B
Beck
Guest
$85.00 is very reasonable -- good deal!
-Tim
-Tim
cjacek
Analogue Enthusiast
Beck said:
Yeah, for giving the heads a second-life, it's pretty inexpensive.
~Daniel
N
nettech
New member
True, although optical alignment costs an Xtra $70......
I think I can skip the optical alignment part. I'll just stick the head back on and tweak it in with armchair alignment procedures (wrap a piece of tape around the headblock and eyeball tweak until it "looks ok").
I got a fixer-upper Model 80 from Ebay. As usual the seller hyped it up saying, "Everything works! This thing is ready to roll, no repairs necessary!".
Yeah Right!!! I don't think so!!
The casing completely scratched and was smashed in from the front and sides, the whole chassis is bent, AC cord taped up with electrical tape, all 8 VU meters damaged, thick gooey brown syrupy stuff covering inside and outside (electrolyte maybe....). This thing looks like it came directly out of a dempsey dumpster.
Ok, at this point I figured it's a total loss, but I just took the R/P head off and slapped it on my working Mod 80. Even though the head has maybe about 5% life left in it (the thing is nearly worn flat) all 8 tracks appear to be recording and playing back OK.
Hopefully, this will 'tide me over' until JRF can finish fixing the origional tape head.
I think I can skip the optical alignment part. I'll just stick the head back on and tweak it in with armchair alignment procedures (wrap a piece of tape around the headblock and eyeball tweak until it "looks ok").
I got a fixer-upper Model 80 from Ebay. As usual the seller hyped it up saying, "Everything works! This thing is ready to roll, no repairs necessary!".
Yeah Right!!! I don't think so!!
The casing completely scratched and was smashed in from the front and sides, the whole chassis is bent, AC cord taped up with electrical tape, all 8 VU meters damaged, thick gooey brown syrupy stuff covering inside and outside (electrolyte maybe....). This thing looks like it came directly out of a dempsey dumpster.
Ok, at this point I figured it's a total loss, but I just took the R/P head off and slapped it on my working Mod 80. Even though the head has maybe about 5% life left in it (the thing is nearly worn flat) all 8 tracks appear to be recording and playing back OK.
Hopefully, this will 'tide me over' until JRF can finish fixing the origional tape head.
B
Beck
Guest
nettech said:I think I can skip the optical alignment part. I'll just stick the head back on and tweak it in with armchair alignment procedures (wrap a piece of tape around the headblock and eyeball tweak until it "looks ok").
I got a fixer-upper Model 80 from Ebay. As usual the seller hyped it up saying, "Everything works! This thing is ready to roll, no repairs necessary!".
Yeah Right!!! I don't think so!!
The casing completely scratched and was smashed in from the front and sides, the whole chassis is bent, AC cord taped up with electrical tape, all 8 VU meters damaged, thick gooey brown syrupy stuff covering inside and outside (electrolyte maybe....). This thing looks like it came directly out of a dempsey dumpster.
Ok, at this point I figured it's a total loss, but I just took the R/P head off and slapped it on my working Mod 80. Even though the head has maybe about 5% life left in it (the thing is nearly worn flat) all 8 tracks appear to be recording and playing back OK.
Hopefully, this will 'tide me over' until JRF can finish fixing the origional tape head.
After hearing all that, actually I would demand my money back from the seller with the threat, if needed, of turning over to autorities as a fraud complaint.
cjacek
Analogue Enthusiast
Beck said:After hearing all that, actually I would demand my money back from the seller with the threat, if needed, of turning over to autorities as a fraud complaint.
I second that.
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
Gosh, sorry to hear that!!
Yeah, that, & we'll now have to start calling you "tapetech"!!
nettech said:...I got a fixer-upper Model 80 from Ebay...
...
...OK.
Hopefully, this will 'tide me over' until JRF can finish fixing the origional tape head.
Yeah, that, & we'll now have to start calling you "tapetech"!!
N
nettech
New member
If it weren't for the useable replacement parts, I would..
Yep, well everything is a gamble when you buy stuff on Ebay. At this point, rather than start an endless fight with an Ebay seller, I'll just consider it a gambling loss. Besides, I'm sure the seller was conscienciously aware what he was selling was junk, so giving him the "Silent" treatment might be the best treatment for him.
Come to think of it, I'm not sure he is actually conscienciously aware of much. The deck was shipped to me with tape reels on the machine with tape actually threaded thru, and the packing box had nothing but a couple of chipped pieces of styrofoam in it. Invision if you will, basically a tape deck sealed in a cardboard box with 1/2 inch of air padding on all sides. An Ebay "Power Seller" should know better than to send something so haphazardly.
Believe me, if it weren't for the useable replacement parts I salvaged from this deck (belts, motors, R/P cards) , I would have created a big-ass fuss!
TapeTech ...... hey, I kinda like the sound of that
Beck said:After hearing all that, actually I would demand my money back from the seller with the threat, if needed, of turning over to autorities as a fraud complaint.
Yep, well everything is a gamble when you buy stuff on Ebay. At this point, rather than start an endless fight with an Ebay seller, I'll just consider it a gambling loss. Besides, I'm sure the seller was conscienciously aware what he was selling was junk, so giving him the "Silent" treatment might be the best treatment for him.
Come to think of it, I'm not sure he is actually conscienciously aware of much. The deck was shipped to me with tape reels on the machine with tape actually threaded thru, and the packing box had nothing but a couple of chipped pieces of styrofoam in it. Invision if you will, basically a tape deck sealed in a cardboard box with 1/2 inch of air padding on all sides. An Ebay "Power Seller" should know better than to send something so haphazardly.
Believe me, if it weren't for the useable replacement parts I salvaged from this deck (belts, motors, R/P cards) , I would have created a big-ass fuss!
TapeTech ...... hey, I kinda like the sound of that
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
Most of us have incurred similar damage from shipping similar items,...
and it's always the seller's fault for not packing the items properly.
End of story.
You want pics?
and it's always the seller's fault for not packing the items properly.
End of story.
You want pics?
M
Mikkel Breiler
New member
nettech said:
Well if you thought you weren't warned try the sales talk on item 6745510211:
..
- What is that thing about meeting up in the evening about?
- Buyer can choose to get the item by mail or ... or what else?
- He is not responsible if he breaks the dustcover when he is carrying it to the post office?
- So is he selling something or isn't he? You have to check withhim because maybe he has an auction but doesn't actually have the item?
Sellers like this gives me the willies, I mean imagine this is the only guy having what you always wanted but could not find anywhere else?. (Luckily for me he doesn't
BTW I think he'd make a lot more sense if he wrote in singalese as he only ships to Singapore that would make a lot more sense. Yes this guy only does CashOn Delivery, too!
Mikkel
cjacek
Analogue Enthusiast
Even the much hated UPS has pretty extensive packing rules on their site. I've read 'em and if followed (big IF) then any and everything should arrive intact. Problem is when (a) the incompetent seller/packer prepares the shipment and (2) when the people or "agent" for UPS doesn't follow the rules. Indeed it's always a packing issue and not which shipping service you use. Another thing to remember is that UPS will be A LOT more helpful with a shipping damage claim if they were the ones who packed it.
Anyway, here's a link straight from the UPS site that discusses proper packing methods. (Yes, you heard right, UPS!).
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/index.html
Check out especially the sections titled "How To Prepare for Shipping", "Packing Irregularly Shaped Items", "Original Manufacturer's Packaging", "Overbox Method" and "Internal Packaging".
If you're bidding on a rather bulky piece of electronics and if your seller ships via UPS (or any other service), ask them if they personally pack and if so point them to the link above and tell 'em to pack exactly to these specifications. If they are hesitant in any way, move on and don't buy from them. On the other hand if the seller says that UPS or whomever else packs it for him, tell him to be there to preside over the packing job to be sure it was done right! If he says he's too busy and all, ask for the phone number to the people that pack it, give 'em a call and make sure they know what they are doing. That is the best way to decrease chance of getting another smashed piece of gear.
~Daniel
Anyway, here's a link straight from the UPS site that discusses proper packing methods. (Yes, you heard right, UPS!).
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/index.html
Check out especially the sections titled "How To Prepare for Shipping", "Packing Irregularly Shaped Items", "Original Manufacturer's Packaging", "Overbox Method" and "Internal Packaging".
If you're bidding on a rather bulky piece of electronics and if your seller ships via UPS (or any other service), ask them if they personally pack and if so point them to the link above and tell 'em to pack exactly to these specifications. If they are hesitant in any way, move on and don't buy from them. On the other hand if the seller says that UPS or whomever else packs it for him, tell him to be there to preside over the packing job to be sure it was done right! If he says he's too busy and all, ask for the phone number to the people that pack it, give 'em a call and make sure they know what they are doing. That is the best way to decrease chance of getting another smashed piece of gear.
~Daniel
cjacek
Analogue Enthusiast
As long as we're on the subject of packing and damage, here's a few photos of an example pack job I did today. It's of the Quantegy 456 box of 10 I recently sold. With bulky delicate electronics, on the other hand, you'd want to have at least that and preferably more. Sadly, many sellers don't even pack 50 LB tape machines in this fashion .. 
~Daniel
~Daniel
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cjacek
Analogue Enthusiast
cjacek
Analogue Enthusiast
Lastly, there's nothing wrong with asking (more like interrogating) the seller HOW he/she plans to pack the item you are purchasing. Ask for details. If you're not satisfied then point the seller to the above UPS packing guidelines.
~Daniel
~Daniel
arjoll
New member
nettech said:
Reminds me of some gear I hired 15 years ago for a youth group short term radio station. The Hitachi D-E99's were well packed, as was the transmitter, but the Revox A77 we hired was just wrapped in two layers of bubble wrap!
Everything made it ok though. The freight company (Fliway Computer Transport) had a reputation of close to zero breakages...
As a contrast the broadcast desk arrived very well packed on a standard courier and had a bent chassis and numerous faults!
Cya
Andrew
arjoll
New member
Mikkel Breiler said:
I understand the frustration....all of the interesting auctions are "ships to the US and Canada only"!
Come to think of it I shudder to think what the freight on an MSR-16 or BR-20 (my 'in my dreams' wish list) would be to New Zealand.....
Cya
Andrew
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
Nice packing job!
E'thing should be packed that well!
E'thing should be packed that well!
regebro
Insane Genious!
Pfff. Tell me about it. I'll never buy anything remoteley expensive from Germany again. Twice I have, and both times the packing have been abysmal. First time I bouth a Korg M1. He just wrapped the flight case in carton and shipped it.cjacek said:As long as we're on the subject of packing and damage, here's a few photos of an example pack job I did today. It's of the Quantegy 456 box of 10 I recently sold. With bulky delicate electronics, on the other hand, you'd want to have at least that and preferably more. Sadly, many sellers don't even pack 50 LB tape machines in this fashion ..
~Daniel
"So what?" you say. "It's a flight case!" Yeah, but the M1 moved around inside the flightcase! The pitch stick had been whacked loose. It was fixable with some superglue, so it wasn't that bad, but it could have been...
Second time was my Tascam M-2524. It was shipped it it's original carton. Which of course by this time is at least 10 years old, and is not designed to be handled by post or UPS/Fedex types, but it made to withstand being loaded on a crate and shipped to a distributor.
Two potentiomeres got whacked and stopped working... I still have to fix that, but I turned it around and unscrewed the bottom plate, and reaching and getting out those two channel strips is quite a bit of work...
Much less work than getting that heavy beast to a service center and back in one piece though. Things from the US normally is reasonably well packed, and when I bought the Yamaha A3000 from Austria it came huge box, like say, 40*70*90 cm (15*30*35 inches) or so. It's a 2u 19" rack.
I had quite some effort to get that home from the post office...