4-track & 8-track cassettes (?)

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Gear_Junky

Gear_Junky

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I've been using a Tascam Portastudio (414) 4-track and I'm getting my Tascam 488 mkII 8-track in the mail tomorrow. I have a tape that I call "samples", which I use to try things out, so I erase and record over it many times. Is this not a good idea? I mean will the tape eventually deteriorate in quality? How many times is it safe to track over a tape to preserve good quality? Thank you!
 
a lot of it depends on how well you maintain your cassette deck. do you know about demagnetising your heads??
 
The manual of my 414 has a picture of a demagnetizer. Should I get one ASAP? Are they expensive? How often should I demagnetize? Please provide more info on it, thanks!
 
They cost $50 or so...You should get one and demag every so often (it's not as important as cleaning the heads, but it should be done).
 
When you get one to use it you must first switch off the power or you'll blow the shit out of your electronics. Then with the unit 3feet away switch on the demagnetiser and slowly!! bring it up to your first tape head and move it slowly over the head - then slowly draw it away and repeat with any other heads you have (2 or 3) and also do the same to the other metal parts like the tape guides etc then draw the demagnitiser away to 3 feet and switch off. Your heads and metal parts are now demagnetised. Cleaning heads is also important - your chemist (sorry - drug store) should be able to sell you isopropyl alcohol which is the best for cleaning heads. Clean your heads at least once a day if you are a heavy user or every two days if not. providing the cassette tape is a good quality one you should get plenty of use out of it for demo work but use new tape for mastering.
 
I wouldn't use that tape too many times...

It will eventually wear out and start shredding..... Just buy some new tapes and use them for the same purpose.

Above all keep dust off of the tapes and heads...use the plastic covers (Boxes) and keep tape door closed.

Clean and demag often.

Sincerely;

Dom
 
Stupid question! I just got my Teac head demagnetizer...it has that little plastic-type removeable thing on the tip of it...should I keep that on or remove it when I demag the heads? Also, with rubber cleaner, what is it made of? I know the head cleaner is isoproponal, which can be bought anywhere, but is there specific stuff I need to clean the pinch roller?
 
Rubber

Never clean rubber with Isopropanol alcohol. It will harden the rubber or crack it...
Use 99% Iso Alc.
Never remove the rubber tip! LOL! That protects the finish o the heads, there is no benefit to removing it.
Anyone? What do we clean rubbers with?
One trick I've found for old belts for cassettes and VCR's is automotive belt re-new. Saved over ten VCR's this way.
 
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