Teac/Tascam Head Adjustment

  • Thread starter Thread starter echotanker99
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echotanker99

New member
Hello there!

I'm posting quickly because I have a job coming tomorrow and I have an issue. I recently acquired an old Teac 80-8. I have worked with tape/tape decks before but I ran into a snag. What kind of tool do you use to unlock the headstack on the Teac? It appears to be some sort of special screw in the middle of the tape heads. I can't seem to get a tool to loosen it up. Any suggestions?
 
Should just be a socket-head cap screw that holds that in place...you'd just need an allen wrench...but what are you wanting to adjust?

The heads are semi-fixed on an 80-8 and any changes to head position other than fine-adjust azimuth are risky when there is an established wear pattern...head height and zenith are fixed, azimuth and wrap are adjustable.
 
I need just a slight azimuth adjust. The azimuth screws don't do anything, apparently, unless that middle screw is unlocked.
 
For fine adjust I would not loosen that center screw. The record and play heads sit on a ridge that runs down the center of the headstack from front to back with those small socket head set screws on either side. You need a small metric allen head wrench. Loosen one side slightly and then tighten the other side slightly while monitoring your scope while reproducing the fine azimuth adjust tone from your test tape. If that sends things in the wrong direction then do the opposite. Keep doing this in steps until the azimuth is within spec and then tighten both set screws appropriately while still monitoring the scope, tweak tightness as necessary to maintain spec as you cinch things down.
 
Alright, well I had something very scary happen to me. I was right in the middle of calibration and suddenly all the lights went out and the tape transport ceased functioning. The unit still powers on/off, the needles all jump, even the capstan runs. But no lights and I can't play my tape. I'm assuming a fuse blew, anyone possibly point me in the right direction!!! A little worried with this job coming up lol.
 
Well long story short it was a cable being punched by the Meter Bridge being opened and closed.
 
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