>I am going to take a look at a Mellotron M-
>400, tomorrow
>afternoon. Since I've never played, or even touched a
>Mellotron before - I don't have a baseline to determine the
>quality of the instrument.
oof...Big question. Best advice: Find someone who knows these things to
go with you. But that's not always possible...
In addition to that which was previously mentioned, check the capstan, and
make sure it's not bowed (very unlikely), pitted, gouged, or
rusted. Replacing one can be a bit of a repair bill. Capstan bearings can
be replaced if needed, btw.
If there's a CMC-10, you WILL be replacing it, and it WILL set you back
several hundred bucks.
Make sure the motor is in good shape. It shouldn't run hot, it shouldn't
sound labored or noisy (if the belt is the right tension and the capstan
bearings are good), and it should spin up fairly quickly and have no
trouble making things turn. However you will notice a pitch dive when you
play >4 notes simultaneously if there's a CMC-10 in there, and there'll be
lots of whine (with a CMC-10). This should not be the case if there's an
SMS motor controller in there.
Do all the controls work?
Tapes should rise and fall with ease if the tape path is straight. But if
it turns out to be an EMI M400, good luck...:-)
If the keyboard action is stiff, it could be poor adjustment. Generally if
the screws are way down or buried, that's what you've got. Folks, if you
find that you're adjusting your keyboard and continuing to drive the screws
further down, you have another problem---back off and try again---if it's
still horrid, there's something else wrong (pinch roller, funky head, bad
felt, bad tape, bad tape path, missing/loose keyboard thumbscrew, etc).
Remove the keyboard and spin the pinch rollers. If they're stiff, the
Merbler Flick may clear that, or you may need new ones (not ∗too∗
expensive, fortunately). If some felt is missing on the pressure pads or
where the adjustment screws are, just go to American Piano Supply. :-)
Make sure you get all the parts, including the aluminum cover to the tape
take-up box. Make sure all tape heads produce some sound (replacement tape
heads are available---someone on the list probably has a few hanging
around---although they're touchy to solder in because the wire is somewhat
fine).
If the tapes don't look worn, aren't moldy or dirty, and appear to be in
good shape, they may very well be usable still. Properly stored, they can
last quite a long time (decades).
Checking for signs of abuse was a good suggestion.
As long as the basic mechanicals and electronics are OK, everything else is
usually minor fixits and tweaks (once you figure out the quirks of these
machines). However replacing the motor and motor controller can get a bit
expensive, especially with the current exchange rate. Add in a capstan and
power supply, and you may as well move on to the next machine unless your
bargaining skills are top notch. :-)
But before purchasing a Mellotron, you must have some basic competence in
things mechanical, as adjusting these things or tracking down a problem can
drive you nuts. Often times a machine that sounds like crap only needs
some basic tweaks, but sometimes not. If you're not good at this stuff or
are shy about opening something up to fiddle with it, you might think twice
or at least be sure you have a good support system before looking into an
M400. If screw drivers and Ohm meters baffle you, completely avoid that
M300 or Mark II you've been pondering. Hell---they scare ∗me∗! :-)
Good luck, and have fun in your adventure!
...kl...
M400 #805 - showed up with SMS-4
M400 #1037 - showed up with CMC-10, smoked motor, and mouse poop