Repair of Luxman and Pioneer Tape Decks

[Elite-ist]

The Pioneer CT-F950 and CT-F1250 are models, I had two of each. One of my CT-F950s was bartered to Gary (62vauxhall) in exchange for a few boxes of 8-track prerecorded cassettes he reconditioned for me. One of my CT-F1250s, I sold on consignment more than a year ago for $825. The deck sold to a buyer in Japan.

The CT-F1250, I own now, is one I bought for $250 from the original owner. The CT-F950, I kept, is one of the first Pioneer silver-faced 3-head decks I bought 14 years ago. Also, bought from the original owner.

Nando.

 

[Travis Henley]

Hey Nando....look what I just got in for service and repair. Woohoooo! This gonna be a treat!

 

[Elite-ist]

That is a treat. Scott (braxus) had a Tandberg TCD-3014A. He recently sold it. That model of deck makes beautiful recordings, as I have received plenty of mix tapes recorded by Scott using his 3014A.

Is there much work to be done on it?

Nando.

 

[Travis Henley]

Looks to be a little transport work needed....the right meter has problems as you can see and the Azimuth adjust is not working correctly.

 

[Elite-ist]

Hopefully, that pegged meter can be repaired. Scott (braxus) has extensive knowledge of technician's recommendations on work done on his own 3014A.

Nando.

 

[Travis Henley]

I am hoping so as well. I haven't dug in just yet but the initial performance tests are promising as far as overall function. The VU meter seems to be responding as far as the movement is concerned but the pointer is either bent or loose. I will post pictures and solution when I get there.

 

[Travis Henley]

I spent some time with the 3014A. I have the meter movement repaired. I made some recordings and found some problems. Type 1 recordings are good. When type 2 or metal is selected I get poor recording. I also noticed that I am not getting a complete erase when I rerecord on any tape type. So...I will dig deeper.

 

[Travis Henley]

After a long head scratching session I found the problem with the incomplete erase problems as well as the poor recordings on type II and Metal. I confirmed that I had no bias oscillator freq on the erase head and went looking for the reason. I found the bias osc was indeed running on the circuit board but at 24kz instead of 85khz....the head scratching began. My DC voltage was at the erase head but a little high.....should be 7vdc and I was reading 9.45vdc. I go back to the print and start comparing voltages in the osc circuit and made sure it was being turned on by the system controller..it was. I then measure my freq leaving the transformer and its still 24khz but Ive got nothing on the erase head. I ohm out my wires atttached to the erase head and they are not reading to the plug that leaves off from the osc....instead they are reading to the connector that goes to the tape selection switch......both are two pin connectors and someone before my has swapped them around. I guess they matched colors instead of paying attention to where they were supposed to go. See photo and you can see how it happened. Picture shows correct placement of connectors. Also..the azimuth adjustment shaft has a removable stop collar that limits the travel of the knob. After removing the stop collar I was able to zero the azimuth and all is good there now. I was able to remedy the intermittent transport issue with a clean and lube of the takeup pinch roller linkage. So....all problems are solved and now it just needs a basic alignment...i will do that during the next session....im 10 hours in at this point an time.

 

[Elite-ist]

Well done, Travis. Hourly rates for vintage audio technicians are now running at over $100 CAD per hour. And it's getting tougher to find a good technician to properly fix vintage audio gear.

Nando.

 

[Travis Henley]

Thanks Nando. Down my way some of the best techs charge similar rates. I do not, but I enjoy making my customers smile and I get lots of repeat customers. I also get to play with lots of cool equipment . I worked about 200 pieces last year and Im on track to bust that number this year if all goes well. VIntage gear is all I do and I enjoy it very much. .

 

[Elite-ist]

That's a busy repair schedule. You might want to share what you regularly use for your own home stereo system.

Nando.

 

[laatsch55]

Well done Travis. Sounds like you know your shit!

 

[Travis Henley]

Thank Laatsch....Ive been at it a little while and we learn as we go and what I don't know I will dig until I do. My little system isnt much Nando. You know how the mechanic always drives the ragged out old car...well I fit that profile. All my stuff is old and pieced together but i love it nonetheless. I bought or traded for every piece broken then made the repairs. Here's some pictures of my stuff.

 

[Elite-ist]

Cool system, Travis. A friend of mine has a Marantz Model 500 amplifier, I'm saving up to buy. He is the original owner and it comes with the matching Marantz 3300 preamplifier.



You run the big JBL speakers?

Would you run off the models of the components pictured in your system?

Nando.

 

[Travis Henley]

My Marantz is a 250m...the tuner is a Heathkit aj-43d....the preamp is a Dynaco Pas3x...the turntable is a Yamaha YP-d6 and the speakers are Pioneer HPM-100's. I have a few other things that i rotate in and out but these are my favorites. Oh....and the Nak 600 and you may have seen my yamaha k-850 cassette in one of those pics too.

 

[Elite-ist]

Thanks, Travis. Quite an assemblage of components.

Nando.

 

[Skywavebe]

I worked on a 3014A once and corrected the azimuth thing that was a gummed up mechanical part but being none of the connectrors are marked it is vert simple to make a wrong connection and then there are the cheap meters that fail all the time. I don't see where these are such a hot deck as sometimnes the hype and advertising make it a lot more than it is. I stopped taking in that brand entirely.

 

[Travis Henley]

I worked on a 3014A once and corrected the azimuth thing that was a gummed up mechanical part but being none of the connectrors are marked it is vert simple to make a wrong connection and then there are the cheap meters that fail all the time. I don't see where these are such a hot deck as sometimnes the hype and advertising make it a lot more than it is. I stopped taking in that brand entirely.

Howdy Sam.....seeing all the cassette decks that you see....can you share what would be your favorite or best all around considering performance, dependability and ease of service? thanks

 

[J!m]

That’s a great question!

 

[Elite-ist]

Could be a Tascam 122 MK II/III?

Nando.