Pinch Roller Tape
Pinch Roller Tape
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 Vintage AKAI X 355D Reel To Reel Deck w Crossfield Heads Complete w ORIGINAL BOX  US $225.00
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 Pioneer RT 909 Reel to Reel Tape Deck US $247.50
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 Vintage Hi Speed Tape Timer for 1 4 7 1 2 15ips Takahata Kogyosho CO US $75.00
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 RARE AKAI GX 77 Reel to Reel 4 Track Stereo Auto Reverse JUST SERVICED US $149.95
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 SR Audio Tape Head Pinch Roller Cleaners Reel To ReelCassetteDecksTape Echo US $17.95
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 How to Restore a Pioneer CT F1000 Cassette Deck US $100.00
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 Teac X1000R auto reverseDBXexcellent cond just serviced US $550.00
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 Revox PR99 PR 99 pinch roller rubber roller Reel to Reel Tape Recorder US $59.90
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 Sony TC 260 Reel to Reel Tape Recorder with built in speakers US $99.99
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 Akai GX 255 Reel to Reel tape deck Fairly rare model w xtal heads as gx 77 has US $99.99
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 SR Audio Tape Head Pinch Roller CleanersCreates Smooth OperationBetter Sound US $17.95
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 Vintage M 9 Reel to Reel Tape Player Recorder from Akai AS IS US $60.00
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 Revox B77 B 77 pinch roller Reel to Reel Tape Recorder US $59.90
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 SR Audio Tape Head Pinch Roller Cleaner Fluids Reel to ReelCassette Decks US $17.95
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 Pioneer RT 909 Reel to Reel near MINT fully serviced US $415.00
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 Teac A 4010S Reel to Reel Recorder Auto Reverse NEW Belts VERY NICE US $99.99
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 Pioneer RT 909 Offer to Restore Your Reel Reel Deck US $575.00
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 SR Audio Pro Pinch Roller Cleaner Rejuvenator Fluid US $9.95
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 Tape Head cleaning kit cleaner and swabs US $19.95
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 Pioneer CT F1250 Offer To RESTORE Your CASSETTE DECK US $325.00
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 Tape Head capstan cleanerexcellent US $15.95
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 10 Scotch Cart II 3M Broadcast Tape Cartridges Used Group 4 US $39.99
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 Studer A810 A 810 pinch roller rubber roller Reel to Reel Tape Recorder US $59.90
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 CASSETTE DECK PLAYER HEAD CLEANER MAXELL wet US $9.99
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 SR Audio PRC 1 Pro Pinch Roller Cleaner Rejuvenator Fluid See Buyers Comments US $9.95
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 STUDER A807 A 807 105 1 4 REEL TO REEL US $1,975.00
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 SR Audio Tape Head Pinch Roller Cleaners Reel To ReelCassette Deck Tape Echo US $17.95
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 SR Audio Pro Pinch Roller Cleaner Rejuvenator Fluid Use Now What The Pros Use US $9.95
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 Revox G36 pinch roller for Tape Recorder NEW US $59.90
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 2 Pak SR Audio Tape Head Cleaner Pinch Roller Cleaner for Studio Home Use US $17.95
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 REEL TO REEL TAPE RECORDER RUBBER COMPONENT CLEANER BUY1 GET 1 FREE US $7.99
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 How to Restore a Pioneer RT 909 Reel Reel Deck US $100.00
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 Tascam 32 parts pinch roller arm with cap US $25.00
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 AKAI Reel to Reel Tape Player Model 1710 4Track Mono Stereo Original Box Manual US $225.00
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 Revox A77 A 77 pinch roller Tape Recorder NEW US $59.90
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 Studer A807 MKII 1 2 pinch roller rubber roller Reel to Reel Tape Recorder NEW US $84.50
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 SR Audio Pro Pinch Roller Cleaner Rejuvenator Fluid Track Smoother Consistent US $9.95
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 Technics RS 1500US RS 1506US reel deck service manual US $135.00
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 Tandberg TCD 910 TCD910 pinch roller Cassette Recorder Tape Deck US $64.50
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 Harmon Kardon HK 200XM Reconditioned Cassette Recorder With HX Pro Serviced US $129.95
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 Studer A67 A 67 pinch roller rubber roller Reel to Reel Tape Recorder US $59.90
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 Revox C270 C 270 pinch roller rubber roller Reel to Reel Tape Recorder US $59.90
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 Revox A700 A 700 pinch roller rubber roller Reel to Reel Tape Recorder US $59.90
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 TEAC A 4300 SOLENOID FOR ENGAGING PINCH ROLLER WORKS US $19.99
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 2 Pak SR Audio Tape Head CleanerPinch Roller Cleaner Pro Engineers Choice US $17.95
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 Teac X 7R MKII tape lifter assembly works great US $14.99
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 Pioneer Cassette Tape Deck CT F9191 PARTS Pinch roller assembly US $35.00
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 TASCAM Model 32 34 38 48 Guide Roller Cap 58003122 US $18.00
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 VINTAGE NEAR MINT TEAC A 2300S REEL TO REEL RECORDER FLAWLESS 30 DAY WARRANTY US $525.00
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 Mint Akai 1710 reel to reel tape Tube amplifier stereophonic Recorder US $169.00
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 Otari MX5050 BIIF Reel To Reel 2 Channel Analog Tape Recorder Deck MX 5050BIIF US $583.11
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 Sony Cassette Pinch Roller Assembly New Old Stock US $7.49
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 How to Restore a Pioneer CT F900 950 Cassette Deck US $100.00
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 Teac X2000R excellent conditionauto reverseDBX US $495.00
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 Teac Model A 1500 W Cover Remote Spare Parts Manual Beautiful Machine US $249.95
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 AKAI 635D PINCH ROLLER 2 US $46.99
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 CLEANING CASSETTE FOR YOUR CASSETTE DECK OR CAR STEREO MAXELL wet US $9.99
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 Vintage Fisher CR 125 Cassette Deck Cleaned and Tested US $59.50
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 Studer Revox A80 A800 Solenoid Pinch Roller 10147410 US $185.00
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 TASCAM PORTASTUDIO ONE 1 COMPLETE FOUR 4 PIECE BELT SET USA SHIPPING FREE US $13.95
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 Nakamichi cassette tune up alignment and new idler US $95.00
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 GEM Turbo Trax 13 Mono Cassette Duplicator NEW US $940.00
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 TEAC A 3440 4 channel Reel To Reel RESTORED GUARANTEED New Solid Wood Side panel US $859.00
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 vintage akai reel to reel x330 solid stak US $500.00
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 PIONEER R T 909 REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK WITH SOME NICE EXTRAS 10 US $1,649.99
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 TEAC 3340S Reel To Reel QUAD SERVICED GUARANTEED New Solid Wood Side Panels US $749.00
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 Vintage Soundesign Stereo 8 Track Player Component Model 4840c Made in Japan US $9.95
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 TEAC TASCAM REEL 2 REEL PART X 10R PINCH ROLLER COVER US $24.99
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 PIONEER R T 909 REEL TO REEL TAPE DECK 11 US $1,199.99
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 Rare Vintage Pioneer RX 30 Cassette Receiver Reconditioned US $169.50
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Remembering the 8-Track Tape
The 8-track or Stereo 8 Cartridge maintained a level of popularity for about two decades, and is a format that is still recognizable today, even if it has fallen out of practical application. From the mid 60s until the early 80s it brought portable, affordable sound to millions.
I know there are many people out there who are too young to know much about the 8-track. So for a quick introduction let me say that an 8-track tape never ended. It had four programs but there was no side one or side two like a record. Instead, the tape was an endless loop - each end of the tape was joined together by a metal foil splice. As that metal foil passed over a sensor in the 8-track machine, the program would automatically switch to the next. The four programs of an 8-track tape were generally 11 ˝ minutes in length for a total time of 46 minutes. Longer durations became available as blank media.
Inventing the 8-Track Cartridge
Endless loop tape cartridges had been in use since they were invented in 1952 by Bernard Cousino. A few years and a few advancements later, an entrepreneur named Earl Muntz marketed what he called the "Stereo-Pak" (a.k.a. 4-track cartridge). This was his version of the endless loop cartridge for car stereo systems. Bill Lear followed this up by doubling the number of tracks on the tape, and dubbed it the "Stereo 8" which was more commonly known as the 8-track tape.
For a few years, there was a format war between the 8-track and 4-track cartridges. Stereo-Paks offered slightly better sound quality because the tapes only had four tracks as opposed to eight on the same amount of tape. The four-track also mimicked the original music release format (long playing records) better, while the 8-track often had to have the play list reorganized to avoid long silences between songs. Also to avoid silence, sometimes bonus tracks or guitar/piano solos were added between songs. Some cartridges even had a song repeated elsewhere on the tape. Even worse though, songs were sometimes broken into two parts. While listening to a song, about halfway through, you would hear the song fade out, then the "ka-chunk" sound of the player switching programs, and then the song fading in again to finish its duration. Other times though, you just had to put up with some silence.
8-Tracks in the Market
Stereo 8 began its life as an automotive format. In September of 1965, the Ford Motor company announced the 8-track player upgrade to its major models. That partnership catapulted the 8-track format head and shoulders above its competition. The Stereo 8 format grew in popularity and became a big seller. As demand for the new format grew, 8-track home stereo systems started to be manufactured. Eventually one would see car stereos, portable stereos, and home stereo systems for it everywhere. But unlike the cassette, the 8-track never outsold record albums.
Poor Design and Demise of the 8-Track Tape
For a while, the convenience and portability of the 8-track player overshadowed the mechanical problems of both the players and tapes. However, there were looming threats to the success of the 8-track on the horizon - namely the cassette tape and increased problems with the tape decks and the aging cartridges themselves.
There were no quality control standards in place to maintain a certain level of acceptable failure with the format and more and more, 8-track owners found that the players needed to be serviced regularly.
Plus, Stereo 8 tape decks weren't the most convenient around - especially by today's standards. Rewind wasn't possible because of the design of the endless loop cartridge. Even fast forward wasn't available on many machines and it was always a bit of a risk to fast forward anyway. Both reel-to-reel and cassettes were capable of these "great engineering achievements," and like 8-tracks, cassettes were portable. The Stereo 8 players had numerous issues, but let's take a look at the cartridge itself.
Because the tape was an endless loop there had to be a splice holding the tape together. With continued use (and time) it would eventually come apart causing the tape to become lost inside the cartridge or eaten by the tape deck. Eight-track cartridges have what is called a pinch roller in them to help with the forward movement of the tape. These pinch rollers were a great source of fear to many owners of Stereo 8 tape machines. As the rubber of some pinch rollers aged and decayed, a gooey substance was created that made a mess of the tape decks. One last problem worth mentioning is that because of the design of the endless loop, tension would build up causing the tape to stop and/or break. This is because the speed of the tape coming out of the center of the reel was not quite the same as the tape returning to the outer edge of the reel. The longer a tape was - the greater the chance of tension buildup up and damage occurring.
The problems with the tapes and tape players, in conjunction with the efforts of record companies to limit the number of formats, led to the eventual decline of the 8-track medium. When sales of the 8-track started to decrease, the major music labels were quick to drop the format. Compact cassette (standard cassette) tapes were beginning to gain momentum in the market, which gave the music business even less incentive to allow the 8-track any more life.
Gone, but Not Forgotten
Although the 8-track format was less common in the early eighties among home and portable users, the format hung on to life through record clubs - "Get 12 tapes for 1˘" - until the late eighties. Since then the 8-track has been synonymous with just about anything becoming obsolete. When trying to impress on somebody the obsolescence of something - just mentioning the 8-track always seems to do the job.
About the Author
Audible Forensics provides audio transfer services and can transfer many audio formats including reel to reel, 8-tracks, micro and standard cassettes. In addition, we provide audio forensics and restoration services.