DUB DISCUSSION BOARD

Hi guys! I just got an old TESLA STUDIOECHO for 130€.

This is it:
http://i8.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/d7/da/09b8_1.JPG

info:
www.el-me-se.de/pdf_files/TESLA%20%20STUDIOECHO.pdf


Does anyone know this unit? Unfortunatly it sounds pretty bad right now, but i think maybe it just needs a good cleaning(pots,heads,everything) and a new tape loop (thats what the guy said who sold it to me). It also looks very dirty on the inside..
This is my first Tape Delay -everyone needs to start somewhere, right?- and I would be very pleased if some of you could give some advice on how to maintain such machines so they keep on working good! Any tricks and knowledge is appreciated..

RESPECT[/url]

That's a very interesting device - It's soviet technology from the former CSSR, even the integrated circuits / micro chips !

Regarding tape loop creation this thread has some hints:
http://www.interruptor.ch/Php5/dubboard ... c.php?t=86

Apart from that, keep the tape heads and capstan (tape transport wheels) clean using q-tips and alcohol.

That's about all that comes to my mind..

Agreed, however be careful with the alcohol on rubber parts. There's a special stuff you can get to clean rubber parts. On metal capstans it will be fine, but make sure it doesn't hit any rubber. Same with lubricant - most petroleum-based oils will destroy rubber wheels and belts.

You might find some trimmer pots inside to set the bias. Depending on whether you get a good clean overdub you might want to play with it. When you make your tape loop make sure to cut at about a 45-degree angle. If you keep getting a badly-muddied sound you will need to get your tape heads de-gaussed.

Ok i cleaned it up! Now i am tryin to get some tape from ebay! When i get some and start experimenting with the "The Communist"(the nickname for this machine), i will post some music where this machine will perform also..

BIGUP and many many thanks to The Interruptor and Dub Attack Force
for sharing wisdom.. and all DDB massive also offcourse!

Man, be sure to leave a comment about the unit. Or better an audio sample. Maybe I'll buy it too. Btw. I'm from the former CSSR.

Yes Jimmyride, i dont know if i have any soundclips i can post but i will
check. i did not really use my "communist" much. I sold him when i
desperately needed some cash... it was a noisy one.But i loved the sound
it gave me when i feed it back over the delay---->channelstrip aux.. A
nice thing is that you have 4 heads which give you 4 different delay-times
(but i missed a nice long delay like over 400ms). The Volume and
Feedback of each head can be adjusted. The EQ was complete rubbish on
my unit, when you wanted to add some hi's it would go
fsssshhhhcrekcrekcreksssssshhhhhhhh, when u add some low's it would
make weird "umb umb" sounds like when you hit a mic, and it added
some nice 60Hz hum also.. but i liked the looks of this one, very heavy
unit with lots of metal in a nice warm orange tone that fit perfectly with
my desktop lamp

Anyway, despite its strong imperfections it is still a usable machine for
dub, if you find one cheap, check it out! Maybe it's good, maybe it was
just my unit that was a little f#[%§d up.

Greetings to all former CSSR areas

Peace Yiannis