Mellotronists

I was telling a buddy today about the inner workings of the MK2 and 
he asked me a question I didn't know the answer to...since there were 
2 speakers on each side of the tapes in close proximity to them what 
kept the magnets of the speakers from erasing the tapes?(even 
gradually over time)

In a message dated 10/14/2003 1:34:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
charel196@... writes:

> I was telling a buddy today about the inner workings of the MK2 and 
> he asked me a question I didn't know the answer to...since there were 
> 2 speakers on each side of the tapes in close proximity to them what 
> kept the magnets of the speakers from erasing the tapes?(even 
> gradually over time)
> 
> 

This is a good question.  I think it's because the magnets are *at least* far 
enough away from the closest tapes so that they receive no damage.  I know 
that the magnets pose a significant risk to those close tapes when changing the 
tapes.  When I changed mine on MKII #247, I was warned about the tendency of 
loose tapes "diving" to the speaker magnet if given a chance, and this does 
erase them.  So, when I changed my tapes, I used a towel and a plastic bowl over 
the speaker magnet on each side, as shown on my web site.  But as far as tape 
erasure from normal use, I would say  that it's not a problem by design, 
although it looks like it would be.

<A HREF="http://www.tronsounds.com/mkii_tape_chang_prob.htm">http://www.tronsounds.com/mkii_tape_chang_prob.htm</A>

Ken M.