Tape Delay Stompbox Is it really possible to DIY this?

[sasuke_kun12]

I was just wondering if it is possible? and would it be ridiculous? coz i have an old tape player and i want to make some really obscure stomp box.

[aloupos]

There are a few threads that already address this, have a search.  It's do-able, but there are some pretty serious mechanical requirements that need to be addressed.  In order to change the rate and length of the loop, you need to move the tape supply reals further apart. 

Before you take the plunge, pick up an old 2 track reel to reel that allows you to bounce the first track to the second, and set the monitor to tape.  You'll get a true tape echo.  After that, you can experiment with length by creating a loop with one reel, a length of tape spliced to form a loop, and a mic stand.  Set the deck reel side up (on it's back) and loop one end of the loop around a mic stand, and the other around one of the reels (I forget which one). 

I've played around with it a little, but in the end, my echo park does a decent enough imitation, without the reliability issues.  Let us know how it works out!

[petemoore]

  If you can find one where the knobs arent in the way...a reel to reel with 'below' the reel edges open.
  Set the RTR on a table so the front is just past the front of the table, form a loop with 3 reels, the third reel suspended by the actual tape loop sits below / between the two reels on the machine, the loop-band just going say 2/3rds the way around the reel core on each reel.
  Tape echo.
  you get a tape loop echoer, we used this for a haloween soundtrack we made [big 'halloween production house' we had for a couple years when we lived in Germany], I think some type of erase head can either be turned on, tricked on, or simply added [I think the right magnet passed across the tape will erase.
  Non intrusive to the RTR, does echo loop...not what you probably want for guitar/vocals.
  ----------------------
  Enter second RTR, and a loop that goes from the added 'below reel' into and through the first machines heads [not the drive pinion or much else, skipping the left reel, going through heads/around pinion, up, over to the second machine, through it's heads And Pinion, 2/3rds around it's takeup reel, back to the 'bottom reel' [which is also the 'gravity powered' loop tensioner].
  Now you'll be having very longer echo, adjustable with tape speed to be very long echo, if everything goes as planned...
  Using many playback heads [say x 4 in a 6'' row], adjustable tape speed, and movable record head [can be right next to playback heads or say 4'' away, and can slide the distance]...you get tape echo with multiple repeats and rate possibilities...if you can get past the enumerated multiple hurdles like the precision machining which fascilitates tape alignment/movement/head contacts, and a place to set it all up..I'm certain there are echoes available which can compete very favorably on most scales of comparison, such as echo flexibilities and portability.