Tape Recorders

Tape Recorders

Tape Recorders page 2

Example of a tape recorder in action.

More cassette recorders

Record Players, etc.

Reel To Reel

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This site inspired me. I kinda feel like a copy- cat. They have some really cool Tape Recorders!!!

Another great Tape Recorder site!!

How 8-track tapes work. Click me.

Radios and Scanners (new entries added)

Welcome graphic

This site is all about my passion for collecting. Here you'll

find information about my collectibles, the reasons I became a collector,

and photos of items I've acquired

through various sources. Some were recorders I

bought from ebay.

I am a fanatic about old tape recorders, and other

old electronics. I like to clean them up, and see

if I can get them to work.

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The very first "American" tape recorder.

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Bing Crosby financed the development

of the tape recorder in the U.S.!!!!

I think all tape recorders will be a thing of the past someday.

The reel-to-reels are hard to find, except on ebay. My very

first Tape Recorder was a Realtone Cassette recorder. I

have had cassette players and recorders since I was 8

years old. By the time I got a tape recorder, they were

cassette. Cassette players are a lot more compact and

convenient than a open reel player. But I am fascinated

by the reel to reel.

(I like women too, but don't have luck with them, lol)

Also, a lot of used reel-to-reel portables come with tape.

Tape that may have someone talking about an event.

It's like going back in time, inside

some other people's minds. I have one tape from a

seller announcing a birthday in 1964. I was less than

a year old when the recording was made.

Some recordings contain the voices of children,

having fun (like I did) talking and acting silly.

These recordings are priceless, and I would never

erase them. I don't have much, but I am hoping

to get some more reels to listen to. The small 3"

reels are best, because they were used in cheap

and toy tape recorders. Those tapes are most

likely to have "playtime" on them. Ebay is getting

a little short on reel-to-reels right now, I bought

about 6 so far. If the price is too high, I let it go.

I would rather get Tape Recorders with voices

on them, more than the recorders by themselves.

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Below: All the tape recorders I own, except for

stereo cassette recorders, 8-Tracks, and micro-cassette.

Above: An exact duplicate of my very first Tape recorder, about 1972. I bought this dupe last year from

bbmart60. My original Realtone was thrown away, after I took it apart. The motor was running too slow,

even with fresh batteries. (1976) It had many, many hours of use. I wore it out, lol.

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Above: An old O.M.G.S Reel-to-Reel. Seller said sound was weak, but when I tried it, it was fine!!!!! It is my favorite small reel-to-reel tape recorder so far!!!! It has 2 motors, and is rim drive. One motor for playback, and one motor for rewind. Needs lubrication, rewind is noisy. 2-15-06

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Below: GE Tape Recorder. 1969. I had to repair the microphone cord for it to work properly.

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My First Tape Recorder in my life was a Realtone, as pictured almost halfway down the page.

My second tape recorder, was a Sears. It was the first tape recorder with a built-in microphone,

and automatic shutoff. (no pictures, yet) Dec,1976

(I also got a used "Lloyd's" Tape recorder from my uncle. The sound wasn't very good,

until I cleaned the heads. It was a cassette, made around 1970??) 1977

3rd, was a JC Penney Tape Recorder. It had a VU meter, and tape counter.(Dec,1979)

4th, was a GE cassette--AM/FM radio, in Dec. 1984.

Above: A 1970 LLOYD's Cassette Tape recorder, exactly like my Uncle Robert gave me in 1977. But this one, as the seller says, has NEVER been operated. The original batteries and Microphone is

with it in the original box. Box below. The price tag on it in 1970 was $19.96.

Received 2-15-06

This is a "Sandy" tape recorder I bought from ebay. The sound

seems to work, and it plays, but the mechanism that controls

the motor angle is messed up, so it cannot rewind. I may see

if I can fix it.

I tried the tape on another recorder, and there isn'r much of

anything on it, except maybe a kid saying a few things, and

a another kid crying in the background.

UPDATE: I was able to fix the mechanism.

But it still was slipping bad. I clean the rubber in the

turntables. It seems to work decent!!!! It even will record!!

It still slips once in awhile. The rubber has hardened.

Not the best quality sound, but loud!!

Below: I got this gem from ebay!! Seller said it came from a RENO

dressing room in a hotel before it was tore down.(Mapes Hotel)

One side of the tape has a woman practicing dance steps. Also,

she and some kids rehearsing for a play?? Side 2: Kids

pretending to be news people, complete with their own

commercials. One boy was pretending he was David Brinkley.

And he mentioned the Surveyor landing on the moon,

They also mentioned the Vietnam war, and the year, 1967.

This is the best buy for vintage recordings yet. The tape

recorder appears dirty, and the mechanism sticks, but

it plays fine. I cleaned it up. The photos are ebay photos

for all recorders, except the Realistic. (I was 4 years old

in 1967) It could be 1966, they were talking about the

1967 beauty pageant, but that could have been for next year.

Same Tape Recorder, cleaned up, cover off. I added the reel on the right.

This GE Tape Recorder is older (I think) than the first one.

(with the microphone)

Below: A LLOYD's Tape recorder, similar to the

"Mission Impossible" types. Works fine. Received it 2/13/06

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Just got this today, Valentine's day, 2006!! It it a

Craig reel-to-reel tape recorder I got from ebay.

Works fine, except I have a little problem with

the tape twisting slightly while playing. Takes

6 D batteries, or AC adapter.

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A Mission: Impossible style tape recorder (Click)

Above: My first reel to reel, bought in 2002, used.

The motor was locked up, but I managed to free it.

Cost??? $8!!!!! From an antique dealer. Works great!!

It is a Realistic (Radio Shack) Model 14-882.

I don't know what year it was made.

It's my favorite so far.

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Above:

My first reel-to-reel Tape Recorder from ebay. A western Auto "Truetone" 1964 model. Sound is barely audible, probably needs electronic components replace. It is a Rim drive. This taught me that not all tape recorders were capstan drive.

Uses 2 "C" cells, and one 9 volt battery.

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Just got this 2-8-06. It is an old Valiant Tape recorder. Did not come with reels. I supplied those.

I cleaned it up with car wax. Yes, car wax. Turtle wax liquid is good for taking fine scratches out of plastic, and making it shine.Mechanically, it works perfect. Electronically, the sound is barely audible. Probably needs new capacitors. Well, it's a good display piece.

Below: The ebay picture of the same recorder!!!

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This is another Valiant I got from a seller on ebay, rghpdfi.

This one has LOUD sound and works like new. No slippage

at all. Got it 11-01-07

Please let me know what you think of my collection and site!