MEAZZI Emulation

[David Martin]

I have just finished speaking with Alan Jackson and I'm informed that the work on his machine is ongoing, as parts are being hand made for the unit. I too look forward to hearing the finished product, until then I'll continue to enjoy my gigs using the Magicstomp, Copicat IC400 or the ESE - (although I have the urge to try a Binson) all sound wonderful and not a sign of 'digital clickiness' - it's down to the pilot guess.

Borrow my Binson with pleasure...

[dave robinson]

Thank you for your kind offer David, I will be in touch very soon . . . .

[roger bayliss]

I think as far as the Magicstomp is concerned it needs to be setup right to get the best out of it as it can overdrive the input of the amp and distort. I generally find using the little hi/low switch on the back set to low is a good starting point and generally adjust the knob on the front somewhere between 12 'o'clock and 3'o' clock for good results then if not happy you can tailor the echos further or use one of the other 3 knobs to reduce the echo levels to taste. It's one of the best value digital units out there IMHO and I got me two, one for a backup.

I too believe the ESE is not a Meazzi clone and I read that somewhere but cannot recall where. I nearly bough one but decided to spend the money on a Gibson 335 instead.

I think plectrum technique is important and EQ of the fully parametric type would be with a digital unit a good resulting sound.

[Amanda]

Hi,

By the end of this month I should have a Modified Binson
Echorec, retimed to meazzi specs as per Patrice's machine
ready for test.

I've nearly finished the rewire and faulty component replacement needed to get it functional again!

Amanda

[des mcneill]

Hi Amanda,
How much of the Meazzi's sound do you attribute to the head spacing as opposed to the circuitry ? I am also intrigued by the tape loop which your site shows on the wheel Meazzi,- I assume there must be a join and the tape must be replaced at regular intervals. My knowledge of Meazzis is zero,I have heard one at Shadowmania,- that's it.
Des.

[MeBHank]

Hi Amanda,
How much of the Meazzi's sound do you attribute to the head spacing as opposed to the circuitry ? I am also intrigued by the tape loop which your site shows on the wheel Meazzi,- I assume there must be a join and the tape must be replaced at regular intervals. My knowledge of Meazzis is zero,I have heard one at Shadowmania,- that's it.
Des.

Hi Des...

The spacing of the heads isn't the special part. The to main Meazzis that Hank used had very different head patterns to eachother but still had the vital depth of tone. Today's programmed digital units also have the correct "head" timings and patterns but we still don't hear the tone of the records until plugging into a TVS or genuine Meazzi, so we can deduce that the circuit is the factor that must provide the extra magic. That's the explanation that seems most logical to me.

HTH...

J

[des mcneill]

Hi Justin,
Thanks for your comments which I also feel are logical. I think the overall sound is more important than the repeat spacing,within reason of course. I think it was your Meazzi I heard at Shadowmania,- does its circuit or sound differ much from the wheel type ? I will be very interested however to hear of the results of the Binson mods,one of my pals uses a Binson and the sound is beautiful,- my Roland 501s are insignificant compared to it.
Des.

[Olsson]

Hi
This is a very interesting diccussion. Justin or anyone, how do You compare a Meazzi to a TVS 1 and a Q20, or have anyone tried the P.B. box ?

/Bertil

[Gary Allen]

On the subject of meazzi s..............Is it true to say that...He tried Joe Browns meazzi..Went and got his own..Then bought Echomatic 2 (badged as a vox) then bought a baby binson..started putting tape on the echomatic 2 (possibly having probs with dioxide on a wheel)( think I read that somewhere) then got a longtom...echorec 2...and so on... ?

[MeBHank]

Des, unless you were at the Friday night social evening prior to the last Shadowmania you won't have heard my Meazzi (but I mucked up the echo settings that night and it sounded awful!), but you will have heard those belonging to Colin Pryce-Jones and Phil Kelly. The circuits of these units are not all that different from those of the Meazzi drum echoes. There are differences, certainly, but not in the vital parts of the circuit which give that special Meazzi depth.

Bertil, The TVS1 does not have the Meazzi circuit, it is simply a tone shaper (as far as I am aware). The sound of the Meazzi circuit will be supplied only by the TVS3. I'm afraid I've not tried the PB Box, but again, I don't believe it actually introduces the Meazzi circuit to the guitar signal.

Gary, I think that's pretty much the correct order of the way things went. If you consider the length of time Hank that was using the Model 2 you realize how much he loved that echo.

J