388 squeaking, any help?

  • Thread starter Thread starter iconoclaST520
  • Start date Start date
I

iconoclaST520

New member
Aye, I made it to the west coast with my 388, and it seems to have picked up a squeaking in the left tension roller (Not sure what the technical term for it is). Has anyone had this problem, or know of a way to deal with it?
 
Congrats on making it....:eek::)

How did the 388 travel? Was it boxed up in a moving van, sitting on the back seat of a car? Just trying to get an idea of what it may have encountered.

The left tension roller would be the first thing the tape encounters comoing off the supply reel. Is that what we are talking about?

Do you only notice the squeak when running tape or can you get it to do it just by spinning the roller by hand? Does it squeak in all transport modes (FWD, REW, PLAY)?
 
It rode in the back seat of my van, with two layers of bubble wrap around it.

Yes, it is the same left tension roller.

It seems to only do it during playback with a tape in, and not when i just spin the roller. When it does, it also distorts the sound I hear through the monitors. I'm also noticing that the machine stops during FR/FF sometimes, but not all the time.
 
iconoclaST520 said:
Aye, I made it to the west coast with my 388
Click to expand...

Hey, you've just missed a pretty horrific heat-wave over here:eek: but nevertheless, I'm glad you and the 388 made it in one piece.:)

iconoclaST520 said:
...squeaking in the left tension roller...

It seems to only do it during playback with a tape in, and not when i just spin the roller. When it does, it also distorts the sound I hear through the monitors. I'm also noticing that the machine stops during FR/FF sometimes, but not all the time.
Click to expand...

What exact type of tape are you using?:confused:
 
Any chance the unit was exposed to extreme heat in the hot sun while you stopped to eat or sleep? A closed vehicle can be a dangerous place for man and machine alike in hot weather.

I don’t know what the max storage temp is for the 388, but every electronic/mechanical device has one. Something may have warped or the lubrication in the tension roller could have run out.
 
To be honest, I have no idea what kind of tape is in the machine. I have one other tape around that is in much better shape that I'll try. THis one kind of just came in the machine when I got it.

It has most likely seen some heat in the travel. It was pretty hot from Missouri to Idaho.

I'm almost suspecting the tape itself at this point. I have two people in this area that have expressed an interest in buying the machine, but I'd rather sell it in decent working order.

I'll try another tape and see how that works.

This tape I have here, according to the box, is TDK GX 35\90B. Don't know if the actual tape in the box IS this, but i'm about to try it.

1,800 feet, 7.5 ips, 35 micron total thickness, polyester base.
 
Last edited:
+1 to trying different tape. That may be all it is and that's where I was going with asking all the other questions because, depending on the answers, that would point to the tape being the culprit. If you don't know what it is, put some known tape on the transport and give it a spin.
 
Still don't know for sure what tape this other reel is, but it hasn't squeaked yet. I only tried it for about 5 seconds, so I have to flip this tape (they're stored tails out) and play from it.
 
Well, looks like it was just that tape being crappy. I've been playing this other tape for 15 minutes now without a single squeak, and no distortion in my monitors. It sounds great, other than the fact that this particular tape was recorded at 15 ips, so I'm hearing a cover of "working for the weekend" at half speed.
 
iconoclaST520 said:
It sounds great, other than the fact that this particular tape was recorded at 15 ips, so I'm hearing a cover of "working for the weekend" at half speed.
Click to expand...

Maybe they were just really tired after all that working for the weekend.
 
If that's the case, they sure did gobble down the quaalude before recording.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top