Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Mellotronists

 

Ken Leonard wrote:

 Newer tape stock is thinner and has a different
formulation on the drive side that doesn't drive as well as the old
stuff.  Our tape providers have experimented with different stock,and I
have some from a few years back that's not really playable becauseof the
formulation (the stock in question is no longer used for obvious reasons).

Pierre V. did an experiment once where he put something on the capstan(or
was it the pinch rollers?) that gave much more grip, but he snappeda few
tapes when they got to the end.  :-)  So it's a balancingact.

For the pinch rollers I tend to take off the edges and scuff them with
emery cloth, clean them, and apply CAIG rubber rejuvenator.  Doesit
work?  Pah!  Some stock still sucks.  That EMI stockis no problem, and
I've even had mostly good luck with the Ampex 456 sets I have.

Martin turns his pinch rollers into tyres (tires for us American types:-)
) by really rounding off the edges.  They look like what' you'dsee on a
motorcycle when done.

But maybe it's not the pinch rollers but some other part of the machine
that could use adjustment in order to better drive the tapes. Keep in mind
that there's constant back tension on the tape due to the return
spring---that doesn't help.

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Greetings Everyone and Happy 2005,

Been reading intently the recent exchange of information and
comments from all sides.  From my perspective only, I've seen
some great performing tape and some stuff which should be used
as polishing abrasive.

To recap my observations in the last 32 years as Mellotron owner :

1) Nothing wrong with OEM orig. tape stock, provided that it
   wasn't overly used/abused . i.e: temp/humid, mice, mold,etc.
   I've removed orig. tapes from MKII's to M400's and wouldbe
   absolutely comfortable to re-use them again . (35-40 yrs.old).

2) Only trouble seen with "first-gen" stuff was roughness on one edge
    of Sound Sales stock from 1976, due to cutting-fixturebecoming dull.
    Sound quality was/IS still bright, no loss of oxide,etc.

3) Encountered some matte-black tape in the  1990's which
    performed horribly from mechanical perspective.I'm sure the
    intrinsic audio quality of that tape would be finewith optimal transfer.
    But I was unable to achieve that "sweet spot" adjustmenton the M400(s)
    fitted with that type.

4) Some different coloured stuff was available for use in misc. models.
    I cannot pass judgment on these types of  tapestock, not owning any.
    This open forum is best place to share observations.When KL and I
    went to Gatherings/Philly  11-Dec, severaltypes of tape were presented
    as representative stock with associated applicationsissues .

Without repeating myself again below, the one thing I can foresee is
fully rotating  tape-guides as in MKI/MKII/SFX models. The M300
as you all know used fixed fluon tape guides  (except for thefirst 5-6 units).
An M400 frame fitted with rotating tape guides or "turnbuckles" mightinterface
better with newer tape stock.  Hey Streetly/Markus, any thoughtsto
providing a "beta-site" test of  my idea ??

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Markus/Martin:  Are you looking into the designs of your machinesto drive
the newer tape formulations?  It sounds like there is generalsatisfaction
with the way available tape stock is running, so there's no real needfor a
redesign.

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Ditto my paragraph written above. Any ideas for R&D M400 tapeframe
to "beta-site" test ??      I'm serious....Amwilling to evaluate objectively and
professionally  for the sake of  Mellotron's continued longevity.

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>I'm not interested in buying antiquated
>tapes at 250.00 a set.

The tapes from the 70s do hold up really well, strangely enough. I've seen
enough sets of them.  The set that I got in the Mouseotron wouldhave been
fine except for the mouse goo all over them (and 2 tapes being splicedwith
masking tape).  I bet I could still clean them up and get themto play OK.

I never liked "planned obsolescence", as the Quantegy people have foisted
on their customers (reportedly) to make more money when they have torework
archive tapes.  But it is understandable that tape has a shelflife and
will eventually go downhill, just like anything else.

...kl...
M400 #805 - kl is going downhill
M400 #1037 - ...and is largely obsolete

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I managed to save the majority of knackered OEM tapes from ELO's M400/706.
Covered with glop,mold and such, they cleaned-up well with 91% IPA.
With nothing to lose, I also managed to iron-out most  wrinkleson the
worst ones.  Bottom-line, they sound 90% of clean/newer set .

Another example :  Gordon Reid's tapes as fitted into "Julia" (MK-I/124)
in the early 1980's (one station, no cycling) sound/travel perfectly
in older/newer Streetly M400 tapeframes . They're now within the JKMK6.

Without tapes, our beloved machines are devoid of sound.
Some of us have openly disagreed on this List about many topics.
'Ya think we could collectively work on this all-important tape issue
to the betterment of the Trons?

Cheers,  ....JK...   (not obsolete YET....occasionallymoldy/wrinkled)