Italian companies such as Meazzi
and Binson (both used by Hank Marvin) and German companies such as
Klemt (makers of the Echolette used by the Atlantics) and Dynacord.
Dynacord made good echo units, but not as well known as the first
three brands. The Shadows addicts have spent a LOT of internet time
discussing all these various echo units. You can explore some of
their discussions here:
(lots of cool info on Fender guitars and Vox amps on these pages,
too, that some readers of this list may enjoy.)
Just make sure you keep digging back into the archives, cause they
pretty much exhausted all topics related to echo units a few years
ago. :)
This is an effect that isn't easy to get with modern equipment. I
know of maybe one or two echo pedals that were able to reproduce
this, and they're now discontinued (Zoom 508 and maybe Akai
Headrush). Modern rack effects can approach the effect by
programming the so-called 'multi-tap' delays with proper echo times.
But this is a big pain in the ass, and you still don't get the warm
treble-degradation that tapes do naturally, which adds so much to the
tone. However, as these staggered echos are absolutely key for any
self-respecting Hank Marvin wannabe, the markets have - as expected -
responded! There is a company called Echos From the Past that
programs a Zoom RFX 2000 unit with identical sounding echos as the
old ones. It's a British company, and you can find their website
here:
I have one of these Zoom units programmed by them, and it was worth
every penny, absolutely fantastic! It was about $450, if I recall
correctly. They researched dozens of old tape echo units, and built
in all the nuances of those machines, without their unreliability!
You see, the problem with those units is that they are very rare, and
very expensive, but mostly very OLD! How many tape players over 20
years old are still working? And most of these echo machines are
over 40 years old! Moving parts wear out over the period of time,
and maintenance is a big pain, as well. So, people are looking to
the digital realm to solve this problem - and it's been done. It's
not as cool as the old tape units, but it's a lot more convenient.
Anyway, I hope that helps.
Ivan
--- In , "kahunatikiman" <chris@b...>
wrote:
> Last night, I went and saw Bolder Bob and his band , the Beloved
> Invaders, play in Denver. AWESOME!!! Every time I see them they
get
> better, and they were fantastic to begin with! Bob blows me away
> everytime, and they have the tightest rhythm section I have ever
> heard. Anyway, Bob uses an effect called a DynaChord, which
gives
> his guitar an tape echo effect that sounds great. I have tried
> reproducing the sound using a danelectro dan-echo, but it isn't the
> same. Bob's echo speeds up as it fades. Anyone know a good
(cheap)
> alternative to get this sound without spending a few hundred bucks
on
> a Dynacord? I saw the Danelectro Reel Echo box, but I read
reviews
> and it didn't sound too good.
