what are you listening to?

BlazeES · Jul 24, 2015

'Mother Mary' and 'This Kids' loom large in my psyche ! MS shreds the V ...

62vauxhall · Jul 25, 2015

FWIW, I found three 8 track cartridges today and externally they're mint other than the name someone wrote on the label of this one:

When I first examined it in the store, I saw a dark vertical line on the tape:

I tried rolling it forward with my finger against the pinch roller but it would only advance an inch so I knew there was a problem with the tape pack. On opening the cartridge, it looked like this:

The foil splice adhesive had let go but attached itself to an adjoining layer or two of tape and prevented the tape from moving. The vertical line on the tape was made by the capstan spinning against the stuck tape while it was pressed against the pinch roller.

This one is an easy fix but I've seen much worse. Sometimes, for reasons unknown, a "chunk" of the tape pack will have climbed out of the center and onto the hub. This will make a rat's nest out of the tape and stop it in short order. I was actually hoping that's what was wrong with this one so I could post a pic of what that looked like.

Replacing a foil splice and pressure pad is relatively simple but sometimes re-adjusting the tape pack can be very time consuming and can be a lot of work for something that only cost 50 cents or a buck.

There were times when a loose sticky old splice stuck to a capstan and wrapped a good long piece of itself into a nice accordioned mess inside the player. I got tired of opening up machines, extracting a few feet of damaged or broken tape and cleaning off the capstan which is why I always work on the cartridge first before ever trying to play it.

Problems other than pad & splice are fairly common - in this case, one out of three.

derek92994 · Jul 25, 2015

ksrigg said:

High quality build and great performance. Mine has had nothing done to it in its 35 year lifetime except for motor/bearing lube and drive belt, always the same arm. Don't feel the need to purchase another as long as this one is working well. I also have a TD-165 with standard TP-16 arm. I need to check the tone arm wiring as it was doing strange things about 2-3 years ago when it was last used. there are some videos of it though in working order:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CTkSb-Vc-I

Elite-ist · Jul 25, 2015

Gary: Thanks for the tips and tricks on 8 tracks. You have a nice kit assembled for repairing them - almost like a surgeon's table. All your experiences are well worth justifying a dedicated thread.

I returned back to the Mini Flea Market 3 X to pick up the remaining 8 tracks. Looks like all from the same owner as he initialled all his cartridges - probably someone I grew up with in town. Who are you DJK? Jack, the owner of the store, said "Why didn't you pick them all up on the first trip?" I just shrugged. Obviously, no one was beating down the door to buy them up.

Tonight, Geri and I are enjoying a glass of red wine and listening to Rod Stewart's "Absolutely Live." Great double album set!.

Nando.

62vauxhall · Jul 25, 2015

Elite-ist said:

That Jack fellow either got more in since the Saturday Motorcycle festival. Either that or he had them all stashed for you. When I was in his shop that day there were maybe 10 and all lame.

You went back 3 times!!! How many did you get?

I'm going to Sumas tomorrow for a bunch of capacitors plus a speedo cable for the bike and on the way, will sweep the thrifts in Coquitlam, Poco and Maple Ridge for tapes, LP's and 8 tracks, ya never know. But I'm going to give Abbotsford a miss. Way too many recordings there with the word "Praise" in the title.

EDIT: Nice Dual, which one? I just pulled out a 701 with the original V15 III that I haven't played with for a year. Been using a 1009F and an Elac 50H II for a while.

Elite-ist · Jul 25, 2015

Oh yeah, the tapes came in after you were here, Gary. I have 55 8 tracks of good 70's rock music and a couple of Cheech & Chong classics. And one AM and one FM radio cartridge which plug into the 8 track deck. I have to replace the 9V harness on the AM one, though.

My old table is a Dual 1229Q with the Shure V15 III cartridge. I replaced the stylus with an inexpensive new one that I found at Innovative Audio and Gordon set aside a better dust cover he had which replaced the cracked one on mine. Cost me a case of Guinness Pub Draught. Yup, picked the Dual tt up @ the Mini Flea Market, too.

Nando.

orange · Jul 25, 2015

Wow...I didn't know they did that with 8-tracks first, only the Walkman cassette tuners for various early assorted makers' models.

My mono AM/FM/8-track Emerson needs some work though, and a battery door.

Fast Forward · Jul 25, 2015

Igor Stravinsky,,, The Firebird

Northwinds · Jul 25, 2015

Des_Lab · Jul 25, 2015

Have you ever played a song backwards and were pleasantly surprised at the resultant chord progression to the point that it became a new song in its own right?

Northwinds · Jul 25, 2015

Des_Lab said:

When I was a kid, I would spin Zeppelin records backwards to hear the "hidden" messages supposed recorded. I think I heard "feather" once and that's it

Got this spinning now, man this was when the Animals kicked much ass

62vauxhall · Jul 26, 2015

Can't say I tried playing it backwards, but this one can be played at any speed.

ksrigg · Jul 26, 2015

Before Fleetwood Mac..look where a bunch of Fleetwood Mac's song originated..

Des_Lab · Jul 26, 2015

ksrigg said:

Hmmm. I'll have to track down some of that stuff. Although Fleetwood and the McVies are talented singers and musicians, the reality is that Fleetwood Mac was a nothing, struggling, obscure group till Nicks and Buckingham joined up. Those two are the ones that really made the group who they are.

BubbaH · Jul 26, 2015

I dont believe that statement to be completely accurate Matt. Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac released 8 albums before joining up with Nicks/Buckingham. And while its known that Mr Green was a tad nutty(I believe from too much drugs...acid) hes knows as a great blues guitarist abroad. Not that he did a lot afterwards. Yes they may not have had the widespread success but were well known to many. Judas Priest covers one of their earlier songs on one of their earlier records, The Green Manalishi.

BubbaH · Jul 26, 2015

62vauxhall said:

You familiar with any of FM's work?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cy8igScwooY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

62vauxhall · Jul 26, 2015

BubbaH said:

I agree. Fleetwood Mac were far from obscure but they seemed inconsistent album to album. I think, as mentioned, Peter Green belonged to the same club as Syd Barrett and Roky Erickson. I think I read once that Fleetwood Mac (or maybe just Mick Fleetwood) crossed paths with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks at a recording studio and it was Lindsay Buckingham who was of interest. If I recall correctly, Ms. Nicks was not exactly welcomed but LB said they were a package deal so take it or leave it.

laatsch55 · Jul 26, 2015

And the rest as they say is history...

62vauxhall · Jul 26, 2015

BubbaH said:

Thanks for the clip, it was cool. Once upon a time, I have no idea when, or where even, I saw Nash the Slash. He may have been a lead in for someone or been a featured performer at the Queen Elizabeth Theater. O brain cells, wherefore art thee. He was in usual mummy bandage stage gear and they were trailing all over behind him. That turban and net in the clip is stylin'.

And no, not familiar with FM other than knew they existed. But, a few months ago I did buy a used copy of Black Noise which happens to contain that Phasors on Stun track. I listened to the whole album but only the one time. I hit thrift stores a lot and will buy albums for a buck or two just to see what they're like. As always, as I'm playing it, I go online to see what there is to see about these artists/bands and I am often astonished at their history.

Northwinds · Jul 26, 2015

62vauxhall said:

I like the Peter Green era blues stuff a lot obviously but nothing wrong with Stevie Nicks joining, Christine McVie is an excellent singer also. The music moved in a different direction for sure and yep, many hit or miss albums but they have endured and still putting on great performances

what are you listening to?

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