Killer tape echo effect - Yamaha DG Stomp

[Markburness@xxxxxxx]

Hi all,

A friend of mine recently came to me with what he thought was a dynamite tape 
echo effect. I was a little sceptical as many such effects don't always 
deliver for harp, especially in the context of playing out with a live band...but 
I've got to say this thing is knockout. I've never played through a tube 
Echoplex but have played through WEM copicats, my 2 Dan Echos (one with an Op Amp on 
the input, see www.e-basteln.de/HARP/...follow his instructions but leave 
R204 open with no resistor) and my previous favourite  the Boss DD3. The DG Stomp 
is better than anything I've tried.

The unit is an effects processor/preamp but if you leave off all the whistles 
and bells and just use the tape echo, on manual, you should get a sound. We 
tried it last night with a friend's Concert and his Shure R7 (I would have 
mentioned it earlier but I mainly use dynamics and just wanted to check 
suitability of the 1 Meg input with a crystal). There did not appear to be any loss of 
lows, punch, dynamics or anything at all, in fact there was more low end than 
going straight in to 5Meg on the amp plus another layer of "prescence" from the 
preamp effect (but not brittle or harsh, just enough to help those 3 draws 
cut through better).

I've heard that Yamaha have stopped making them, a lot of dealers are selling 
them off at knockdown prices. Mine cost £150GB, about £20 more than a "Reel 
Echo" but the DG comes with an AC transformer.

For those who are curious (always try before you buy if possible):
Input set to "High"
Mode set to "Manual"
"Clean Guitar 2"
Gain off
Delay footswitch on
Time, Feedback & Level all around 11 0'clock
Tape Echo selected
Master 12-2 o'clock
Treble off
Middle 9-12 o'clock
Bass 12-1 o'clock
Presence 3 o'clock to full on.
Output full on.

The only lights that should be on are delay footswitch, "Manual" and "Tape 
Echo". Sounds complicated but it remembers it's last mode and comes back on as 
it was last set when you power up.

The extra EQ is handy, as is the Master - it's possible to drive the effect 
harder and run the amp at lower volume for quieter gigs/recording (or vice 
versa but the amp sounded rather spanky turned up higher than usual).

I have no affiliation to Yamaha etc.

All the best, Mark.