Question: how to clean an 488 MKII?

[Meite_U]

Dudes and dudettes,

I got an old 488 MKII. I was wondering how to clean the tape heads: can I use an ordinary cleaning tape? I guess I can't? If anybody has experience please be so kind to share it with me.

www.meitemusic.blogspot.com

[hungovermorning]

It's a worthy investment to go to your local Radioshack (or ebay has a ton, whatever your purchasing style) and buy some tape head cleaner, it's really potent rubbing alcohol (like 99.something %), the logic being more alcohol = less water on the heads = less oxidation. Anyways, the stuff is wonderful and combined with a Q-tip you can claen any heads you've got. Just pour a little in the cap, dip the Qtip in and clean, new tip, and repeat, no need to dry, it will evaporate on its own. I wish I would've known about the Qtip cleaning in my portastudio days. Anything on teh heads makes such a huge difference.

cheers,
scott

[andyhix]

I'm glad this was posted. I just started to do some mixdown stuff yesterday, and got so excited to work on it, that I never cleaned my heads. I normally do that pretty often, but it slipped my mind this time. Fortunately, nothing I did yesterday is gonna be a keeper, so nothing lost, really.

Thanks for the reminder, guys!

[twinsemi]

Not to be a nag, but don't forget or neglect the demagnetizer, either. Oh alright, maybe I am being a nag , but wtf?

[Meite_U]

Thanks a lot mate! I still got some of that stuff you mentioned, now I only have to find a q-tip and I'll be off to some hardcore cleaning action!

[Meite_U]

I cleaned the heads. Didn't really hear much of a difference, but anyway. Now I've got another question: the area around and below the heads is very dusty, but it's hard to clean. Would it make any difference since the dust is not on the heads? I don't look forward to poking around with a q-tip there. Anyone who bothers to answer is my heroe.

[hungovermorning]

Twinsemi is right, a good demagnetizing would do it some good as well, just follow the instructions to the letter. I don't think the other dust would make much of a difference.