Tape echo like pedal <150$

[guitarplayer100]

Hi buying new delay that would sound like echoplex. We're looking at digital stuff here I guess. Will TC Flashback do it? Any other recomendations? What I don't like about these digital pedals is that they just have to many fetures like Tone Print....

 

[Securb]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

Carbon Copy it has a built in chorus that gives the effect of tape warble.

 

[guitarplayer100]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

Yeah carbon copy is nice but overpriced IMHO.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

Pre-owned Catalinbread Belle Epoche or Echorec. Good simulations of multi-head echo devices, including "wear" and "warble".

The BOSS twin pedal recreation of the Roland Space Echo is another candidate.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

In my mind the premier tape modelers right now are Strymon, Catalinbread, Wampler and Empress. I've not heard the TC models, but I bet they are great too.

The previous generation were decent though, something like a used Line 6 Echo Park...

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

How about the TC Flashback? The small version can be had for under$150. Depending on your threshold for authenticity, it might do. I like it as much as my Carbon Copy, and it's certainly more versatile.

 

[guitarplayer100]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

Catalinbread Bell Epoch is really great. Echorec is great too but I prefer Bell Epoch. Strymon ElCapistan is superb but it's really pricey.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

I like the idea of the TC Flashback mini. I love what they're doing with the toneprint stuff myself. If you do not specifically want tape echo like effects though there are many great true bypass, analog delay pedals on the market for under $100 or right around $100.

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

Toneprint is awesome and easy too. Just hold your phone to your guitar pickup while plugged into your flashback and beam other peoples presets straight into the unit through your guitar pickup out of your phone's speaker. I use it when I'm lazy to create my own presets and want to check out what the big dogs presets sound like.

 

[guitarplayer100]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

Flashback mini is good for it's price but I kinda prefer that i can control it without my phone. But it's cheap and maybe you can get some decent tape echo sounds of it I guess?

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

Flashback mini is good for it's price but I kinda prefer that i can control it without my phone. But it's cheap and maybe you can get some decent tape echo sounds of it I guess?

You don't need a phone to control it. Its just an easy way to get toneprint presets into your flashback

You can always just make your own presets, and yes, the tape echo emulation is pretty good.

The big X4 one has USB for loading toneprint presets also. Don't know if the little one has it too.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

You don't need a phone to control it. Its just an easy way to get toneprint presets into your flashback

Exactly, toneprint opens the door for having many different settings but you still can set it and forget it too.

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

The tech used to "beam" toneprint presets is very old too. Uses a high pitched frequency to adjust parameters on the device. Old synthesizers used to use this method with a cassette tape to transfer presets. Stored and loaded/unloaded by high pitched modem-like sounds

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

The big X4 one has USB for loading toneprint presets also. Don't know if the little one has it too.

The Mini, Standard and x4 all have USB to get very granular with TonePrint settings. The Standard has a mode knob to select different models on the unit, the mini needs a Phone or USB to change models. Once you find one you like you still have control over time/repeats/mix. I want to try out their Alter Ego for all the vintage models. Does anyone know if those models are available on the standard Flashback?

Catalinbread Bell Epoch is really great. Echorec is great too but I prefer Bell Epoch. Strymon ElCapistan is superb but it's really pricey.

The El Cap and Belle Epoch are definitely different takes on the Echoplex type sound. Initially I found the El Cap easier to dial in, but after messing with the record level and preamp gain, the Belle is sounding really good. I just keep it at the same setting and turn the mix up or down depending on what effect I want.

 

[guitarplayer100]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

If I'm correct Alter Ego is the same as Flashback just with 2 modes (more vintage I guess) different, uglier and pricier. Will check out Flashback mini since it has quite low price tag. You can use the same TonePrints on Flashback and Alter Ego probably since Alter Ego is just a special edition of Flashback as far as I know.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

Yeah, the Alter Ego is just a Flashback with a few different stock presets.

EDIT: I may be wrong. Found some references to the AE-specific models not being available on the FB. It's only two: a Memory Man and the Echorec. The MM is good. The Echorec is okay, if you want a metric crap-ton of modulation. Neither are my go-to sounds on the AE, though. In any case, I looked in the app and there don't appear to be Toneprints available for download that use those models, but I don't know if that also means you can't CREATE a tone print using them. I'll try hooking up my AEX4 to my laptop and see if it will let me create a Toneprint using one of the models that is FB-specific.

 

[TimmyPage]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

The Alter Ego 2 is much better, it has a bunch of really good sounding (if slightly over-modulated) stock settings including some echoplexes and echorecs: http://www.tcelectronic.com/alter-ego-2-vintage-echo/

In general, I think it's better and more musical than the regular flashback in almost every way, although both have the toneprint technology so you can even access most of the stock Flashback sounds ON the Alter Ego (whereas the AE specific ones are not on the toneprint page at all).

The carbon copy honestly does the modulation thing better than almost any other delay pedal I've heard, though the repeats are way too dark to do the echoplex thing (which is actually a very bright clear sound, despite being tape). My personal experience is that I spent a year looking for a decent tape sound, bought a bunch of tape echo style units, ended up selling them all and keeping the CC. It doesn't have a 'tape' sound but just.. to my ears had a more musical tone. To each his own though, the guy I gave my flashback to said its the best delay he's ever heard by a long shot.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: Tape echo like pedal <150$

The new Carbon Copy Bright is available for people who feel the normal one is too dark. It's $159, which seems...a little high compared to other options? But then, I freely admit that delay is one of those effects where I value versatility above a single good/great sound. And make no mistake, the CC has a great sound. Does it sound like tape? Eh...ish. But it sounds good.


Shame the AEX4 isn't still on sale (it was $100 off at PGS very recently). Takes up a ton of room on my board, but that's a whole lot of pedal for $179.