Mellotronists

thanks to replacement parts, shiny new tape rack, and
the patience and expert advice from martin and john,
m400 #1220 has been revived from VERY bad shape into
a pretty well running machine and picked up by its
owner.

this thing was a mess, and had been VERY wet at some
point in time [as evidenced by the swelled plywood and
badly rusted screws on the bottom panel]. it has a new
motor controller and a gorgeous new tape rack loaded
with brand new taped. the motor card is amazing! you
can REALLY load up the keyboard and the pitch is rock
solid - just like these things were SUPPOSED to be!
and the new tapes run like a charm and just flow through
the machine...

if there was one more part i would replace on this unit
it would be the keyboard. the wood had an odd texture to
it - sort of brittle and hollow. i think this is more
evidence that this unit was very very damp/wet.

the work i did on this goes to show that almost any of
these can be renewed, with select replacement parts and
some sweat and toil, to a working condition that will be
even better than they were new 30 years ago. but we all
knew that already, didn't we?

if anyone is keeping track:
unit: m400 #1220
owner: kurt hoffman
location: maryland usa

...jeff
========================================================
 mailto:jeffc@...   http://www.netaxs.com/~jeffc/
========================================================
"Since at the beginning and end of our lives we are so
 dependent on others' kindness, how can it be that in
 the middle we neglect kindness towards others?"
- Tenzin Gyatso - His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama
========================================================