What bad heads look like!

[cjacek]

I was just browsing the net and found one of my favorite sites had updated with a rather nice explanation and pictorial of worn heads. Great resource. Applicable to most any recorder.

http://www.analogrules.com/badheads.html

Also check out the other stuff here:

http://www.analogrules.com/index.html

May not be the most organized site but it's full of some truly great infomation. I though I'd pass this on to you.

[themaddog]

Great post, thanks!

I never knew to look for spots where the head is "opening up."

-MD

[SteveM]

Good stuff.

[treidm]

Thx.......

[MartyMcFly]

Now if we only had some pics of good head and some partially worn heads. To compare to. I recently say a 34b on ebay and it showed a pic of the heads and they looked absolutly new. I didnt know heads came that way...too bad I cant post a .jpg dont know why???

[Muckelroy]

VERY helpful. I learned something today.

[Beck]

That's one of the best pieces on head wear I've seen on the web. I have Mike’s site in my bookmarks but haven’t seen that section before.

It should help a lot of people looking at used equipment. I always ask sellers about the heads and to send or post pics of the heads. Some of them act like I’m asking too much of them. I try to explain if you have no heads you have no recorder… and new heads can cost you hundreds on a typical TASCAM/Fostex multi-track, and some you can’t even buy new anymore..

“Lights come on, powers up, reels turn, etc”

So what! Show me the freakin’ heads already!

[Ding Dong]

very cool post!

[cjacek]

Hey, Tim, that's a new bulletin board. I liked the other one better I think.

BTW, no worries 'bout the rep thing. In this instance it's the thought that counts.

[cjacek]

Hey guys,

Thanks for appreciating the information. I'm glad you've found it helpful. Next time someone asks, it's as easy as pointing them to this thread or that analog site.

I gotta say though that browsing through those pages, on the above links, got me salivating enough to want one of those monster, "washing machine" type recorders!

[cjacek]

There's another link here:

http://www.analogrules.com/buymachines.html

It's a very good description of how one should go about buying a recorder. While the advice is geared toward the "pro" machines, much of what is contained therein can easily fit to just about any recorder, from a Fostex / TASCAM to a Studer.

Happy reading.

[evm1024]

I had a 3340 that had a worn out head. The gap did not have parallel sides but was more ragged....Still you should not see any gap there in general.

one wave at 20 kHz and 15 ips takes up about 0.75 mils (0.00075"). Typical head gaps are 0.25 mils (0.00025").

The very finest hair (flaxen hair) is around 0.66 mils (0.00066") and is still 2almost 3 times larger than a typical head gap.

I'll try to get a photo of a 38 head that I have that has some bad channels. It could be a good reference point for a 8 track half inch (bad) head.

--Ethan

[evm1024]

It is just hard to get good photos of heads in the deck and with the camera that I have. Here are 2 photos of the heads on the 38 that I have. the reproduce head is worn out. Several tracks do not reproduce at all. the record head is worn but is still functional and can be calibrated. Both heads show even wear (no keystoning) even though the photos make it look otherwise. The reproduce head shows a number of places where the head has been worn down so much that the gap is huge.

[Beck]

Yikes!

Yep, that repro head is toast. Those are good pics for reference. Evaluating heads is one of the hardest things to do when shopping for a machine, even for those of us that have been around awhile. (It’s hard on the back too)

Its tricky to estimate head life on a good head for sure, but these you have are good for extreme examples of what to avoid. If someone new wanting to get into analog can keep these in mind it could save them much grief.

Good Post!

[Dr ZEE]

Daniel! Thanks for the links!
HUH HUH! THIS PAGE ...and then >>>>>>>>>> THIS PAGE!

the knobs look great, btw,
Snake Oil watchdogs rule. we need MORE of'em.

[cjacek]

Originally Posted by Dr ZEE

Daniel! Thanks for the links!
HUH HUH! THIS PAGE ...and then >>>>>>>>>> THIS PAGE!

the knobs look great, btw,
Snake Oil watchdogs rule. we need MORE of'em.

Thanks Mike! Yeah, it's one of those sites that is a must read imho.

[trancedental]

Have a look at this for us Guys! I think this one is OK apart from what looks like some cotton fluff?

The guides have a bit of wear though?

Great thread!

Cheers!

[Beck]

Originally Posted by trancedental

Have a look at this for us Guys! I think this one is OK apart from what looks like some cotton fluff?

The guides have a bit of wear though?

Great thread!

Cheers!

It is difficult to tell from photos, but you will need some different angles, including straight on with no glare. If the guides haven’t been turned the tape path looks gently used.

[cjacek]

I agree. There is a small flat spot on the tape lifter and guide on the left and, as Tim already mentioned, if these have not been rotated previously, this seems not a high hour machine. On the other hand, if there is uneven head wear [hard to see from photo] then all bets are off. Do as Tim suggests as per the photos.

[trancedental]

Cheers Guys!

It's an Tascam MSR 24 went for Winning bid: £1,230.00 that's too much of a gamble IMHO!

[A Reel Person]

Those MSR24 heads look good, & I can't see any wear on the lifters, but for a small amount of wear on the guide gives me the impression it's a low usage machine with good heads.

[MCI2424]

Originally Posted by trancedental

Have a look at this for us Guys! I think this one is OK apart from what looks like some cotton fluff?

The guides have a bit of wear though?

Great thread!

Cheers!

Looking at those heads, I would say they are OK. You can see the perfect wear pattern on the rec head. At the very least, if they did need a re-lap, the wear patterns are the right type for minimal material removal.

If the wear looked like an hourglass, I would say different.

The good news, either way, is that the mechanical alignment of the machine is OK and has been for a while.