cleaning my four-track: I've got problems

C

Christian

New member
I've just bought a four-track (YAmaha MT4X) and the manual says it needs cleaning every 10 hours of use, and de-magnetizing every 30 hours. However, I'm not the most technical guy there is, and don't really know how to do this. What's more no-one at any of the hardware stores I went to seems to know much about maintaining so-called "out-of-date" analogue recorders.

So I went and bought something called a "Deluxe Cassette Head Cleaner" which looks like a normal cassette, but comes with a bottle of fluid and claims to clean the heads, pinch and capstan rollers (and the man in the shop said it would also do the demagnetising although it doesn't mention that on the box).

However, my four-track's manual mentioned that non-alcoholic solution was better for the rubber on the pinchroller, and so I went and asked another man (I no longer trusted the other guy) about this, and he said the best he could do was a high quality non-alcoholic carbon dioxide-based spray for both video and tape recorders. I didn't like the idea of indicriminantly spraying liquid at different components of my new machine, but I bought it anyway.

Well what do you guys reckon? Can I some how combine the spray with the head-cleaner? And what about demagnetising?

(and just then I looked up what Dragon had to say:"Do not under any conditions use the handy-dandy "head cleaning cassettes"...er I think that's what I bought)

Thanks in advance for your help
 
There's really only one right wat to do this, in my opinion.

You'll need -

a bottle of de-natured alcohol
a bottle of rubber cleaner
a bunch of lint free swabs
a wand type de-magnetizer

What the second salesman was telling you is that what's good for metal isn't good for rubber and vice versa. He was right, the first guy was full of sh*t.

You'll need to follow the directions for using the de-magnetizer very closely, or else you can actually end up magnetizing the deck, rather than de-magnetizing. It's really not that hard, just be careful.
 
Mr. Christian I say!

Hey man, see any roos down under where you live? How about Steve Erwin and his crocs?

Well, to get to your question, when I had a Tascam 8 track tape recorder I would cleanse the head (s) by putting in a cassette type tape. NO LIQUIDS USED EVER. The directions said to "rewind the tape first; make sure you turn down volume for speakers, then, run the cassette cleaner at normal speed until it stops. Remove and record away.

I still use this non liquid cassette because it works and is virtually harmless. Of course I don't use an 8 track tape deck anymore since I've switched to the Yamaha MD-8 digital box.

You can pick up one of these magnetic tape cleaners for a very few bucks.

The Green Hornet
 
Everything I've ever read on this subject (and it's all been the same in numerous different sources) says to NEVER use the cassette-type tape head cleaners. Many of these clean the head by way of a little felt pad that rotates or moves over the heads, and this is essentially just like rubbing very fine sandpaper on the heads and will eventually damage them. The best way to clean all components in the tape path (except the pinch roller) is with special cotton swabs and head cleaner solution, both available at Radio Shack. As far as demagnetizing...definitely spend the $50 or so for an electric wand-type demagnetizer, such as the Teac unit, available through AMS (American Musical Supply) catalog or their website (americanmusical.com). I'm sure you can get them other places too but this is the only place I've come across them. Be sure to follow the directions CAREFULLY or, as loudnaybor already mentioned, you can permanently put a magnetic charge on the heads that you will never be able to remove. The pinch roller should be cleaned with special rubber cleaner solution, also available through AMS. Good luck!
 
Yo LEDHED:

I wonder who puts out the word to never use a cassette type demag?

I'd hate to wave a wand around my deck and take a chance of giving it a Klingon charge that would remain there "forever."

If the cassette tape cleaner is a negative, I would think Sony would say so in their manuals. [I have a couple of Sony decks.]

But, I appreciate the info. I have used the liquid to clean the "rubber rollers."

Tape deck heads will wear out one way or another.

Thanks for the input.

Green Hornet
 
Aw, heck, I agree with Loudnaybor, but the easiest way to go is to buy a TASCAM cleaning kit. That way, you don't have to worry if you're using the right kind of alcohol. Use the head cleaner on all the metal parts, and the rubber cleaner on the little rubber wheel. Make sure the stuff has a chance to evaporate before you insert a tape. The book "the Billboard Guide to Home Recording" (found it in my local library) has a good section on cleaning and especially on demagnetizing.
 
Well thanks for all the advice guys (I just got back from a holiday, and saw all the replies). I guess it's Green Hornet v. the rest of you! I think I'll use the bottle of liquid and the swabs that came with my cassette cleaner, and do it by hand just in case the cassette would actually damage the heads.

As for the rubber cleaning part I think I'll try soaking a swab with that non-alcoholic spray stuff I found. All these things you guys mention don't seem to be so readily available "down under" here in Australia :-( As for a demagnetiser, well I guess I better start searching....

Thanks everyone

Christian
 
what do the demagnatisers do? or more so, what do the magnetised recording heads actually do, or not do if that be the case?
 
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