Weird tape synopsis

Hey homerecording,

I've tried reading up on the sticky tape syndrome thread and don't quite understand how to tell if tape indeed has STS?

I just finished tracking tracking some tracks on my Tascam 388 using scotch 207 basically when I took the tape off the reel. I noticed the beginning of the tape basically the part after the leader was basically "squished" for lack of better words; it looked as if the tape melted a bit and "squished" together the rest of the tape was fine it also had a three mark groove for a little while indented in the tape after the part of tape that was "squished" together. Has this happened to anyone? If so is it indeed a symptom of STS?

Also do you have to cut off the leader on tape a friend told me to do this so the plastic doesn't run over the heads but I don't know how true this is?
 
Sounds to me like the leader got stretched.

If during tape movement the tape is tugging, pulling and and squealing, and you find a lot of sticky gunk left on the heads and the guides...the SSS.
I guess if it pulls hard enough with sticky tape, the leader could get stretched.

Plastic leader across metal heads cause some static build up which could cause pops/clicks.

Not sure if 207 is prone to SSS.
 
The SSS Help Thread Could use a little revamping. Some of the original links are dead and I should revise the top post to be more in depth. It turned into a long discussion thread, which has limitations when trying to get all the info in one quick read. I hope to do that sometime soon .

3M/Scotch 206/207 is not historically prone to sticky shed. I've never seen a bad reel of it myself and I've got NOS going back to the 1970's. There are so many other things that could go wrong with tape, including all to frequently mechanical damage from worn parts on old machines.

If the tape wasn't new and sealed it might have been damaged before and maybe not even be Scotch 207 on the reel. It would be helpful to know whether the tape was new and sealed when you got it when trying to gauge the Sticky Shed issue. Used tapes that were used when you got them can't be counted for the official record because we can't be sure the tape in the box is the tape on the label.

Other than that any tape maker can have a bad batch. If the tape ran fine after that initial wrinkle it's not likely to be Sticky Shed. Tapes with Sticky Shed get worse as they run, often stopping the machine dead in its tracks within minutes.

Plastic leader on tapes like 207 and Maxell 35-90B has never caused me any problems. I do tend to prefer paper leader. However, I don't routinely remove plastic leader if the tape comes that way. It won't hurt if you do... either way.

My next step in your situation would be to carefully examine the tape path for sharp edges, cut the bad section of tape back and try running it again. If you have any significant flat spots on tape guides you'll want to turn those so the tape is in contact with round smooth surfaces. But don't try that until you're sure you know exactly how to turn the lifters and guides without twisting something out.

Let us know if you bought the tape new and sealed or already open. That helps us a lot as we try helping you diagnose the issue.
 
Thanks for the response I had bought the tape NOS sealed the machines been throughly cleaned and put together by a tech here in Florida. We've been running the tape for a couple weeks and this is the first time this has happened. I removed the leader already so tape is going on the take reel during initial threading. I cut the stretched tape off I'm gonna roll with it hopefully it doesn't happen again and actually hit the recorded audio.

I've noticed sometimes when threading when I hit fast forward after tapes on reel the tension rod will jump ahead of itself.

And does anyone know why when recording a track it would drop in volume on the same part of tape after multiple takes?
 
I've noticed sometimes when threading when I hit fast forward after tapes on reel the tension rod will jump ahead of itself.

And does anyone know why when recording a track it would drop in volume on the same part of tape after multiple takes?


Sounds to me like the tape is sticking to the guides...and you have a drop-out, maybe caused by shedding.

Have you cleaned the path and then tried a new/fresh reel of some different tape...different batch...?
If your problem is limited to that one reel...or to all the 207 you bought that came from the same batch/seller...
...but not with other tapes...
...then I think you have your answer.
 
I have noticed flat spots on the tape guides I have a spare 388 I could take the guides and put new ones in or just turn mine can anyone explain how to do this/is it hard?
 
I wouldn't go robbing parts just yet. I think you can just loosen the attachment screws and rotate the tape guides.
Although I'm not familiar with that machine.
 
Just called my tech said it was probably from initially threading the tape and hitting fast forward he suggested just hitting play after initially threading so tape doesn't run risk of stretching.

Also dropout is a little discerning but he also said 388 tape guides have a little depressed region on the guides to keep tape from slipping off so maybe I was over looking the guides hopefully everything else goes smooth

Thanks for the responses!
 
These things are tough, and the only time I ever stretched tapes back in my r-r days was when the brakes were poorly adjusted so as the machine would go into fast forward, the brakes would bind for a fraction of a second, and this stretched the tape - normally shuttling back and forth, going from fast rewind to fast forward never stretched tapes - broke a few poor splices, but that's normal! Reel to reels are tough things. Regular cleaning and maintenance are all that's needed.

I frequently spliced the layout tapes with coloured leader, and never ever had a problem with it going through the machine. One r-r I had even used foil leader to put the machine into pause as it passed through. Resilient things! However a tiny sliver of mis-cut splicing tape stuck to a guide can crease a tape in a flash!
 
Yeah it doesn't do this when I'm already in the process of recording it jumps forward when the reels just been threaded and I hit fast forward to get past the beginning of the tape hopefully hitting play instead will fix this issue
 
Well I, for one, have never Fast forwarded from just threading. I remember being taught that way back in the day (late 60s). I use the shuttle/jog control and spool on a a couple minutes of tape before I mark as zero and continue with the session. I dont know if your 288 has that function though.


edit: sorry 388
 
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Well I, for one, have never Fast forwarded from just threading. I remember being taught that way back in the day (late 60s). I use the shuttle/jog control and spool on a a couple minutes of tape before I mark as zero and continue with the session. I dont know if your 288 has that function though.

yes this^^^^

Gotta check tape reel tension too when you experience tape stretching or shedding. I set up all my own machines. There are fewer and fewer techs in the business that get it all down right when calibrating. I don't really trust anyone but myself to do it. An authorized Tascam service center is a next best choice.

Ideally you want the tape tension setup for the tape you're using. Some techs use whatever, and in the case of the 388 in particular will often make the mistake of setting up with 456 because it was basically de facto standard. But the tension will be too high for 457. 407, 207 and other 1-mil tapes. 1-mil tape is good, but the minimum for professional use. It will stretch easier that 1.5-mil on a clunky machine. I don't think of the 388 as clunky enough if the tension is set right.
 
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