Mellotronists

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Ken Leonard" <ken@...>
To: <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 5:02 PM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Last Manufacturer of Pro Analog Audio Tape
Closes


Dear all

> Martin turns his pinch rollers into tyres (tires for us American types :-)
> ) by really rounding off the edges.  They look like what' you'd see on a
> motorcycle when done.

By sheer coincidence, #1145 & I have just come back from a day-trip to
Streetly (which is nowhere near Streetly, but never mind), where Martin did
exactly this to my pinch rollers. Mind you, two of them were irredeemably
shagged, and were replaced, but she's sounding 100% better.

> The tapes from the 70s do hold up really well, strangely enough.  I've
seen
> enough sets of them.  The set that I got in the Mouseotron would have been
> fine except for the mouse goo all over them (and 2 tapes being spliced
with
> masking tape).  I bet I could still clean them up and get them to play OK.

I was given several pep-talks in the space of a few hours on how my
late-'70s tapes are worn out and need replacing. OK, they're rather 'boxy',
but I reckon they've still got a few years left in 'em yet. Sorry, chaps.
:-)

Andy T.
#1145 (still hoping to go on tour this month)

In a message dated 8/1/05 7:14:26 PM GMT Standard Time, 
punchbowl4@... writes:


> Speaking of wobblies -- with Chamby M-style 1/2" 8-track, does rounding
> the corners on the pinchies mess up the head contact on the outer tracks
> (remember how narrow the tracks are)? Is the other part of the solution
> to wobblies softening the rubber and/or replacing if softening does
> round them well enough? How does felt-matting factor in to good push pad
> performance and adjustability?

It's the pad that insures good contact of the tape with the head over all the 
tracks.  The roller is just a revolving pressure pad and the better it 
drives, the better the machine will sound.  Grinding the rollers can only improve 
things.

> 
> And, BTW, is the pinch roller on the 400 the same diameter as on the
> Chamberlin M's with a similar axle and connection?

Don't know!  The rollers in the Chamby 300 we have are indentical to our 
rollers and at 3/8" wide they will certainly suit 1/2" tape even after grinding.  
Remember, when we grind we reduce the surface area of the roller by 1/3rd yet 
standard tape drive is improved because you are concentrating the drive area.

> 
> Martin, anyone - come on...help us out...
> 
> 

Martin is unavailable.

Best,

Helga
Streetly Electronics - all things MELLOTRONIC - click this link..........

US East Coast Agent: Jimmy Moore - JMoore6397@...

West Coast Service Agent:  Paul J Cox - pjc56@...

Why on earth would you take the time to grind an old
rubber hockey puck to try and improve things when you
can just buy a new roller? The new MA pinch rollers
are just superb...and I know for a fact that there are
quite a few list members that have them. Cat got yer
tongue? Or are we just observing more deference to the
party line here?


--- tronbros@... wrote:

> In a message dated 8/1/05 7:14:26 PM GMT Standard
> Time, 
> punchbowl4@... writes:
> 
> 
> > Speaking of wobblies -- with Chamby M-style 1/2"
> 8-track, does rounding
> > the corners on the pinchies mess up the head
> contact on the outer tracks
> > (remember how narrow the tracks are)? Is the other
> part of the solution
> > to wobblies softening the rubber and/or replacing
> if softening does
> > round them well enough? How does felt-matting
> factor in to good push pad
> > performance and adjustability?
> 
> It's the pad that insures good contact of the tape
> with the head over all the 
> tracks.  The roller is just a revolving pressure pad
> and the better it 
> drives, the better the machine will sound.  Grinding
> the rollers can only improve 
> things.
> 
> > 
> > And, BTW, is the pinch roller on the 400 the same
> diameter as on the
> > Chamberlin M's with a similar axle and connection?
> 
> Don't know!  The rollers in the Chamby 300 we have
> are indentical to our 
> rollers and at 3/8" wide they will certainly suit
> 1/2" tape even after grinding.  
> Remember, when we grind we reduce the surface area
> of the roller by 1/3rd yet 
> standard tape drive is improved because you are
> concentrating the drive area.
> 
> > 
> > Martin, anyone - come on...help us out...
> > 
> > 
> 
> Martin is unavailable.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Helga
> Streetly Electronics - all things MELLOTRONIC -
> click this link..........
> 
> US East Coast Agent: Jimmy Moore -
> JMoore6397@...
> 
> West Coast Service Agent:  Paul J Cox -
> pjc56@...
> 


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----- Original Message ----- 

From: "mark kasian" <easle12@...>
To: <tronbros@...>; <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: <punchbowl4@...>
Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 10:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Last Manufacturer of Pro Analog Audio Tape
Closes


>
> Why on earth would you take the time to grind an old
> rubber hockey puck to try and improve things when you
> can just buy a new roller? The new MA pinch rollers
> are just superb...and I know for a fact that there are
> quite a few list members that have them. Cat got yer
> tongue? Or are we just observing more deference to the
> party line here?

Cost, Mark, cost. Can you afford a whole new set of pinch rollers? I know I
can't, which is why I've just had mine ground. I'll replace the lot when I
can afford it. And there are two suppliers of 'Tron parts.

Andy T.

Let's see here....a complete rebuild of your pinch
roller assemblies, including the new brass roller, for
280.00 US. That's about 150.00 GBP. Sounds like a
bargain to me for a machine that works like a dream
with ANY tapes, old or new. 

And there may well be two Mellotron parts suppliers,
but there is only one that is selling NEW pinch
rollers. You guys harp all the time about supporting
the efforts of the suppliers...can you imagine how
much it cost MA to tool up for these new rollers? If
it were easy or cheap, or preferably BOTH, then
Streetly would have done it LIKE THEY SAID THEY WERE
GOING TO a long time ago. Shall we put our money where
our mouths are? Or is this just a wankfest for the
bored that somehow managed to get a Mellotron into
their hands??

--- Andy Thompson <andy.thompson@...> wrote:

> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "mark kasian" <easle12@...>
> To: <tronbros@...>;
> <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
> Cc: <punchbowl4@...>
> Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 10:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Last Manufacturer of
> Pro Analog Audio Tape
> Closes
> 
> 
> >
> > Why on earth would you take the time to grind an
> old
> > rubber hockey puck to try and improve things when
> you
> > can just buy a new roller? The new MA pinch
> rollers
> > are just superb...and I know for a fact that there
> are
> > quite a few list members that have them. Cat got
> yer
> > tongue? Or are we just observing more deference to
> the
> > party line here?
> 
> Cost, Mark, cost. Can you afford a whole new set of
> pinch rollers? I know I
> can't, which is why I've just had mine ground. I'll
> replace the lot when I
> can afford it. And there are two suppliers of 'Tron
> parts.
> 
> Andy T.
> 
> 
> 



		
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----- Original Message ----- 

From: "mark kasian" <easle12@...>
To: "Andy Thompson" <andy.thompson@...>;
<Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 12:08 AM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Last Manufacturer of Pro Analog Audio Tape
Closes


>
> Let's see here....a complete rebuild of your pinch
> roller assemblies, including the new brass roller, for
> 280.00 US. That's about 150.00 GBP. Sounds like a
> bargain to me for a machine that works like a dream
> with ANY tapes, old or new.
>
> And there may well be two Mellotron parts suppliers,
> but there is only one that is selling NEW pinch
> rollers. You guys harp all the time about supporting
> the efforts of the suppliers...can you imagine how
> much it cost MA to tool up for these new rollers? If
> it were easy or cheap, or preferably BOTH, then
> Streetly would have done it LIKE THEY SAID THEY WERE
> GOING TO a long time ago. Shall we put our money where
> our mouths are? Or is this just a wankfest for the
> bored that somehow managed to get a Mellotron into
> their hands??


I do try not to get involved in these ludicrous spats, but I'm extremely
happy with Streetly's service, and so are many other people. Why do you
bother, Mark? What axe is it you have to grind? Are you this obnoxious in
real life? Some years ago (though after the fantastically unpleasant e-mail
you sent me off-list), someone here called you a 'boor'. Didn't they.

Andy T.

p.s. Was that last sentence aimed at me? I used my Mellotron extensively on
the album my band released last year. I shall do the same this year. What
have you released?

p.p.s. Don't bother replying off-list.

I contacted both M.A. and Streetly at the same time when i first 
looked for a tron.  Streetly replied...and i bought a tron.  The 
other never replied.

And you continue to marvel at the King's new clothes.

Nice job of not answering any of those questions and
turning this into a personal attack on you. It was not
intended that way...not worth it.

And I BOTHER to point it out this stuff for the same
reasons that you can't miss a chance to fly your
allegiances to Streetly. Your business, your money,
your opinion...and I just voiced mine. 

Get over it.



--- Andy Thompson <andy.thompson@...> wrote:

> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "mark kasian" <easle12@...>
> To: "Andy Thompson" <andy.thompson@...>;
> <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 12:08 AM
> Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Last Manufacturer of
> Pro Analog Audio Tape
> Closes
> 
> 
> >
> > Let's see here....a complete rebuild of your pinch
> > roller assemblies, including the new brass roller,
> for
> > 280.00 US. That's about 150.00 GBP. Sounds like a
> > bargain to me for a machine that works like a
> dream
> > with ANY tapes, old or new.
> >
> > And there may well be two Mellotron parts
> suppliers,
> > but there is only one that is selling NEW pinch
> > rollers. You guys harp all the time about
> supporting
> > the efforts of the suppliers...can you imagine how
> > much it cost MA to tool up for these new rollers?
> If
> > it were easy or cheap, or preferably BOTH, then
> > Streetly would have done it LIKE THEY SAID THEY
> WERE
> > GOING TO a long time ago. Shall we put our money
> where
> > our mouths are? Or is this just a wankfest for the
> > bored that somehow managed to get a Mellotron into
> > their hands??
> 
> 
> I do try not to get involved in these ludicrous
> spats, but I'm extremely
> happy with Streetly's service, and so are many other
> people. Why do you
> bother, Mark? What axe is it you have to grind? Are
> you this obnoxious in
> real life? Some years ago (though after the
> fantastically unpleasant e-mail
> you sent me off-list), someone here called you a
> 'boor'. Didn't they.
> 
> Andy T.
> 
> p.s. Was that last sentence aimed at me? I used my
> Mellotron extensively on
> the album my band released last year. I shall do the
> same this year. What
> have you released?
> 
> p.p.s. Don't bother replying off-list.
> 
> 
> 


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