--- In
Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "David Jacques"
<djacques@c...> wrote:
> Well Boys, #340 arrived this morning very safe and secure from its
> trans-continental journey. Craters and Freighters did an excellent
job
> packing and crating it. Not a bit of damage (Shrink wrap, major
foam
> everywhere, and the crate built around it). However, the folks at
Yellow
> Freight do leave a bit to be desired. They had some yahoo company
> deliver it to my house in, believe it or not, an open back chicken
> truck! I am not kidding, they had to remove the fence to slide the
> palette off the back of the truck... It looked like it came from
Green
> Acres...
>
> Some very interesting observations from what I discovered when I
> unpacked it.
>
> First, it was filthy... But after wiping it with a damp rag and a
bit of
> ammonia it cleaned up pretty well. Yes its discolored from age,
but most
> of it cleaned up. Except for a big scratch on the back, it looks
fine.
> They keyboard cleaned up well too.
>
> Upon inspecting all the original paperwork (and there is tons of
it), it
> looks as if #340 spent most of its life in a recording studio in
Texas.
> The invoice is for March 14, 1975, and made out to Mr.. Curtis
Kirk,
> Custom Recording Studio, Tyler, Texas. He also bought 1 set of
standard
> Mellotron tapes.
>
> In 1981 Mr.. Kirk purchased 1 set of "special tapes" (1 track
special).
> I have those on red spools and am waiting to see what they are.
Along
> with the red spools is one master on a large wheel. hmmmmm....
Maybe
> it's John Lennon's secret tapes...
>
> The best news (I think), is that in 1978 he purchased and
installed the
> SMS 3 kit.
>
> So I could not resist. I plugged it in, hooked it up to an amp, and
> tested her..... She WORKS!!!! All keys and tapes work and
rewind. The
> installed tapes have choir, cello, and three violins. WOW!!!!!!
>
> OK, some major wobblies on certain notes as I am sure the heads
need
> cleaning and the keyboard needs some adjustment, but what a thrill!
> Maybe its in better shape than I expected... The foot pedal has
some
> noise in it, but what do you expect? Also, the track selector
switch is
> a bit funky as it overshoots the stops, but that is probably a
simple
> adjustment. I will check that out this week.
>
> So now I am officially a Mellotroniac!
>
> David Jacques
> M400 #340......
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jerry Korb [mailto:jkorb@i...]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 12:11 PM
> To: David Jacques
> Subject: Re: M400 #340 about to arrive very soon
>
>
>
>
> David Jacques wrote:
>
>
> Wow, that must have been some job!
> _______________________________________________________________
>
> Hi David, Yep, it was. I borrowed technology for repairing
fiberglass
> hulls
> on pleasure boats. Made a compound of 2-part epoxy and sawdust to
> fill chunks of broken particle-board on the bottom. After sanding
and
> veneering,looked fine.
> _______________________________________________________________
> So you had your M400 since new. Nice....
>
_____________________________________________________________________
___
>
>
>
> July 1973 it arrived. This month it's been exactly 30 years since
I've
> owned it. Cost $1760 plus $200 air cargo at that time. Arrived
directly
>
> from Mellotronics in London. I was only age 19 then,and worked
two
> full summers in warehouse to afford it.
> _______________________________________________________________
> Jamie and I are discussing which motor controller to purchase. Is
the
> Streetly easy to install? I am not as handy as someone like you,
but can
> handle simple jobs with tools.
>
_____________________________________________________________________
___
>
>
>
> Very simple. You must have a basic understanding of electronics
and some
>
> soldering skills. Everything's marked/detailed with typed
instructions.
> John Bradley and I went thru the procedure in 1997 to make it
> "idiot-proof."
> _______________________________________________________________
> I am also interested in how this extra set of tapes sound. I
don't even
> know what is on them. Is there a simple way of stringing them onto
a
> frame? I read about the method of splicing the beginning of the
new tape
> onto the end of the old tape and pulling it through the mechanism.
Is
> this the best way?David
>
_____________________________________________________________________
___
>
>
>
> Easy. Each tape will have a dash line which is placed directly
over the
> corresponding tape-head. Numbered 1 to 35 (Low-G to High F) .
> If the machine has an extra tape frame,you're all set. If not, you
can
> "test"
> to see what sounds are on the spools. I can explain this to you
more
> easily
> when the machine is in front of you, and ready to check out.
>
>
> One tape from tape frame can be removed and secured with masking
tape.
> This leaves a tape head open. Thread a section of tape from the
spool
> and secure it to the rear of machine (loosen two tape screws
first).
> Then play a note,letting the spool unwind holding with pencil. Then
> retract
> the spool/tape by hand to try again. As mentioned,this will sound
> crystal-clear
> when the M400 is in front of you.
>
>
> Regards, Jerry Korb
> Hi David.
> Congradulation for your purchase of your M400.Welcome to the
>mellotron owner community.I want to know in what area you lived.
>Your family name sound french and I'm from Montreal,Quebec Canada.
>Have a good evening!