Plate Reverb 24" x 30" Prototype works!

[zambo]

Needs some definate tweeks but for a two hour project and spare parts its not to bad. Laughing and teasing is totaly acceptable btw! Its pretty ghetto fab.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTzfSzWILK0

[Top Top]

Hey man, nice start.

It looks like it's not suspended. If you suspend it, it will get a more open reverb sound. You don't need to stretch it, just have it not touching things as much as possible.

Also, in general amps with giant sheets of metal with contact mics on them plugged in make feedback, so don't feel bad about that. 

Here's mine, not much less ghetto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWmZO6A5ILA

[zambo]

super cool! so did you use the same transducer as an exciter and a pick up? Is the output of the pickup a low impedence signal? My buddy has a studio and wants a six footer in ther so i was just mocking up a quickie to see how it works. Awesome reverb sound from what i could get. ( it was after midnight so i had to keep it down). I did suspend and stretxch mine. minimal stretch but enough tension to be firm. I will stretch it tighter tomorow when i try. Can a radioshack piezo trunsducer be used as an exciter? Thanks for the link Top Top. G 

[Skruffyhound]

 Hi, you are on the right track. I built a big one. You can find Top Tops info under "transduce anything" and mine under http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=84575.0
I have probably been luckier with this project than anything else I've built, the process went like ; Read - go to the workshop and build my best shot with what material I have and still be unhappy because it wasn't quite up to spec - big hiatus waiting for transducer from the States that never arrived - look at it a bit - get pissed off - rip the cone off a speaker and glue a bolt to the driver, drill through the plate and attach the bolt - fantastic test results, but reverb too long (8 sec. or so) and slightly bending frame - look at it for a couple of months - get pissed off that I don't just scrap it because it's too big for home, or just finish it say WTF and take it home - say WTF and build a back frame, move the exciter to the back, start on damping mechanism - doubt sets in - read for a couple of days - find out that nobody can agree about damping and that my guess will be at least as good as theirs, and in addition that I can see through reading around again that I have one of the best plates out there - continue on damping system and electronics.
       I have been very lucky with my choices for corner pieces and plate. If you are considering a studio plate, I think you will want to go a similar route. My plate turned out to be plastic covered stainless (I now believe), who would have suspected that.
      Go for it, the "profs" who made the EMT and Echoplate were hacks like us, their solutions sometimes were rougher than I would find acceptable. It's very do-able.
      I have a ton of info if you want to go further with it.
      Good luck. Aston

[petemoore]

  Having fun, the #1 reason for doing fun things !
  Interesting..it appears the input to loop of feed is allowing backfeed, not sure where it's getting in there, perhaps the speaker is very near the 'mic' [reverb pickup].

[zambo]

Thanks Guys! I have followed the rip cone off speaker and glue in pvc with adjustable length wooden rod screwed to plate methode. My pick up is next to the driver and I am going to start moving it around for better results. You saw the actual second fireup of it. Pretty raw. I am making a "real one" but wanted to do a cheap one first to make most of my mistakes on hardware store stuff. I am going to start reading now! Thanks again, G

[phector2004]

These things are huge!

Have you guys considered curving the plate into a U and suspending it from the center of the curved part? You could probably cram a 24" x 30" board into a 25" x 18" x 10" cabinet or something, for convenience

[Skruffyhound]

 Won't work mate, making it into a circle introduces rigidity. Imagine holding a piece of paper in your hand and flapping it, now imagine rolling it into a tube and flapping it 
Even a slight kink in the plate makes it useless. Some guy on the net has even made a checklist for how you should instruct your supplier to protect the plate during transport