The Mellotron Group

#500 is about to get a new set of pinch rollers as the current ones are over 35 years old and are getting pretty dry. Any tips for installing them? Or is it just remove the old one and mount the new one? I imagine the entire keyboard will need to be readjusted after they've all been installed.

Bernie

Hi Bernie,

Over this past summer, I completely restored my M400 and purchased a full set of new Streetly replacement pinch rollers. Not cheap, but definitely and significantly improved the playability. With proper adjustment ("hunched back"), my M400 now has a very "light" feel. It is now GREAT to play, compared with the original 35 year-old pinch rollers these replaced.

Replacement is straigtforward. It was easy for me as my whole 'tron was in pieces anyway getting the full treatment: disassembled, cleaned, reassembled with new capstan bearings, changed the filter capacitors in the electronics, new SMS-5 card, realigned heads azimuths by Martin at Streetly, new Streetly tape frame with tapes (flutes/cello/violins) laced and timed, new Streetly seamless capstan drive belt, aforementioned new Streetly pinch rollers, cleaned/lubricated the motor, etc.

Best,
Chris

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "tron400" <tron400@...> wrote:

>
> #500 is about to get a new set of pinch rollers as the current ones are over 35 years old and are getting pretty dry. Any tips for installing them? Or is it just remove the old one and mount the new one? I imagine the entire keyboard will need to be readjusted after they've all been installed.
> 
> Bernie

Hi Chris, and thanks! I'm not so mechanically inclined. I can take things apart with no problem, but putting them back together...well...that's another story. My M400 was refurbished by Jerry Korb a few years ago, right after Martin realigned the head azimuths. Jerry chamfered the pinch rollers, which helped, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they needed to be replaced.

Bernie

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "zogher" <fazeka@...> wrote:

>
> Hi Bernie,
> 
> Over this past summer, I completely restored my M400 and purchased a full set of new Streetly replacement pinch rollers. Not cheap, but definitely and significantly improved the playability. With proper adjustment ("hunched back"), my M400 now has a very "light" feel. It is now GREAT to play, compared with the original 35 year-old pinch rollers these replaced.
> 
> Replacement is straigtforward. It was easy for me as my whole 'tron was in pieces anyway getting the full treatment: disassembled, cleaned, reassembled with new capstan bearings, changed the filter capacitors in the electronics, new SMS-5 card, realigned heads azimuths by Martin at Streetly, new Streetly tape frame with tapes (flutes/cello/violins) laced and timed, new Streetly seamless capstan drive belt, aforementioned new Streetly pinch rollers, cleaned/lubricated the motor, etc.
> 
> Best,
> Chris
> 
> --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "tron400" <tron400@> wrote:
> >
> > #500 is about to get a new set of pinch rollers as the current ones are over 35 years old and are getting pretty dry. Any tips for installing them? Or is it just remove the old one and mount the new one? I imagine the entire keyboard will need to be readjusted after they've all been installed.
> > 
> > Bernie
>

Hi all.

Long time lurker - first time poster.

I own M400 #215 (3 Violins, Ian's flute, Russian choir).  It's a  
Streetly rebuild.  I got it from them in 2003 and it's a great machine.

My pinch rollers are in need of some rejuvenation/cleaning.  What  
should I use on these rollers for this job?

I know I've read about this here before.  But I don't remember the  
info now.  Bear with me.  I'm old.

If you have a chance, check out my MySpace site.  The first song  
'Evolution' has Tron and Moog intro.

Thanks in advance.
RnR
js
jayshirleykeyboards@myspace.com