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8 Track and Cassettes

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srunge55

Active Member
I recently came across a guy cleaning out a house left by a hoarder that was full of old stereo equipment. I found a few nice things but nothing terribly special. I wasn't one of the first people through so the cream was taken. There were dozens of 8 track players and cassette decks and hundreds of 8 track tapes, cassettes and VCR movies. Nobody was interested in any of 8 track CD stuff. At the end of the week the guy cleaning out the house is going pitch whats left (big dumpster in driveway). I could probably go get all of it for nothing. I hate to see it all go in the trash but I don't want to waste my time if nobody wants that stuff. So is it worth saving or is that media dead forever and not coming back?

Thanks,

Steve
 
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I still play cassette tapes. I had two machines until today. Now three. This one was dropped off at my house today for free. Originally installed in a rack and never used. The only reason I still keep a few decks around is because I still have a lot of tapes.
 

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If you developed an unexpected facination with 8 track as I did, it would be a good opportunity maybe to get started.

Myself, I would take the tapes and sift through them later. Any unwanted titles could go in CL's - Free Stuff section and I bet takers will come quickly. At least that was so when I unloaded a bunch. They became raw material for art projects for those who got them.

I would also be scrutinizing the 8 track decks. If any met certain criteria, I'd grab those too.

8 track aficionados are few and far between but they are out there. Sort of a niche within a niche market.
 
Sounds like you don't have any previous experience with 8 tracks.
Any car 8 track players in the bunch?
Man, you haven't lived until the 8 track "eats a tape" and you chuck the tape out the car window at 70 mph.*









*IMPORTANT make sure the window is down before attempting to throw the tape out it.
 
If you have an 60's or 70's car, you got to have an old under-dash 8 track. This one I have meticulously restored to its original glory and my 30 or so tapes to play in it. I have added pre-outs to connect it to my aftermaket head unit in a 64 malibu SS.IMG_20190116_210012097.jpg
 
LOL, not a whole lot. Funny, I do still own a car with an 8 track in it but I don't listen to it. All the 8 tracks were not car players.
 
I have an old 8 track (house, not car) player here, got it at a church rummage sale years ago.
Last year I bought a 3 cd Deep Purple compilation disc.
One of the songs was very familiar, REALLY familiar, but it was not on any of my Deep Purple records or cd's.
Hmmmmmm
Dug out the case with the 8 or 10 8 track tapes that had managed to have not been eaten in the past, and there it was Deep Purple Fireball tape. The song was No one came.
Mystery solved.

EDIT/ADDED Ok, so decided to dig the 8 track player out of the closet. Evidently it has a small internal amplifier as there are screws on the back to hook up speaker wires and there are no in/out RCA jacks.
As a BONUS I found another 8 track player. I guess it is a portable 8 track player as it has what appears to be places to attach carrying straps on two ends of it. Also may be a "karioke" type as there is a microphone level dial. AND the microphone is under one of the latching pieces on the back of the unit, the other is for the house voltage cord which is also there.
There are two 8 track cases, each holds 10 or 12 8 tracks and there is around 18 or 20 8 tracks between them.
One even has the end of the tape hanging out! Guess I was going to try to repair it at one time which may be why it did not go flying out the car window when it was originally ate.
 
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Some home 8 track decks still bring real money. A list of what you have would be useful - also whereabouts are you?
 
I'm in the St. Charles MO area (suburb of St. Louis). I'm not sure the models but they were mostly Pioneer, Teac and Sankyo. One of the cassette decks was a Pioneer 7272 and had a nice wood case. I might go back and take another look.
 
I sell every 8 track tape player I do. In fact netflix bought 2 from me last summer and I got one from a 1971 old toro from a guy in an olds car club to fix...there is a rabid niche. its small, but has $$ to spend.
 
I picked up a Wollensak reel to reel audio recorder. I don't know why, just thought it looked cool. Its in a case with as I guess it was meant to be portable. I'm sure its worthless. I think I will go back tomorrow night and check it out again.
 
srunge55 said:
I recently came across a guy cleaning out a house left by a hoarder that was full of old stereo equipment. I found a few nice things but nothing terribly special. I wasn't one of the first people through so the cream was taken. There were dozens of 8 track players and cassette decks and hundreds of 8 track tapes, cassettes and VCR movies. Nobody was interested in any of 8 track CD stuff. At the end of the week the guy cleaning out the house is going pitch whats left (big dumpster in driveway). I could probably go get all of it for nothing. I hate to see it all go in the trash but I don't want to waste my time if nobody wants that stuff. So is it worth saving or is that media dead forever and not coming back?

Thanks,

Steve
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Steve, I'd recommend plastic bagging everything you take. Hoarding, bedbugs, fleas, roaches, mice can all turn stereo stuff into breeding dens!
 
mikeybc said:
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So is Beta but don't tell my buyers.

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