Tape head cleaning and degausser, Where can I get them?

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monk

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Was wondering if anyone can settle the inner turmoil going on inside my little brain...I just bought some tape cleaning solution (Isoprpanol, Ethanol, Maethanol, Pixie dust, etc) and am wondering if I should be using Tascam brand stuff instead. Is it any different? If recommended, whare can I get it and a degausser (sp?). Their website doesn't seem to offer it and Radio Snatch want's to sell me those horrible little tapes that "magically" clean, demagnatize and destroy my heads in one simple step. Help.
Thanks in advance.
 
Hey Monk,
The head cleaning stuff should do the trick, sounds like the same ingredients that TASCAM brand puts out. I would be more careful with the rubber cleaner, though. I stick to TASCAM's rubber cleaner, because I have heard about people cleaning their rubber (ahem) with something that claims to be rubber cleaner and it really is rubber eater.
As far as degaussing, you should be able to find the wand type at Radio Shack. I know they always try to push those cassette thingies, if they persist, just tell them you have to degauss a reel to reel machine.

Hope that helps.
Brad
 
Definately use Tascam Cleaners for Tascam unless you are a chemist and are certain of the chemical formulations of substitutions.

Brad is right. The wrong rubber cleaner will melt your rollers. And the wrong head cleaner will melt any plastic in your play or record heads.

Check online music catalogs that sell tascam analog recorders for the cleaning kit and degausser.
 
For cleaning heads I've always just used isopropyl alcohol, right off the drug store shelf. Get the purist you can find, like 99%. Same thing, only cheaper.

As far as rubber cleaner, yeah definetly stick with the tascam stuff. For the degausser, I bought a Tascam Degausser, I'm sure they still make it. Think I paid around $75 Canadian for it about 8 years ago.



[This message has been edited by Emeric (edited 03-17-2000).]
 
Don't get rubbing alcohol--it has additives in it that gum up the heads. The right stuff for rubber (gee this topic comes up a lot lately) is Rubber Renue. You can get it at video repair shops.
 
[I just got a teac degausser from zsound www.zsound.com for $49 free ground shipping


[This message has been edited by cetla (edited 03-17-2000).]
 
AMS also has the Teac head demagnetizers for about $50, www.americanmusical.com
Definitely don't buy the cassette-type demagnetizers, get the real thing...it's worth the $50.
 
I also got the Tascam demagnetizer at www.zzounds.com/a--2676837 for $49.99, which was as cheap as I could find anywhere and with the free shipping through an online order it sure beat the prices in the catalogs or local dealers. I like the Tascam cleaning kits with both head and rubber cleaners (it don't cost very much, and it lasts a long while... John Prine). Next time, though, I'll try to get the the head cleaner that is in the bottle that you use swabs with - I just don't like spraying the head cleaner into the machine, and waste it spraying it onto the swabs
 
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