What I got for $300

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sweetbeats

sweetbeats

Reel deep thoughts...
So I got some stuff. I paid $300 for all of it, and I...um...want to show you all what I got...for...$300.

So here's some of it and if you want to know more let me know. :D Bite the hook. I dare ya.

There's a really cool item but I want to save that for last.

Okay. How about manuals? I have the OEM Ampex 440B/445B manual set you've always been looking for in the original binder:
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No? Um...MM-1100 then?
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Oh...okay. Oh I know...an Inovonics Model 405 Tentrol manual, right?
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Hm...well if it isn't manuals then maybe some Ampex tape deck amp electronics?

They're all pretty rough...maybe just good for parts...no plug-in cards; one 440C module and four 440B modules:
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OH WAIT! There the cards are! At least a baker's dozen mostly record and repro cards...
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Okay, okay. So you don't need any of that. Hm...takeup reels? I got about two dozen reels, some empty, some not (but I wouldn't recommend using the tape...:eek:)...mostly 1" but a token 1/2" in there and a couple 2"...mostly 10.5" in diameter but a couple 12" and some 14" too...mostly Ampex.

Like this one...got several of these nice precision reels:
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This is a cool old 1" Ampex reel with the classic "AMPEX" script embossed in the flanges:
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Need one of those but in a 14"? Okay...
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Or maybe you want a precision reel but in a 14". Okay then...and BTW that thing is totally loaded with 1" tape and UGH its heavy...
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Or if neither 10.5" or 14" interest you I can go about halfsies...got a couple nice precision 12" reels...probably video tape?
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Ahhh my first 2" reel...nevermind that I haven't anything to use it on. Huh! Might make a neat and wierd bundt cake...
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And, hey, if you are looking for an OEM 1" Soundcraft reel...yep. Got one.
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Well, if you aren't interested in empty reels, then maybe test tapes?

I was bummed when I looked closer at this...thought I had a couple 1" test tapes but they're both video. Kinda neat anyway...
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But I do have these 1/2" tapes, simmer at 130 degrees and use at your own risk?
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Abrasive tape. Yikes. And on another cool old Soundcraft reel.
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More abrasive tape...looks like that reel flange is going to need more than abrasive to fix...
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Okay...fine...sticky video/audio test tapes or abrasive tape not your bag then how about...

A FULL SET OF AMPEX 440 EXTENDER CARDS!!! That's what I'm talkin' about...
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I have duplicates of some of them too.


OR...! Degaussers!

I think that's what this is...a bulk tape degausser...its really heavy that's for sure...
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An "HD-16" Ampex demag unit...not sure if it is equal, better (hard to imagine) or worse than a Han-D-Mag but it looks cool all grey and Ampexey and whatnot...
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Check this out...this almost got left behind. It was buried. An Ampex SE-10 bulk eraser. A bit rough and I have NO idea if it works as of yet...here's a video link to one in action...

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So, that's a start. Want to see more??
 
Yay, videotape. If the C-format stuff I have a spool of is anything to go by, videotape is usually thin stuff.
Try to avoid the temptation to junk it for the reels, though - video test tapes are likely to be pretty hard to come by these days and I'm sure there's someone out there who could find a use for it.
Interesting to see the various reel designs, and yes I'd certainly like to see more of the haul.
 
Those racked Ampex Tape Deck chassis with those nice VU meters are perfect donors for converting into DIY 1176 & / or LA2-A style compressors!!!!!!!

Unless you can get them working as new again??????
 
nice haul. I suspect you could very easily get your $$$ out of it by selling off one item. The Ampex 1100 16 track is what Prince had in his home studio when I first was dealing with him (a long time ago).
 
Nice score already (even without seeing more).

By the way, is there a Mrs. Sweetbeats (or any Sweetbeats Jrs.) around? If so, how does she deal with you collecting all this stuff? (And I'm sure she may just as easily replace the word "stuff" with junk.) :)
 
Coincidentally, that's what my Otari 8 track cost me... and $200 of that was shipping! :eek:

Well, OK, then I had to buy the pinch roller, too.

Obviously, the guy selling it just wanted it gone. :)

Cheers,

Otto
 
Those racked Ampex Tape Deck chassis with those nice VU meters are perfect donors for converting into DIY 1176 & / or LA2-A style compressors!!!!!!!

Unless you can get them working as new again??????

Hey, if somebody wants to tell me how to convert a 440 electronics module into an 1176 clone, I'm there! Their main value to me at this point is spare parts sources for pots, meters and switches. Trannies too if I had one go bad.


By the way, is there a Mrs. Sweetbeats (or any Sweetbeats Jrs.) around? If so, how does she deal with you collecting all this stuff? (And I'm sure she may just as easily replace the word "stuff" with junk.)

Yes, there is a lovely Mrs. Sweetbeats and 4 Sweetbeats jrs. To get really real here for a moment, without them I would be nothing. Didn't know that until my world enjoined with theirs, but as our family has grown I increasingly can't imagine the opposite. I would be a sad man indeed. I have a legitemate gear addiction. It is real and powerful and it is a topic that is not hidden in our relationship. The gear acquisitions over the years have actually been a means to an end. The problem comes in taking on too much and allowing it to lead me astray and that has been an issue particularly in the last year. Getting a handle on that (or starting to) and demonstrating what my wife and children mean to me is what has driven the sale of the Tascam 48 and M-520 as well as (so far) a number of other items. I have a list of items to sell and I am making headway on that as well as accomplishing long-standing promises to my wife and kids. They have been patient, and I know I must keep my word and work hard to firm up trust. Its about balance and frankly I have been out of balance. You've all seen that if you follow my threads. I did this (i.e. went through gear) when I was sorting out my digital studio and it has literally been years since I have aquired anything new for that component. I found what works and works well for me. I'm honing in on that for the analog component as well but I have to fight for balance and I have to have a plan and fortunately my wife has been helpful and patient. That is literally an understatement. It is junk to her for the most part especially boxes of parts, and she and I cannot communicate on the technical level or relate in terms of its value. I recognize that I'm in a stark minority of people that do see the value. I don't expect her to want to and she is making an effort to trust and I have to reinforce that with my actions.

So how does this recent foray play into that? I told her about it first. She gave me her blessing. I don't have to have her blessing, but I seek it knowing my weaknesses. IOW I have more respect for her blessing than my own selfishness. So, this $300 score is part of the plan...you'll all see as the thread unfolds okay? ;)
 
Holy crap, that is some score :eek: .

If you're needing to off-load a 1" precision take-up reel please let me know :)

ChrisO :cool:
 
Hey, if somebody wants to tell me how to convert a 440 electronics module into an 1176 clone, I'm there! Their main value to me at this point is spare parts sources for pots, meters and switches. Trannies too if I had one go bad.




Yes, there is a lovely Mrs. Sweetbeats and 4 Sweetbeats jrs. To get really real here for a moment, without them I would be nothing. Didn't know that until my world enjoined with theirs, but as our family has grown I increasingly can't imagine the opposite. I would be a sad man indeed. I have a legitemate gear addiction. It is real and powerful and it is a topic that is not hidden in our relationship. The gear acquisitions over the years have actually been a means to an end. The problem comes in taking on too much and allowing it to lead me astray and that has been an issue particularly in the last year. Getting a handle on that (or starting to) and demonstrating what my wife and children mean to me is what has driven the sale of the Tascam 48 and M-520 as well as (so far) a number of other items. I have a list of items to sell and I am making headway on that as well as accomplishing long-standing promises to my wife and kids. They have been patient, and I know I must keep my word and work hard to firm up trust. Its about balance and frankly I have been out of balance. You've all seen that if you follow my threads. I did this (i.e. went through gear) when I was sorting out my digital studio and it has literally been years since I have aquired anything new for that component. I found what works and works well for me. I'm honing in on that for the analog component as well but I have to fight for balance and I have to have a plan and fortunately my wife has been helpful and patient. That is literally an understatement. It is junk to her for the most part especially boxes of parts, and she and I cannot communicate on the technical level or relate in terms of its value. I recognize that I'm in a stark minority of people that do see the value. I don't expect her to want to and she is making an effort to trust and I have to reinforce that with my actions.

So how does this recent foray play into that? I told her about it first. She gave me her blessing. I don't have to have her blessing, but I seek it knowing my weaknesses. IOW I have more respect for her blessing than my own selfishness. So, this $300 score is part of the plan...you'll all see as the thread unfolds okay? ;)

Thanks for the backstory there. I can certainly relate, although I only have one junior running around (he'll be a year on 11/4). It is truly a powerful thing when you have a child! The term "family" takes on a whole new meaning.

About a year ago, I had started dumping all my digital stuff to go completely analog, and after acquiring a Tascam 38, a Tascam M-216 mixer, a few patchbays, a compressor, one FX processor, and a Tascam 414 (you gotta have a cassette 4-track around just for fun!), I ran out of the money I had made from selling the digital stuff (I'd had a stand-alone digital rig--I hadn't done the computer-based thing yet).

I started saving up to finish getting what I wanted, and then an opportunity presented itself for me to record a bunch of stuff for work (I'm an editor and writer for Hal Leonard) and make some good money doing it. This stuff was going to require a bunch of different sounds (guitar and otherwise), a bunch of editing, and I wanted it to be as quick as possible (being on the clock and all), so I knew the most practical and logical thing would be to go digital for it. So I spent the few hundred I had saved on an $80 refurbished Dell system, some memory, an M-Audio Delta 1010 interface, and Mackie Tracktion software. Luckily, I was able to get the Tracktion software very cheap through work, and I was able to get AmpliTube for free after having reviewed it for Guitar Edge magazine.

My wife was really great about it. She was obviously a little distressed about seeing me spend money on digital stuff again after I had announced my quest to go 100% analog, but she trusted me that it was very much a "spend money to make money" thing. And it was. I think I spent about $360 on my entire DAW system, and I ended making $2,000 on my first recording project for work.

The thing that she got frustrated with is that she was always hearing me say "now all I need to get is..." or "this will work for now, but what I'd really like is..." And she was right about that. She made me realize that I wasn't being grateful for what I have or making the best of what I have.

So now I've got a pretty decent digital setup again, which I use for work stuff and my new venture of incidental music that I hope to get placed in films/TV/commercials/etc. (the first of which is in a thread in the MP3 mixing clinic right now). And I've got a nearly complete 8-track analog R2R system, which I plan to use for my own stuff (when I can afford to spend hours miking amps, etc.). I still have yet to get it up and running---I haven't purchased any tape yet, as things have been tight---but for now I can partly get my analog fix by working on the 414 cassette 4-track.

So I'm just trying to concentrate now on living more in the moment and not obsessing about gear so much. I can't believe how many hours I wasted combing ebay and drooling over R2Rs and other analog gear. I don't want to do that now. I want to spend my extra time creating memories with my family, and when I'm not doing that, I want to be composing, recording, and performing music. Hopefully I'll get the 38 up and running soon, but until I do, I'll make use of what I have.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading. :) This turned out to be much longer than I had planned.
 
Beagle...really wish we could shoot the breeze over a coffee, or a six pack or both.

You touch on so many points I can't tell you. I sincerely thank you for expounding. Again (as I indicated in another thread), your work on the 414 with your wife is nothing less than inspiring and was a good gut-check for me regarding wht I'm really shooting for. It helped to renew my committment to my plan.

I only have one junior running around (he'll be a year on 11/4). It is truly a powerful thing when you have a child! The term "family" takes on a whole new meaning.

Yes it does, and the pressures and stresses layer over time time too. It tests who you are. You have to change and if you don't things crack or altogether break over the years. My wife and I have been together for 16 years now. Our kids are 11, 9, 7, and 4. Gear has become my escape, not from them but all the cumulative stresses and pressures at home and at work...but the escape takes you away and I need a few good knocks in the head when I wander and I feel ashamed that my wife has had to do that...and thankful that she did at the same time. Again, my distractions don't change how I feel about them inside, but they do indeed drastically effect how I demonstrate how I feel. Love can exist inside but if it is not demonstrated and acted upon things die. You can have water and even put it in the watering can but if you don't pour it on the plant it will either die or find water elsewhere.

The thing that she got frustrated with is that she was always hearing me say "now all I need to get is..." or "this will work for now, but what I'd really like is..." And she was right about that. She made me realize that I wasn't being grateful for what I have or making the best of what I have.

YES! "But what are you going to do with it? And what is it for?" Does that sound selfish of her to ask (as we literally run out of room for the gear)? No...she sees that it takes me away mentally and physically as I think about it and work on it, so she and everybody pays a price and she is trying to reconcile how that price is being redeemed. And in the big picture she is saying that my time and presence has value. I'm wanted, and shame on me for invalidating that time and again.

So I'm just trying to concentrate now on living more in the moment and not obsessing about gear so much. I can't believe how many hours I wasted combing ebay and drooling over R2Rs and other analog gear. I don't want to do that now. I want to spend my extra time creating memories with my family...

Yes indeed. That is right and good. I...can...empathize.

We have horses now. Its been a couple years in the making and it has been spurred (pun intended) by my girls who practically came out of the womb wanting to ride horses. So we have educated ourselves and planned and prepared and now they are here and the blessings are pouring in and suddenly I have a massive bridge of commonality with my girls where we can appreciate the same things and work and learn together and I can impart what little wisdom I have. My youngest son LOVES music...plays drums and some guitar and loves to sing and improvise lyrics and he also LOVES recording equipment...playing with cables, working the transport, tweaking knobs and faders...counting the channels on the mixer, so we've got our bridge, I just need to focus and pare my hobby down so there is time to share in it with him better. My oldest son loves sports. Not my thing but there are many ways I can spend time with him in that...I have to take the time and that means I need to sacrifice something of my selfish pursuit. Plus he is an amazing pianist. Gifted and we've talked about recording him and creating a website for him. Building bridges of commonality. Need more time, and oddly enough this $300 score is going to help...and ultimately one way of loving my wife is to spend time with my kids which promotes positive 1:1 time between her and I...it is an upward spiral but it starts with me and my actions.

So I'll get to it but Beagle you've really hit a chord with what you are saying...and hey, guys we've got a Hal Leonard connection!!! :D

BTW, congrats to anybody that read through that! Longer than I intended as well.
 
Okay...anybody that has an Ampex 440 can use a couple spare PSU's right? Got 'em as well as some spare PCB's for PSU's, two with the bias oscillator and two without:
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Here was a nice addition to the lot...A spare 1" 8-track headblock. Yep. Including the flutter filter and guides. Yow. The heads look to be in very good condition. Very little wear and they don't appear to have been lapped. Shield cans too. Yow again. I'm not sure what block these are mounted on yet...no Ampex part number on them. Looks like maybe MM-1100 or 1200? I'm curious to try and find out if the heads are 'B' and earlier type or 'C' and later...there was a change between the 440B and 440C versions as the 'C' type have more laminations and therefore better frequency response...hoping they are 'C' and later type...I have a feeling theya re the earlier type though as the plugs are grey and not green:
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There's more...wanna see??
 
Cory, I can relate to so much of what you wrote. I may have mentioned to you or here in this forum that my wife and I have a family, too. Five kids, all of the odd ages from 1 to 9.

For a while now, I've pretty much operated in "revenue neutral" mode, meaning that I only buy new stuff with proceeds from selling something else. I give myself a few bucks a month to cover guitar strings and occasionally a new set of drum heads. I don't necessarily bother to explain if I've sold something or bought something, but because we handle our finances jointly, my wife knows that none of our family operating funds ever go into gear, unless it's something we both decide we want, like maybe a new videocamera or something like that.

I've also sold off a bit of gear, but a big part of that was wanting to have a bit more space. All those big 3M machines took up a lot of space. I've also tried to worry less about things that only I would notice. For example, I tend to think the difference between analog and digital tends to be something that even ordinary people might notice, but the difference between a 1" 8 track and a 1/2" 8 track is at best borderline for anyone who isn't a gearhead.

I really don't like tracking on a computer, period. I keep the digital standalone around because it is portable and convenient, and for occasions where I want more tracks or some fancier mixing features (perhaps even porting over to the computer to process) but mostly I'm better off with the simple, good sound and constraints of tape. My actual music time tends to be limited, so the constraints of tape help me just get stuff down, mix and move on.

Anyway, it's funny how similar our situations turn out to be these days.

Cheers,

Otto
 
Stop teasing me sweets!!! Yes I want more pics. I was reading some of your comments from earlier and can identify with a lot of things you were saying. Like most of us on this forum, I too immerse myself in my recording and equipment and never seem to be satisfied with what I have. I'm always looking to acquire more things. I guess it's man's nature. I am selfish when it comes to wanting things. Sometimes I'd rather buy something or send it out for repair then to pay a bill. I can't wait for things, I want them NOW! My wife understands that music is a very important part of my life and is willing to sacrifice for what makes me happy. I guess that's rare to find. On a lighter note I'm getting a few dollars and was wondering if you might be interested in checking out my DBX 150's Calibrating and recapping if they need it. I'll shoot you a PM in a day or so and we can go from their. BTW the money I'm getting is not bill money.
 
Okay...okay...twist my arm...

I don't know what it is, but I have one of these and it is an Ampex something-or-other and i looks like this:
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And how about a vintage Ampex-tube-amp-of-some-sort? Yah. Got one:
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And then there's this thing...a remote of some kind? Wierd-dirty-thing-with-big-ELCO-connector:
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More? Wanna see MORE?
 
That last item looks like a remote control for a 3 track machine (maybe). The next to last looks like some kind of power amplifier. Ampex did make power amps for a while.
 
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