 
|
|
There is nothing funnier than the
makers of this new wave of digital and chip-based delays claiming to "sound like
a tape echo." One after another they pop out the same old
digital and bucket-brigade delays with a few new bells and whistles that
supposedly "emulate the warble and tape head saturation of a tape echo"
...Bull$#^%.
That only flies with someone who
has never played a good tape echo. For those of us who know and care, there's no
substitute...so settle for an approximation if you must, there's nothing wrong with
that...but please spare me the rhetoric.
***************
11-22-08
here's a clip from a song off my new CD featuring the RTO. Rosewood brd
strat / neck PU--->RTO-->TTE---> Deluxe Reverb. take 1:click here
Take2: click here
Here's someone's very well done You
Tube TTE demo...click
here
click on the Pick for extensive review!
8/1/08 We now ONLY recommend
the JJ or Chinese 12AX7's for V1 and v2 position and ONLY recommend the JJ 12AU7 for v3
"Erase function" in the TTE. This change is due to poor
quality control and poor support (from our former Tube
source) after 187 out of a batch of 200 tubes they sent us arrived dead!
These newly recommended Tubes should be used in all TTE's, no
matter what age or what your manual says! This former tube
vendor tried to tell us our Tube Testers was crappy...even after
all the Tubes failed to work as well when installed in the TTE
(laughter)
ETC-1 Tape cartridge. Available ONLY to TTE owners. Buy
them Direct in a"Two-Pack" here
.
********Sound
and Video******
Here's an
audio MP3 of
a strat--->TTE---Deluxe reverb amp from a song off my
forthcoming release.
Here's a very Lo-fi Windows
Video clip of the TTE in action. (Pardon the strat's selector-switch failure during the
tune.) playing a stock late 50's Strat----> TTE--->1967 Deluxe Reverb...No Chorus or other effects,
taped with a $300 Canon S230 Digital Camera's built in Microphone.
Here's a pdf of the
complete
TTE manual 6/2008 (the has not had 5 revisions and has
not changed in years.. just the Manual) |
also keep an eye peeled for this: the Fulltone SSTE...Solid-State-Tape-Echo
|
|
Why a Tape Echo?
If you ask that then you have never played a healthy Echoplex!
No delay (rackmount or pedal, analog or digital) can replicate
the natural, warm, and shimmery tones of an old Echoplex. Unless
you've experienced it you don't know what you're missing.
Yeah, but they're noisy and unreliable!
Yes, they certainly WERE....but the Fulltone TubeTapeEcho
(TTE) is dead-quiet, and we've completely re-vamped both the electronics,
the tape transport path, and even the tape cartridge itself to
the point of near-overkill. My TTE produces less noise than most
delay pedals.
How much delay time?
From a quick slapback to over 2 seconds.
There is a top panel-mounted dual speed toggle switch to choose
between: Hi-Speed and Lo-Speed operation. Hi-Speed gets you lots
of Highs, less Bass, and a True Repeat without the Pitch variation
of the old Echoplex. Lo-Speed is waaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrm, lots of
Bass, less highs, and a slight "warble" that imparts
a natural chorus effect made popular by people like Eric Johnson.
Why tubes?
Because they sound so good.....the enhancement to
your basic tone is something you will not want to play without
once you feel it, and you'll never again have to worry about
signal loss due to long cables and too many pedals on your pedalboard.
What makes yours better?
- The big AC motors of yesteryear were noisy and inefficient so I replaced it with a servo-controlled hi-torque DC motor. Not only is this more quiet, but it is more stable and is 1/4 the size, allowing for a smaller overall housing as well. Click here for a view of the Motor-Assembly.
- The TTE uses 2 x 12AX7 tubes (for the Record and Playback sections) with @200 volts DC and supply the filaments with 12 volts DC to reduce the hum further. The erase/ Bias section function uses one
Electro Harmonix 12AT7.
- Handwired audio path, and world-famous Fulltone Made-in-USA Craftsmanship. No PCB-mounted Tubes or Jacks in this thing.
- Stereo outs! Yep, how many times have you longed for a slight slap or long bounce between 2 amps in the studio or on stage? But this ain't just stereo....there are 3 stereo modes.
Mode #1: Guitar/Echo on the Left---->Guitar/Echo on the Right
Mode #2: Guitar/Echo
Left---> Echo on the right.
Mode #3: Guitar on the left----> Echo
on the right amp.
- Better Tape Heads. The TTE has proprietary (custom-made) Erase, Record, and
Playback heads that not only have better frequency response than the oldies,
but are designed to last well into your retirement.
- Fulltone ETC-1 Tape cartridge...if you can't find it, make it yerself! The ETC-1
is loaded it with a vastly superior Mastering quality tape loop made with polyester backing
and a higher bias Tape formulation. It will last for MONTHS because it's not
cheap, used cart machine tape doused in graphite like the old Echoplex tapes.
Note: I do not furnish tapes for Echoplex owners....I have enough tape to keep
TTE owners happy for 20 years, but do not have enough to furnish the world's
Echoplex owners. Sorry.
- Nickel Plated Stainless Steel Parts because I want the stuff I make to
outlast you and me ...and look great.
- Echo Tone Control. The TTE has a very full-range/full-frequency Echo Sound.....but
you can alter it to as vintage as you want a Tone control affecting
only the repeats.
- Smaller. Old Echoplex EP-2 models have that cool little side compartment
for storing stuff. I put that storage place into a Heavy duty
(wood-reinforced) Cordura Nylon Gig-Bag. (included) This, along
with some downsizing, due in part to the use of a DC motor, allows
for a very compact, stout unit that can sit on your amp, in your
pedalboard, or off to the side without taking up too much precious
real estate.
|
|
Why Fulltone? |
Reviews |
Contact Fulltone
|
|
