Cassettes missing pressure pads

Hajidub

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I have a particular cassette, rare for me to find a duplicate, that has a missing felt pressure pad. In fact it was missing the entire metal sled that the pad is attached to. I discovered this when I played the tape on my Sony TC-K700es and it sounded warbled and bad. I since then put the tape away, hoping I would find another or repair (actually I forgot about it for about a year). I was reading up on the Nakamichi 680 and (if I can remember correctly) certain models bypassed the use of a pressure pad during playback. Supposedly the creator of Nak implied the friction of the tape path rubbing against the pad induced unwanted sound (I guess he was pretty serious dude). Just remembering this article I popped the tape in and WOW, it plays perfectly.

Anyone have anything to add about this?
 
We use the MR-1 with the tape pad lifter for archiving. Many of our tapes have loose or missing pads. There are other Naks with the same feature.
 
Find some cheep new type 1 cassettes ( with screws holding the shell together ) and carefully swap the tape or the pressure pad and spring.
I have redone several this way. I also strip all the parts off of bad cassettes and keep them in a divided box. That way I have a repair kit of sorts.
 
I wouldn't ruin a brand new tape just to harvest the pressure pad and spring:rolleyes:, unless it is one of the garbage no-name 3 for a buck specials.:D There are TONS of worthless, unwanted tapes around to use as parts donors. If just the felt pad comes off of the metal backing, a dot of super glue is an easy solution that works fine. No need to even disassemble the tape for that fix, and a lot of times, the felt pad is found laying inside the case.
 
I use model airplane glue to put the pad back on. Also picked up some cassettes at a Goodwill the other day, 10 for a dollar. Mostly Christmas stuff but picked 10 that looked like new with cases the same, for parts. That little metal piece can be replaced on some pretty easy.
 
First thing I look at on old cassettes is to make sure they have the pad. I keep old bad tapes around just to steal the pads off of them.
 
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I'll send you a full shell for free. keep it out of the landfill and enjoy the music

PM me with physical address
 
I'll send you a full shell for free. keep it out of the landfill and enjoy the music

PM me with physical address

Were you talking to me, I own great Nak's that could care less whether a pad is there or not.
 
Did I say somewhere I was creating a tape repair guide? I am confused... BTW, no need to send a cassette shells. Have that need covered already.
 
@MRL_Audio (not to any NAK owners in particular)

a set of two cassette shells sent to you, here's to your repair guide with pictures
@Hajidub - no problem, @MRL_Audio did not post on this thread but PM'd me for the cassettes
and am looking forward to his guide on repairing cassettes.
I think Bob’s messages may have been misinterpreted to mean that you had created a repair guide with pictures.
 
nice - package already sent, you can either trash it or pass it on to someone who
really needs it, your choice.

I usually offer components to anyone that posts an issue or a problem and is looking
for help. I've done this a dozen times or so. most thank me which is unexpected
but welcome. others disappear - never to be seen again, which is also OK
since life takes us and runs.

it was a wasted effort to find usable shells, pack it, put postage on it, now knowing
it was simply not needed. And what effort is it to take a few pictures
and post it here along with the work done to help others with this problem?

it would be returning good KARMA to AK for all the good advice from those who
contribute here, and for those who find AK a source for freebies - you are off
my Christmas list.
 
OK - when the shells get to you, return to sender.

sorry, I thought you would write something up when you
requested these.

My apologies.

Bob
 
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