stevans (12/31/82)
People have mentioned tapes being "eaten", slow speeds, and squeaks.
The solution to these problems (besides better brands of recording
tape (I recommend Maxell) and a better recorder (I recommend JVC, Aiwa,
and Nakamichi)) is to clean not only the heads, but the pinch-roller and
capstan as well. This process should be done about once every forty
hours of playing or recording.
Get a flashlight to examine the internals of the deck with, a pack of
cotton swabs (I recommend any brand other than Q-tips, because they
have too much cotton on the ends) and 91% isopropyl alcohol (I recommend
any name brand that comes with a metal cap -- it seems that cheap brands
employ plastic caps, which are made to break quickly so that you have to
buy a new bottle). A cotton swab may be turned into an "alcoswab" by
dipping the entire end into the alcohol, and then shaking off the excess
alcohol. When an alcoswab gets dirty during cleaning, use a new one.
If the door to your tape recorder may be removed, do so by pulling and
sliding it in every possible direction. Otherwise, just leave it open.
Clean the pinch-roller (the black rubber roller right next the the pointy
metal rod) by pressing the "play" button and moving an alcoswab slowly
across its width (pressing lightly, so you aren't stopping the slippery
roller), and making sure to stay away from the capstan (the pointy
metal rod) and on the side away from the heads, so that the cotton
doesn't get caught around the capstan as easily. If it gets caught,
press "stop" quickly and remove all the cotton carefully. You've cleaned
the roller when it looks clean and the alcoswabs don't get dirty.
If the alcoswabs still turn black after you use over a dozen of them,
your roller is decaying, so keep cleaning it until it's completely
gone, and get a new pinch-roller installed.
Next clean the capstan by pressing "pause" (to disengage the pinch-roller
while the capstan is still turning) and wiping it slowly along its length
with an alcoswab.
The heads may be cleaned by giving their surface a few wipes with an
alcoswab.
Then let your recorder air out to dry for a few minutes before use.
Some authorities say that you must periodically demagnetize your heads
and capstan, or else your tapes will be erased. I'm not sure of the
desirability of this procedure for various reasons (e.g. if you demagnetize
it poorly, you make things much worse they were), but if you want to
do it, obtain a demagnetizer that has a tip that can reach the heads in
your recorder, and follow the directions for its use explicitly.
By taking care of my JVC KD-A5 deck, I have never had any of my 230
pre-recorded tapes screw up in any way in years. Their only defects
are auduble tape hiss, which I've learned to ignore, and lack of artwork.
Mark Stevans, U of Rochester, NY
(allegra or seismo or brl-bmd)!rochester!stevans