Help me load my Space Echo

[Studiocat]

Hey folks,

Can someone explain to me how to load the tape loop into my RE-501 Space echo? I could see myself going completely crazy trying to figure this out on my own. We young folk aren't as experienced with tape as we should be! I know how the tape is passed across the heads, but I'm not sure how to stuff all the leftover under that clear covering.

Any tips would be helpful. Pictures too!

Thanks!
Adam

[Dave Peck]

1. Remove the clear cover over the 'tape bay' area and open the little hinged 'door' at the far end of the tape bay.
2. There should be a small loop of tape sticking out of one end of the little box that the new tape is packed in. Pull out a small loop, just a few inches.
3. Loop that section over the heads, feed it between the capstan and pinch roller, and route the ends of the loop through the little slots in the walls of the tape bay (so the little box with most of the tape in it is now sitting in the tape bay).
4. Slowly pull the little box away from the heads, allowing just enough tape to feed out of the box, but not creating a lot of slack.
5. When the little box has been pulled all the way to the far side of the tape bay and is now outside the little hinged 'door' on the end of the tape bay, put the clear cover back on top of the tape bay. You should now be holding the little box in one hand, positioned just outside the hinged door, with the cover on the tape bay.
6. NOW (and NOT BEFORE now!!) turn on the Space Echo. The captan will press against the pinch roller and start to pull the tape loop out of the box and into the tape bay. When the entire loop is inside the bay, close the little hinged door. Da-TA!

DP

[kimowasabe]

Anyone familiar with the Ace Tone ec-10? How do I service the sucker?

[dbbubba]

You are using actual Roland replacement tape aren't you?
It is special "lubricated" tape.

Years ago my band's 201 started sounding bad and head cleaning did no good any longer.
We had bought new cartridges of tape and installed them many times over the years, but we also had plenty of Ampex 456 1/4" on pancakes at the studio. It was easy enought to thread into the machine and splice together. It worked.... for a while.

It took about two months of gigs to completely ruin the heads.
Regular studio grade .5 mil. Ampex 456 IS NOT lubricated.
The same thing will happen with a Echoplex.

Many original Space Echos have trashed heads these days.
They wore pretty quick with the constant stream of tape running over them.
Roland also wanted a fortune for a new set and then you'd have to install and align them.
I'd bet that this happened very few times in the life span of the greatest percentage of Space Echos.

Then again... my 555 was an awesome thing!

Good luck!

Danny Brown

[Jazzpunk]

Originally Posted by Dave Peck

1. Remove the clear cover over the 'tape bay' area and open the little hinged 'door' at the far end of the tape bay.
2. There should be a small loop of tape sticking out of one end of the little box that the new tape is packed in. Pull out a small loop, just a few inches.
3. Loop that section over the heads, feed it between the capstan and pinch roller, and route the ends of the loop through the little slots in the walls of the tape bay (so the little box with most of the tape in it is now sitting in the tape bay).
4. Slowly pull the little box away from the heads, allowing just enough tape to feed out of the box, but not creating a lot of slack.
5. When the little box has been pulled all the way to the far side of the tape bay and is now outside the little hinged 'door' on the end of the tape bay, put the clear cover back on top of the tape bay. You should now be holding the little box in one hand, positioned just outside the hinged door, with the cover on the tape bay.
6. NOW (and NOT BEFORE now!!) turn on the Space Echo. The captan will press against the pinch roller and start to pull the tape loop out of the box and into the tape bay. When the entire loop is inside the bay, close the little hinged door. Da-TA!

DP

Great reply...helped me with my new Space Echo as well. Anyone here know if there are replacement screws (equivalent to the originals) available for the clear cover that goes over the tape bay?

[Dave Peck]

Originally Posted by Jazzpunk

Great reply...helped me with my new Space Echo as well. Anyone here know if there are replacement screws (equivalent to the originals) available for the clear cover that goes over the tape bay?

You are looking for something called a knurled thumbscrew.

Try McMaster-Carr: http://www.mcmaster.com/index.asp

Near the lower right, under "Fastening and Sealing" click on "Thumb Screws" then "Knurled" then either "High" or "With Shoulder" (not sure which). Should get you pretty close, but you may need to give them a call at that point.

DP

[tasos]

HI THERE ! I HAVE THE ROLAND SPACE ECHO RE 201
AND IT STARTED DOING THE BIGGEST WOW N'FLUTTER I EVER HEARD ..I OPENED IT AND I SAW THAT THE THE CAPSTAN IDLER DOESN'T TURN VERY WELL
THE MOVING OF THE CAPSTAN IDLER ITS NOT STEADY BUT THE CAPSTAN WORKS OK
CAN ANYONE HELP ME ...HOW TO FIX THIS

[demonfuzz]

Loading the tape takes a little practice but you should be able to do it.
Just be gentle & cautious while doing it.


I've gone thru about 3 or 4 re-201's, my current one still works but the audio output is starting to get really low.

I"ve cleaned the heads & replaced tape.
I'm wondering if replacing some of the components inside would help.
i.e. re-cap, etc...
But what I don't want to do is take away the warm vintage'y tone it gives when it does work right.

[Caffeine]

Hey everyone!
I just got hold of an old RE 201 and ordered replacement tapes from the UK, which are lubricated.
Still I'm having issues installing the tape.
I've run in 3 tapes already, 2 of 'em giving me no echo at all and 1 sounding awful with a lot of what i think is called "splice"- very fast, jitterish "modulation" on the repeats...
So I wondered what's the deal here. Is there a wrong and a right side of the tape? They look the same to me and there's no information on this on the supplier's site.
I have no idea what I'm doing wrong here and am slowly going nuts...
Any help is welcome, thanks!
Christian