When Tape Strikes Back...

[jjones1700]

...it gets UGLY!

Here, we have an innocent TSR8 brought down by the grizzly 3M 996 tape. The TSR8 gave it's best, but in the end, the 996 left it's mark.


Now, it's time for the grueling clean up and get back to normal!

 

[VESSEL2020]

ouch!

OUCH!!!
Just ran into the same problem on one of my SRE-555's.
Tried out a replacement tape that was given to me,
and it wasn't an original Roland RT-1L tape.
The damn thing shedded all over my precious tape echo!
Don't know what I was thinking, tryin' out someone's homemade tape loop from junkbay... when I have several RT-1L's for my tape echos!
I guess I was curious to hear the difference in the qualities of tape.
Never again!
Looks like you've got your work cut out for you.
I spent 2 1/2 hours cleanin' my tape echo after that happened.
Here it is all cleaned up...

 

[jjones1700]

wow man, very nice! I'd love to be able to mess around with a real tape echo someday. As it is now, my 38 is probably as close as I'll get to it. I should dig that out and mess around with that this evening. My wife's gonna love this...

 

[ofajen]

Yeah, 996 was a very good sounding tape, especially for "pro" recorders designed for higher recording levels and with transports that can deal easily with thicker tape. OTOH, I had varying levels of annoying shedding from a little to a lot and, if memory serves, even some sticky issues. My plan is to stick with new tapes and NOS tapes not known for those issues. BTW, sorry about that mess!

Cheers,

Otto

 

[jjones1700]

Yeah, 996 was a very good sounding tape, especially for "pro" recorders designed for higher recording levels and with transports that can deal easily with thicker tape. OTOH, I had varying levels of annoying shedding from a little to a lot and, if memory serves, even some sticky issues. My plan is to stick with new tapes and NOS tapes not known for those issues. BTW, sorry about that mess!

Cheers,

Otto

No worries man. I had a feeling that the two tapes I had might be "iffy". I did ffwd/rwd functions to check, and then played a short stretch of them. No harm done, just some elbow grease and a little time is all it will cost me.

I'm definitely going to stick with the newer tapes, for sure. NOS Quantegy and RMG have been very good to me.

 

[Bguzaldo]

Holy Shit! I don't think I've ever seen it that bad. I freak out where there are specks of tape on my pinch roller, if my tape heads and guides had a nice winter coat on like that I'd probably faint or something hahah. Hope all goes well with the clean up!

+1 for RMGi By the way

-Barrett

 

[jjones1700]

Holy Shit! I don't think I've ever seen it that bad. I freak out where there are specks of tape on my pinch roller, if my tape heads and guides had a nice winter coat on like that I'd probably faint or something hahah. Hope all goes well with the clean up!

+1 for RMGi By the way

-Barrett

I guess the upside is that I finally have an empty 6 screw precision reel, after cleaning, of course.

 

[dodgeaspen]

Man I've seen better looking things floating in the toilet then what's in thoes pics. That really looks bad. Lots of cleaning should take care of that.

 

[jjones1700]

Man I've seen better looking things floating in the toilet then what's in thoes pics. That really looks bad. Lots of cleaning should take care of that.

ROFL Oh damn, too funny.

Yeah, as soon as I heard some weird squeaking, I said "oh shit" and knew exactly what it was... Too late. It never stopped the motors though. I figure with it being that bad that it would have stopped it cold.

 

[sweetbeats]

Yep...

Unfortunately 996 goes on the "watch out" list which is too bad.

I'll know for sure in a couple months when I'm done with construction can get my Ampex uncovered and into the new studio but I think the reel of 1" 996 I bought is starting to go sticky. I have 499 which I will test back-to-back and I bet the 499 is fine.

 

[trancedental]

Are the 3M 996 tapes & reels a slightly different size in width compared to other tape manufacturers?

I've never used their tapes but have an old 3M 996 Gold precision reel (in the plastic case) which winds tape quite uneven compared to my other reels, AGFA, BASF, EMTEC, even RMG's cheap 3 screw reels do a better job!!

Doesn't matter what tape I use, even Ampex / Quantegy acts the same? Weird!

 

[RRuskin]

Even if a given oxide formulation isn't subject to sticky-shed syndrome, I doubt that any will remain slippery enough to be pulled through a tape path forever. In other words, it's time to rethink buying NOS tape, people.

 

[jjones1700]

Even if a given oxide formulation isn't subject to sticky-shed syndrome, I doubt that any will remain slippery enough to be pulled through a tape path forever. In other words, it's time to rethink buying NOS tape, people.

Meh, the only NOS tapes I have are the ones that came with the decks I have b bought over the past couple of years. Other than that, it's RMG tape all the way.