FINALLY..... an AMPEX 1270 for the 1963 EXECUTIVE..

[larryderouin]

After waiting 5 yrs such that the Executive was originally in BugleGirls Hands, then I became it's caretaker a R2R was missing from the Unit. Oh Yeah, I managed to fit in a AKAI GX-4000D and then an AMPEX 960 within the last 6 months was installed with good results. But I wanted the 1250. Thru the good graces of a few AK'er's, one of whom had this unit and put it up on Bartertown as a Free to good home, one who let me know about it, and the other who donated the shipping costs, I now am the owner of an AMPEX 1270 Portable(yeah Right) R2R. It has the speakers inside, but the stereo amp (6AQ5 SE) was removed prior to my getting it.No Problem with that. The plan is for the 1250 Deck in it to be installed in my 1963 FISHER Executive Console, in place of the model 960 from 1957. The Motor on the 1250 is dated Aug, 1959 (Howards Brand motor). It does have the 1/4 track playback head, and 1/4 track recording head, and 1/2 track Erase head. The 1250/F-44 Fine Line Deck is the correct one for the '63 and '64 Executives.

Overall the cosmetics are very good (8.5 to 9.0 of 10) except for a number scribed into the faceplate below the takeup reel.

I haven't pulled the deck from the case yet. I DO know that all tubes except the 6X4 are removed. No problem as I have a boatload of 12au7's and 12ax7's.

The plan is to replace the CAN CAPS with HH's, and replace the power supply DUAL Selenium Diode, Replace out of spec resistors and then do a recap of the preamps. Old Stock 12AU7's, 12ax7's, and replace the 6x4 if it shows weak. Clean and reoil all motor bushings, shaft bushings, lubricate all slide areas, and check all of the Rubber tires on the idlers.

The Heads look to me to have minimal wear, but I'll get a closer look later. The tension roller and the pinch roller look to have minimal wear, so I believe that this 1270 is a low mileage unit. I'll get new AMPEX BELTS and possibly new playback head (depend on how much) from a retired AMPEX Guy in the Midwest. I may ask him about the amp. I can probably install the 960 in the 1270 case and use it that way once i get an amp for it.

This thing is HUGE! I guess it would be considered "portable" for the Early/mid 60's @ approx 50lbs.

dimensions of1270


I'll try and take some pics of the dis-assembly from the case on Fri-Sat. btwn Dr. appt's. I'm anticipating that this will drop in

 

[rogerfederer]

Great AK story, Larry!

 

[bhamham]

Cool, Larry. I like it

 

[gadget73]

I love old notions of "portable". Attach a handle, that makes it portable right? Shame they didn't include wheels and telescoping handle so you could haul it around like a suitcase.

 

[cnolanh]

Enjoy the 1270, Larry! Surely we've gotten it into the right hands, now. I love that you're going to restore it properly.

And check your PMs about the suitcase amp.

 

[Dave451]

Oh, Larry. Don't get me thinking about tape or it's all over (wife still wondering why I need so many pieces of old hi-fi gear around). Back in my radio days, I had to tote around a 'portable' Ampex unit to remotes that seemed to weigh about 50 pounds. At one station where I worked, the automation unit had 15-inch Scully mag tape units that were awesome. Rewinding was frightening, as they seemed about to go supersonic near the end. Made you kind of want to step back a little!
Ah, memories.......
Dave

 

[cnolanh]

Oh, Larry. Don't get me thinking about tape or it's all over (wife still wondering why I need so many pieces of old hi-fi gear around). Back in my radio days, I had to tote around a 'portable' Ampex unit to remotes that seemed to weigh about 50 pounds. At one station where I worked, the automation unit had 15-inch Scully mag tape units that were awesome. Rewinding was frightening, as they seemed about to go supersonic near the end. Made you kind of want to step back a little!
Ah, memories.......
Dave

I can vouch that one of those Ampex portables does weigh close to 50 pounds.

 

[larryderouin]

The 960 or 1260 (short portable)weigh approx 38lbs. The 970 or 1270 weigh approx 48lbs. Weights are from the appropriate brochures. The unmounted chassis(950 or 1250) weighs in about 32lbs. Thank Gawd the main chassis frame on these is either aluminum or magnesium. I couldn't imagine lugging this Monster if it had a steel or cast iron main chassis frame.

Dave; My GX370 on rewind, gets about MACH 3 at about 300ft from the end. however, the brakes are good, tires Fair.

 

[walyfd]

Congratulations, Larry. Personally, the r2r sounds best of all audio sources in mine. If I have a choice, I'll play a tape over lp every time.

By 1963, I'd figure the r2r was strictly 4-track as 2-track was pretty well done by around 1962.

And they certainly do weigh a ton. Even the vu meter lenses are glass in the sony in mine.

 

[larryderouin]

I promised Pics. A couple are fuzzy as I had it on closeup and went to distance without changing the switch. Oh Well.

ID Badge


Fuzzy cabinet


Fuzzy Cabinet OPEN with Pamphlets. 1200 series manual on Right.


Side covers off. The 6AQ5 SE Amp Fits in the Right side of the unit. It's rate 1.5w per channel. Barely enough power so the
Beaver can hear it in the back of the classroom.


Left side of cabinet


Right side of Cabinet


More Pics Next post.

 

[AlTinkster92]

Nice Find Larry! Congrats!

 

[larryderouin]

AND MORE PICS
Empty Cabinet.



Back (Motor) side of 1250. Note similarity to 960 model.



Tube Layout.

 

[Kingfisher]

I've got one of those suitcase Ampex R2R's...the 2070...which has a tube pre-amp and solid-state amp built in. It is heavy for its size...

 

[larryderouin]

The 2070 is the Fine Line Series portable, equivalent to the 960 and the 1260 portables.

Jeez, one guy show's off one and all kinds of them pop up.. This is just so cool!

 

[Kingfisher]

I got it when I bought my 600T from the estate of an elderly concert violinist. I don't remember the TT used with this setup, but it was built right into a wall!

 

[larryderouin]

HOT DAMN! An AMPEX and a 600-T. Good combo. The amp in it is only good for about 2-3watts if it's comparable to the tube units which only put out 1.5w per channel.

I might take the 960 and connect it to my 700-T. The A-122 as it's all mono, I can connect it to either the 1951 WR-11 Coronet, or the 1958 Contemporary Console. Plus I have a 1953 Webcor 2110-1/2 track Mono.

 

[larryderouin]

Nolan sent me via a separate pkg the built in stereo amplifier that went with the 1270. 6x4rectifier, 12ax7 driver and single ended STEREO 6AQ5. SO 1-1/2watts output.
I installed it in the cabinet,along with the 1250 chassis and connected it all together. Got it to 100volts after 4 hours and left it there for 2 hours. No Hum, No noise,Very quiet at full volume with no tape running. Blank tape at both 3-3/4 and 7-1/2IPS and full volume = very Quiet! Tape Path was cleaned with 91% ISO alcohol and q-tips. Motor Oiled, All bushings and bearings cleaned and oiled, replaced the belts with new ones. 1khz tone tap @ 7-1/2IPS plays 999.6 to 1000.3kHz. Not too shabby for a 58 year old Head unit. I used a tone generator program on my computer.

Finally got out my VANGUARD Recording tape of
GERSHWIN
Concherto in F (for Piano and Orchestra)
Rhapsody in Blue
An American in Paris
Maurice Abravanel (Conducting)
1979.
VAN E 10017 7-1/2IPS

And played both sides as a farewell playback. This is the last time the 1270 will probably play as a complete unit as designed and built by AMPEX. So some pictures of the 1270 as a complete (including the amplifier), connected and playing unit.

 

[cnolanh]

Great to see it running again, Larry!

 

[gadget73]

That really seems like a lot of tape deck for such a little bit of amplifier and speaker.

 

[cnolanh]

That really seems like a lot of tape deck for such a little bit of amplifier and speaker.

Indeed, though on the outside of the suitcase are all the line in and out connections you'd expect. I think of the little speakers and amp as a minimal monitoring system or a way to preview a tape. I wonder how people actually put these systems to use back in the day.