Mellotronists

In a message dated 6/29/2004 12:40:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jpnoey@... writes:

> 1) Do you use your mellotrons regularly?
> 2) If so, what measures do you take to protect your tapes from decay 
> (i.e. shedding oxide, temp and humidity issues, etc.)
> 3) What can be done to prevent "stretching" of the tapes due to age, 
> overuse, etc...?
> 
> 

One other thing.  The tapes are going to die eventually.  There are things 
you can do to try to put that time off.  The biggest is the environment.  Don't 
leave your tapes out in the garage or down in the basement.  The heat / 
huimidity will take its toll.  Keep your tapes and machine in a nice air conditioned 
environment.  Rough treatment will also hurt the tapes.  My prized "BBS" tape 
set was shipped inside my M400.  At some point during shipment, someone 
decided to turn the flight case upside down, and part of the frame containing this 
tape set came loose and started flapping around inside the case.  When I 
opened the case, there was oxide all over the place.  That set still sounds good, 
but I'm afraid that it will never be like it was.

That's why it's great that Martin and others are still making the tapes.  
We'd really be screwed if we couldn't get new tape sets anymore.  We can get 
completely new tapes with the original sounds or brand new sounds which were never 
available before.  So, things aren't as bad as they seem.


Ken M