Reel-to-Reel preamp into a distortion box

[wookie]

So has anyone here converted a reel-to-reel deck's preamp into a dirt box?

I know there are a ton of ways that it could be done, but I'm curious if there was ever a DIY project kicking around the community that was targeted to this specifically.

One of my favorite guitar tones ever recorded is the lead line from Built To Spill's Conventional Wisdom off of "You In Reverse".  In an interview (http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/6329-built-to-spill/) with Pitchfork, Doug Martsch mentions a custom distortion unit built from reel-to-reel preamps

Pitchfork: I love the tone on "Conventional Wisdom", that lead.

DM: Thanks. I think that might have been the Tweed Deluxe. We were using these weird pre-amps that were like old...shit, I can't remember the brand. But some old reel-to-reel player, they just took out the pre-amp from it and turned it into a distortion box basically. And that's what we used on that. Jim got really into it, found a bunch on eBay and made these cool little distortion boxes for everyone in the band.

The Jim mentioned is Jim Roth (a guitarist in BTS and other bands).  I'm hoping that maybe this was a project kicked around in a few different incarnations at one point.  If it was, maybe someone here has built, seen, heard about it.

And here's a clip of the sound for the curious:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2K7WfSBcJs

The lead guitar comes in at 0:07.

[Dan N]

I can't think of any common tape pre amp you'd find in abundance on ebay.

I wonder if he meant those little radio shack phono pre amps? They are made to match magnetic cartridges with amps expecting crystal or ceramic signals. The older ones use germaniun transistors. Stock, they don't add enough gain to sound like that video, but could be modded into something much louder. In fact, you can switch parts around in there and make stereo fuzz faces out of them.

[sundgist]

This is the sort of thing.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-1960s-Elizabethan-LZ-29-Reel-to-reel-Tape-Pl_W0QQitemZ160406088103QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Consumer_VintageAudio_RL?hash=item2558f2a9a7

18 or so years ago, I used to have an old reel to reel machine with built in speaker, whose tape mechanism was faulty. Due to the lack of a guitar amp at the time I decided to plug into the mic input to see if I could use it for a jam with a mate. To my surprise it sounded really nice. Even better when I wired in an old PA speaker. I used it like this for a few months before deciding that it really was too heavy and bulky to lug around, and having to press record to use it was a pain. I carefully removed each component, everything was wired point to point, and transfered it onto a piece of scrapwood with 3 inch nails as binding posts with a view to building this into the speaker cab. Unfortunately I must not have done a great job as I could never get it to work. Not knowing at the time anything about valves or electronics beyond basic circuits, having no internet and having no such thing as this forum, I had no way of getting it to work. Eventually all these bits got lost during clearouts and house moves.

Looking back now I wish I had been able to draw out a schematic at the time and had kept all the parts. I really regretted not being able to get this done. Knowing what I know now I also feel lucky I didn't do myself any damage through ignorance with all the shocks I received whilst mucking about with it.

The tip about working with only one hand in the enclosure with the other in your pocket was translated into "the other holding the cigarette in your mouth". Probably a rare occasion where smoking is good for you!

Reading your post brought back some memories and somewhere I'm sure there is a lesson in my experience. Smoking whilst abusing high voltages can save your life.....

Having had a brief peek on ebay, I've seen the very same machine up for sale. I've got a few days before the end of the auction to decide whether it's worth bidding for. Though as the thing only contained 3 or 4 valves, I'm sure a simple tube circuit could be made to sound similar.

[sundgist]

Just listened to the youtube clip.
Yeah that was more or less the sound of the overdriven mic input with the record volume turned up.
Oh how I curse my youthful ignorance.....

[Mark Hammer]

I used to use one, but left it inside the tape machine rather than extracted it to use on its own.

The principle is that the mic preamp is expecting a) a much lower level signal than a guitar provides, b) it is expecting a lower impedance signal than a guitar provides, and c) it is able to output a line level signal.

As long as you can arrange for that, and feed the result into a guitar amp that, in turn, is expecting something similar to a guitar signal, you'll get a nice overdriven sound.

[sundgist]

Having had a brief peek on ebay, I've seen the very same machine up for sale. I've got a few days before the end of the auction to decide whether it's worth bidding for.

Well, I didn't get the model I used to own, but I've just carted home an ebay 99p valve reel to reel. No plug fitted and sold as seen so I'm about to give it a quick once over for safety before powering up and having a good poke at it.
This is a bit of an impromptu project so it might take a while to get properly started but If anything good comes of it I'll post the results.

[wavley]

Roberts 770 tube deck, I have one, it sounds GREAT! But if you wanna turn on into a preamp (or a small el84 stereo amp) here's the link...

http://beyondsanityproductions.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=18&Itemid=28&74a0ad6b5f7a1df0ef4ab98b8fffbb41=68644e91ad9b6f425c5f2d1cd8e6a0f3

Personally, I like it the way it is and use it for bouncing things to tape, on occasion I use it as a preamp or amp in it's box, but they make a really nice pre with a few mods, I've been thinking about buying a second one to gut and make mic pres.

By the way, BTS is F-ing AWESOME!  Dug has been a hero of mine for years.  I had the good fortune of opening for Caustic Resin a few years back and I will remember it forever... Brett was awesome and Mike Johnson of warner bros era Dino Jr was the bassist and Joe Plummer from Black Heart Procession was the drummer, closest I'll ever come to playing with any of those bands 

[zombiwoof]

Ritchie Blackmore used to use a tape deck for his distortion, he actually had the complete unit on stage.  Also I read that Lindsay Buckingham also did the same thing, but had the circuit rebuilt into a box, to make it more portable, so I know it can be done.  Have no idea how to do it, but it's not a new idea!

Al

[Dan N]

Ritchie Blackmore used to use a tape deck for his distortion, he actually had the complete unit on stage.  Also I read that Lindsay Buckingham also did the same thing,

Add Ted Falconi.



This is not what you're talking about>

http://brokenpants.com/?page_id=211

but with a machine able to record, you could flip things around so your guitar plugs into the mic jack, and replace the head with an output jack... if you get my meaning.

[Eb7+9]

Roberts 770 tube deck, I have one, it sounds GREAT!

that's the export version of the AKAI M-8 ... the M-7 and M-6 are similar (nicer look)

the amp modules have their own PSU's and can both operate on their own - very cool
saw a complete unit in Vancouver recently (@ the Captain's, across the street from Rufus Gtr) for $75

[Joe Hart]

I have a Craig reel-to-reel that's been kicking around my basement forever. I just went down and hooked it up and it sounds terrible. I know that's a subjective word, but I could not get additional volume or even additional distortion (drive, gain, whatever you want to call it) out of it compared to straight into the amp. In fact, the only kind of useable tone I could get was with the record level set pretty low. Turning it up past about "2" started to cause "farty" distortion sounds.

I'm using a Pignose G-40 (tube combo) and plugged my guitar into the reel-to-reel left mic input, then patched the left "line out" to the amp's input (preamp on the amp all the way up and used the master volume to adjust the overall volume), set the ree-to-reel to "record," but no matter how I adjusted the record level, I couldn't get anything decent out of it.

Do I have it hooked up correctly? It's a big heavy unit, and pretty beat up, so eBay isn't really an option (if I can't use it for anything good). Is it even worth scavenging?
-Joe Hart

[petemoore]

  TANDBERG X64.
   I wish I could trick it to preamp in itself, I get parallel-through but no tubes seem to be assisting with signal processes.
  Any ideas on how to make a preamp input/output available without completely having to rip down/re-wire the insies, outsies and others's.
  Called Tandberg Germany and America, they're into video-conferencing and such', no parts or tech support for the 'ol X64.
  Think I'll ever be able to get 'er working again ?
  I mean it works if you help turn it etc. works for a minute by itself...you know old RTR parts. I'ts the wheely thing has me with acquisition woes.
  Really well designed/made unit, and 2 catseye meters !