My Heads Were So Dirty...

[avieth]

... that when I recorded some piano music, the playback was virtually inaudible I was just recording with the machine yesterday and it was fine, but today I had to scrub away for five minutes! It sounds brilliant now, though.

I'll definitely be cleaning after every session from now on.

Just thought I'd share my horror story

 

[Herm]

Are you sure your tape is good?

 

[avieth]

Are you sure your tape is good?

I just opened it a week ago. It was a roll of Ampex 457, sealed and never used.

 

[cjacek]

I just opened it a week ago. It was a roll of Ampex 457, sealed and never used.

The tape that you have is bad and what you most likely experienced is sticky shed. That you were recording with the machine yesterday and it was "fine", but today you had to "scrub away for five minutes", is a tell tell sign that it's indeed the tape and more specifically binder brake-down, inherent to all Ampex branded tapes prior to the end of 1995. Doesn't matter if it's sealed and never used. They're all bad. Throw it away (at least the tape) and get some 457 equivalent - RMGI LPR35 or look out for old stock Quantegy 457. Read the "Sticky Shed Help Thread" above.

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[Herm]

I agree with Dan there. And would say its bad tape.

 

[RRuskin]

I just opened it a week ago. It was a roll of Ampex 457, sealed and never used.

This is no guarantee that the tape has not gone bad on the shelf. Ampex/Quantegy quality control was so poor that at one point, I was returning almost 50% of their tape I was getting from my supplier. My advice is to never buy used analog tape and to avoid anything with the Ampex or Quantegy logo's even when new.

 

[cjacek]

Granted, Ampex and for that matter Quantegy, when they took over, was never known for their good quality control standards but Quantegy did, however, fix the binder issue with the Ampex formulations and thus does not suffer from the dreaded sticky shed syndrome. Buying sealed Quantegy branded tape, therefore, is a safe bet and is not a risk, in this category.

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[avieth]

I have been looking out for some LPR 35 tape, but I haven't got the cash to buy a pack of 20 ($400!). Something like 5 reels would suit me. Searching through eBay I found 3600 feet of the stuff for $34, and he has a lot of units. I figure I could buy 7200 feet, then somehow find 4 empty 7" reels to fit it, since my machine doesn't take NAB reels.

Does that sound reasonable?

 

[cjacek]

RMGI tape and specifically some popular sellers, like the LPR35 and SM911, especially in 1/4" and 1/2" formats have gotten more expensive, since these were introduced. Still, a good place to get some is:
http://www.splicit.com/rmgi_tape.html
or from xiat on eBay. They are one and the same person.

Mounting these large pancakes onto 7" reels can prove very hard and kinda risky. I wouldn't advise it. I'd opt to get the proper 7" reel with tape already on it.

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[avieth]

RMGI tape and specifically some popular sellers, like the LPR35 and SM911, especially in 1/4" and 1/2" formats have gotten more expensive, since these were introduced. Still, a good place to get some is:
http://www.splicit.com/rmgi_tape.html
or from xiat on eBay. They are one and the same person.

Mounting these large pancakes onto 7" reels can prove very hard and kinda risky. I wouldn't advise it. I'd opt to get the proper 7" reel with tape already on it.

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Thanks for that URL, seems like a great site. $22.85 per reel is a price I'm willing to pay.

Just out of curiosity, can my shedding 457 tape actually do any damage to the machine?

 

[cjacek]

Thanks for that URL, seems like a great site. $22.85 per reel is a price I'm willing to pay.

Yeah, great people to deal with. The price is good, provided you don't go though 10 reels a week.

Just out of curiosity, can my shedding 457 tape actually do any damage to the machine?

It won't do damage but you really need to clean the entire tape path, everything that the tape touched, paying more attention to it than usual as it's not typical dry shedding you're dealing with here but rather gooey, glue as well. You really wanna be certain all is sparkling clean 'cause there's a chance of cross contamination to another tape.

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[RRuskin]

Granted, Ampex and for that matter Quantegy, when they took over, was never known for their good quality control standards but Quantegy did, however, fix the binder issue with the Ampex formulations and thus does not suffer from the dreaded sticky shed syndrome. Buying sealed Quantegy branded tape, therefore, is a safe bet and is not a risk, in this category.

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The original poster said nothing about the tape sticking, only that it shed to san alarming degree. Quantegy did not solve stick-shed problems as far as I know. Tape that have with that trademark is still prone to it.