Since I brought this machine home a couple of months ago, aside from stripping the cabinet and getting the mechanicals into the wood frame, I've not had the time to even really examine it. All I knew was that it didn't work and that the cabinet was not worth repairing.
Well, yesterday I finally got around to finding out why this machine doesn't work. Every time I restore an old Mellotron I find something unusual that I've never seen before. This one was no exception. The SMS 2 was bad, and though I have several spares, I was able to fix the one that came with it and it was soon up and running. Then the surprises started. The keyboard was beyond horrible. Oddly, the pressure pad adjustment screws were backed way out. I removed the keyboard and took a close look. All of the felt pads that isolate the adjustment screws were replaced with new ones that were 1/4 inch thick. Interesting... these thick felt pads were also installed on the backs of the pressure pads themselves, forcing them to stand off of the pressure pad rest 1/4 inch, which then necessitated someone bending it into a bizarre configuration.
I wanted to get it to run before I started tearing it down and I did get it to work... sorta. I am happy that the motor appears to be very strong with little wear on the commutator or brushes. Minor warps in some of the keys are a quick fix. It has a PML 1 and it is very quiet. I cranked up the sound dry and got no humming and no crackling. Amazingly, a check of the heads revealed zero magnetism on any of them. In fact, aside from a small magnetic reading from the left bearing block, there was none anywhere in or near the tape path. Hooray!
So far, I have begun kitting a new cabinet. With any luck, I'll have all of the parts cut within the next couple of weeks. Since this one is mine and I have no deadline or expectant owner, the going will be slow. I expect there will be some surprises when I reveal it. The fun has begun.
Frank