How to make an amplifier for a cassette tape head?

[Brian Brock]

Hi there, I want to remove the playback head from a boombox, and make a classic tape head violin, stringing the violin bow with cassette tape.

The boombox has a bunch of other stuff on it, and I just want a line output from the head, or possibly something I could plug into a mic pre or DI.

Thanks,

Brian

[Girl Toes]

Will you build a second one for me?

[gyraf]

Philip's application note for the NE5534 opamp:

http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/a ... /AN142.pdf

Page 8ff.:RIAA and NAB equalisation stages

Jakob E.

[bradb]

"classic" tape head violin?

not like im some all-knowing being, but ive never heard of this... can you tell us more? sounds super cool.

[jpmorris]

"classic" tape head violin?

not like im some all-knowing being, but ive never heard of this... can you tell us more? sounds super cool.

I believe Laurie Anderson did this quite a lot.

[Brian Brock]

Yeah Laurie Anderson, and I would imagine a bunch of other people - you just string a vioin bow with tape and position a tape head such that you can run the tape over it. Seems pretty cool - since I've got a bunch of old 1/4" reels with random stuff on them lying around that I'll never want to use, now I've decided to do this project with a 1/4" 2track head, too, if I can find one.

Thanks for any help on this..

Brian

[jpmorris]

I've decided to do this project with a 1/4" 2track head, too, if I can find one.

Tascam still make them for the BR20, so you could get one of those from their parts department. Otherwise, there are firms here and there which make mag heads.

[housepig]

Philip's application note for the NE5534 opamp:

sweet! I just found a ton of these, and was wondering if I could find a use for them - this is perfect.

[I'm Painting Again]

my voice of music mono tube RTR has a magnetic (tape head level) input..i never tried it but its got it i think..



model 700 or 710

you might be able to find one cheap i did at a thrift shop for 25$..has its own speaker too that you can turn on and off and out puts for sppeaker level and amp level..you can use it as a preamp for lots of things or mic the speaker for a really groovey grunge..or get low volume clean tones that are very nice too..

[Brian Brock]

that thing looks cool.

The pdf, I don't get - isn't that a turntable preamp?

Should I look at a database of opamp applications? Where could I go to find that?

Thanks,

Brian