Mellotronists

In a message dated 11/21/2002 7:40:31 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
capt_carbonarc@... writes:


> After several 
> speaker-cone-shredding snaps, things would settle down while one 
> rewound the tape to start the dub over again.  And again, as soon as 
> the tape was played back, the pops would re-occur in about the same 
> places, but once the hub drains were renewed, then the popping
> ceased.  Were any provisions made for this on the Mark II or was it
> calculated that the numerous points of contact the tape makes as it 
> winds through the 'tron would provide plenty of grounding 
> opportunities? 
> 

I think that the main argument against the static discharge theory is that 
once discharged (via the "pops") that the problem would go away.  However, 
your experience with recharging the static by rewinding the tape intrigues 
me.  Could explain a lot. I wonder what area of the MKII would function as 
the "hub drain"?  I know that Bob Young appears to have a ground wire on his 
MKII which is not on mine.  I think that JB's leaning away from the static 
discharge idea, but that's what it seems like to me.  However, he's got a lot 
more experience with these things than I do, so it could be something 
completely different.

Thanks for your input - I learn a little more with each message like this.  
That's why I put the MP3s out there.

Ken M.