Audiotape Turntable Turns Tapedeck Into Record Scratching Gold

San Francisco native Jeremy Bell has invented what he describes as “an audiotape-based alternative to the turntable”. He calls it “The ScrubBoard”, and it’s now the focus of a Kickstarter campaign. Bell claims that by removing the tape head from a cassette player and reattaching it using longer cables he can – when combined with some audiotape to slide up and down – create “a galaxy of sonic possibilities”.It may initially sound like musical lunacy, but the possibilities shown by Bell in The ScrubBoard’s promotional video are undeniably impressive.
His funding target is $11,000 and Bell says he’s been developing the product “over the past few years”, creating a “more versatile and intuitive way to scratch, without the latency of digital or the fragility of vinyl”.
He wants funding to hire local product design firm Connekt LLC to build a functional prototype. Credit: Kickstarter/jeremyseanbell