Hiwatt Custom Tape Echo

Anybody try one? (ehem...Tavo?)

Reviews are hard to come by... here's one:

http://www.echojunkies.com/hiwattecho.html

ruger9 wrote:

Anybody try one? (ehem...Tavo?)

Reviews are hard to come by... here's one:

http://www.echojunkies.com/hiwattecho.html

..teehheee mr. obsessed here:
I have demo'd it twice at NAMM show and you can witness
Setzer using one (lil flat'ish box atop the bassman) during a particular Xmas season he was having to
get his Space echos repaired as the hiwatt appeared on Conan's show as well as the fulltone in others that yr.

Oh man! That was a great flashback! MMM green 6120!

Do you agree with the review link I posted that it's alot closer to the Space Echo than the Echoplex? Seriously considering picking one up. I've never owned a tape echo, and quite frankly, I'm sick of trying all these digital (or analog) ones that "sound like tape." I think it's time to take the leap to the real thing.

I like the idea of buying new gear... I've not nothing against old stuff at all, but I like buying stuff new & "using it up" myself. So, the TTE is too expensive, and I've heard from so many people that it's "sterile", didn't seem to light up the delay market like everyone thought it would, so I'm looking at getting either the Hiwatt or a Guyatone Tape Echo, if I can find one.

I still want one of the new Echomatics from the UK, but at $2500, there's no f'ing way.

ruger9 wrote:

Do you agree with the review link I posted that it's alot closer to the Space Echo than the Echoplex? Seriously considering picking one up. I've never owned a tape echo, and quite frankly, I'm sick of trying all these digital (or analog) ones that "sound like tape." I think it's time to take the leap to the real thing.

I like the idea of buying new gear... I've not nothing against old stuff at all, but I like buying stuff new & "using it up" myself. So, the TTE is too expensive, and I've heard from so many people that it's "sterile", didn't seem to light up the delay market like everyone thought it would, so I'm looking at getting either the Hiwatt or a Guyatone Tape Echo, if I can find one.

I still want one of the new Echomatics from the UK, but at $2500, there's no f'ing way.

preaching to the choir here R9 but... Setzer records most everything
in the studio from the early days till present with original
Echoplex delays.. he used a space echo for the dirty boogie.
Every guitar rag and Mix/EQ producer mag states the use of the
echoplex on guitars, vocals and final master mixes.. As well, Setzer
has used the Fulltone TTE tube tape echo since Mike Fuller handed him one. Its on the Xmas albums and is seen in the studio outakes
of the Straycats reunion DVD in Brixton.

I bring up this last tidbit because I owned and gigged with a
Fulltone TTE, and its total BULLSH$T that its too sterile..good lordy
its a cotton picking clone of the original by MIKE FULLER, and its
got tones of FAT WARM LUSH DENSE all tube gain on hand to make
your guitar feel like a new baby. Its tape saturation is more clinical
than a space echo for sure..but thats because a 301 space echo's
sound is neanderthal as far as the echo component of its concerned
in comparison to an echoplex.

I guess I must admit that when I had the Fulltone TTE I was using
a brian Setzer tangerine metallic hotrod with tvjones magnatrons
neck and supertron bridge into a Tophat King Royale 212 combo
loaded with a celestion G12H30 and Greenback... I couldnt put that rig down for nuthin! I only sold the TTE because I got too nervous
that my tech hands would knock it off the amp every week, or step on it if I put it on the floor (8 musicians on the stage at the time).

I would buy another for GOOD if I $900 extra bucks especially since the new versions have rollerbearings in the tape cartridges... YES tape cartridges..
on the other hand that F'n Space echo will slit your throat if you sleep with both eyes closed. ..but the preamp ohhhhh the preamp!!

Anyway if I was going to go with the "okay" hiwatt, I'd consider the
guyatone version too..

FWIW.. A tophat King Royale is an early 60s red panel Vox AC30 with added grey panel channel (ala Brian May AC30)

How about Line6 echo?

Pistol Pete wrote:

How about Line6 echo?

solid state units are apples to oranges to some degree.. yes there are a few analog units that have a real close vibe like the DM-2 or AD9,etc..but ya real tape units are like writing a check with a stick
of chalk and a line 6 is a Bic ball point pen.
..and writing with chalk is messy fun!!

( I love my line6 DL4 by the way (got 2 in the house) and will always
have one.. the tape echo sims suck butter as far as realness goes but the delay with modulation is heaven on earth.. especially with a gretsch and fender amp)

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

Pistol Pete wrote:

How about Line6 echo?

solid state units are apples to oranges to some degree.. yes there are a few analog units that have a real close vibe like the DM-2 or AD9,etc..but ya real tape units are like writing a check with a stick
of chalk and a line 6 is a Bic ball point pen.
..and writing with chalk is messy fun!!

( I love my line6 DL4 by the way (got 2 in the house) and will always
have one.. the tape echo sims suck butter as far as realness goes but the delay with modulation is heaven on earth.. especially with a gretsch and fender amp)

But will they work with my Line6 Spider?
I know you'll love it IF you gave them a chance......

Pistol Pete wrote:

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

Pistol Pete wrote:

How about Line6 echo?

solid state units are apples to oranges to some degree.. yes there are a few analog units that have a real close vibe like the DM-2 or AD9,etc..but ya real tape units are like writing a check with a stick
of chalk and a line 6 is a Bic ball point pen.
..and writing with chalk is messy fun!!

( I love my line6 DL4 by the way (got 2 in the house) and will always
have one.. the tape echo sims suck butter as far as realness goes but the delay with modulation is heaven on earth.. especially with a gretsch and fender amp)

But will they work with my Line6 Spider?
I know you'll love it IF you gave them a chance......

okay.. I get it now.. you arent being serious here.. or you are trying to make fun of my obviously neurotic obsession with booteek guitar gear.

Either way.. if you do have a line6 spider you might want to
go over to the Joe Satriani forum and learn how to dial the
spider in to comp "flying in a blue dream" with your floyd rose
and nail that next sweep picking 18bar solo with space flange!

If not then I think you could improve the tone of the spider by
attaching a toilet seat to the grill and using it as the dunny for the
next Oz Hairband outdoor Jam.

FYI, the "tape mode" on the DL4 & Echo Park is a model of the EP3. Allegedly.

And the analog mode (w/modulation) is a model of them DMM... I can vouch for that. I owned both side by side for awhile.


OK, so TTE is back on the table. You'd think these days, with all the digital boutique delays pushing the $500 mark (or more), and everybody & their brother trying to come up with a digital "tape" echo box, you'd think there would be more of a market for things like the hiwatt, guyatone, TTE.

ruger9 wrote:

FYI, the "tape mode" on the DL4 & Echo Park is a model of the EP3. Allegedly.

And the analog mode (w/modulation) is a model of them DMM... I can vouch for that. I owned both side by side for awhile.


OK, so TTE is back on the table. You'd think these days, with all the digital boutique delays pushing the $500 mark (or more), and everybody & their brother trying to come up with a digital "tape" echo box, you'd think there would be more of a market for things like the hiwatt, guyatone, TTE.

I hate admitting this but I've owned pretty much all era's Deluxe Memory man pedals and side by side with the DL4's DMM mode...
I LOVE the DL4's DMM.. sold the DMMs.

regarding the Tape echoes... men are indolent in general..guitarists even more so. Anything that requires regularly scheduled maintenance, needs tape,tubes,etc... lowers the desire level since we already have to take care of our cars,houses,etc.. At least thats my thoughts at the moment sippin' a Negro Modelo beer.

nevertheless.. The TTE is pretty efficient. I have an aquaintence that
has taken his back and forth from europe, hooked to his pedal board
next to his DL4 and Trex...