Mellotronists

In 25 years of using M400 #328,I only ever had a couple of 
problems...once in Las Vegas one of the big blue capacitors blew and 
Sound Sales next day aired me a new one...then played in a club next 
to a radio station which came thru the tron.I only ever broke a 
couple of a tapes(caught between capstan and felt pad).
  I used to coat the tape path over the metal guides and heads with 
tape head lubricant which helped the tapes flow very smoothly.I even 
told David Cross in Crimson about this and he took notes:)
 When Dave Kean arranged for the sale of my unit a few years ago,the 
stupid air freight company shipped it(in it's Anvil case) UPSIDE DOWN
(!) so when the guy who bought it received it it was all out of whack.
  And the main reason it always worked so well for me was I was 
always on one end of it when it was being lifted.Treat them like fine 
acoustic guitars or violins.