• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

8-Track Tape Questions

1tumbleweed said:
One thing to remember about RCA 8 tracks - as the original producer of 8 tracks, back in 1964, their shells were "Lear Jet Packs" and followed the original design of Bill Lear. That spring pad must have been expensive, though - it was made of phosphor bronze - and the cart itself was over-designed so that, according to Lear, it could be played upside down. Lots of little bits in the original design were discarded along the line. Most Capitol carts were well-designed, following Capitol's purchase of Audio Devices, who had been making broadcast style cartridges for years. Many other companies, including Data Packaging and Mastro Plastics, made well designed cartridges with foam pads. As time went on - especially following the first gas crisis in 1974 - more cheaply made shells appeared, which added to 8 track's bad rep.

Almost all of those "truck stop" 8 tracks were bootlegs, and very poorly made.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
Click to expand...
The Ned Miller I bought was legit and didn't sound half bad at all.

I remember my ex-wife's aunt and uncle letting me go through their 8-tracks. Included was a bootleg of Flatt and Scruggs complete with a black couple on the front of the tape in bell bottoms!

And then there's the infamous story of Jerry Lee Lewis.....
 
I picked up 8 sealed blanks at the Goodwill a few weeks ago, just had to have them for some reason.
 
kevinw69 said:
Ted, it is not THAT bad :) I have been working on my swap meet tapes and some cleaning, checking, then run through once to find the sensing foil. Replace that with some backing tape and some pads and they play pretty well! Of course if you have to open them up due to broken splice, jammed, bad foam or other issues, it is more involved :)
Click to expand...

Half the prob is getting that @!$$# cartridge to open!

I've found a sneaky way to tighten up the tape on the tracks WITHOUT opening up the case...it works about 25% of the time. If not, the the post mortum takes place.

Still looking for a foam to replace the pads. I've tried many, but just can't get the right thickness and material. If you can steer me onto a source, or anyone can...get back to me on this!

I've collected just over 1500 of this format. Having an orig GM player in the Camaro just got the better of me.:) Some of the tunes you just can't find on LP or CD.

Q2
 
Remember pulling the tape out a few feet and quickly spinning it back in was the hip trick to loosen them up. lol
 
I've collected just over 1500 of this format. Having an orig GM player in the Camaro just got the better of me. Some of the tunes you just can't find on LP or CD.
Click to expand...

Just curious Quadman2 what tunes cant you find on LP or CD?
 
Quadman2 said:
And if I may add, you had to have the hands of a surgeon and the patience of Jove to fix a broken tape. Just ask me!

Q2
Click to expand...

It's mostly good when the sensing tape released BEFORE reaching the capstan. Once after, then you'll have a mess to clean up inside. :D

I still have the spicing block that I used when I was a teen splicing together 8 track tape ends with Wrigley's Doublemint Bubblegum aluminum wraps and glued with Elmer's glue. :D But that was before I was able to get an actual aluminum sensing tape.
 
My favorite memory of 8-tracks: changing tracks in the middle of a song, where else could you find that? I thought they really sounded better than cassette.

My many audio regrets selling off >20 years ago a bunch of vinyl (in the 100's), and tossing my 8-track tapes what a fool I am.:bash::bash::bash:
 
Beatnik said:
Remember pulling the tape out a few feet and quickly spinning it back in was the hip trick to loosen them up. lol
Click to expand...
I did that to hard 1 time&snaped the tape.
Use to be good at splicing them back together,Cut at a 45 degree angle&use cellophane/scotch tape on the back&trim the sides even with the tape.
Done the same with cassettes.
Always liked the match book trick for dragging:smoke:
 
I remember seeing them in cars until about 1982. i saw a Chrysler Imperial from the early 80s that had a factory 8-track. I recall seing blank tapes in Radio shack into the late 90's. Never really got into 8-tracks...
But I do have a 4-track player in my '65 Biscayne. I want to hollow out a cartridge to fit my old Ipod into it
 
Ted, I have the kperry ones, it works, but foam seems to take a bit to spring back, maybe I will try Kate's ones next.
 
Quadman2 said:
Half the prob is getting that @!$$# cartridge to open!

I've found a sneaky way to tighten up the tape on the tracks WITHOUT opening up the case...it works about 25% of the time. If not, the the post mortum takes place.

Still looking for a foam to replace the pads. I've tried many, but just can't get the right thickness and material. If you can steer me onto a source, or anyone can...get back to me on this!

I've collected just over 1500 of this format. Having an orig GM player in the Camaro just got the better of me.:) Some of the tunes you just can't find on LP or CD.

Q2
Click to expand...
I use the foam that comes with window A/C units.
 
I use a thin piece of foam weatherstrip with a piece of the soft part of velcro on top of that. About the right thickness and doesn't seem to hurt the tape at all. Kind of amazes me that so many of these tapes actually play great after all these years, and abuse. Lay a CD on top of the dash in the sun, throw it on the floor, see how it plays after 30 years or so. We'll see how capacitance storage holds up over time. Hard to beat tape.
 
Northguy said:
Does anyone know what year the record companies stopped using the 8-track tape format? Did they stop using the 8-track tape format because of the introduction of Compact Discs or had Cassette tapes already made the 8-track tape format obsolete?
Click to expand...

Actually I read somewhere that the Cassette format was out before the 8 track format was just don't know when?:scratch2:

Edit: Both were developed/released around the mid 60's Cassettes by Philips and Stereo 8 Tracks by Lear!
 
Last edited:
BOUXY said:
Actually I read somewhere that the Cassette format was out before the 8 track format was just don't know when?:scratch2:

Edit: Both were developed/released around the mid 60's Cassettes by Philips and Stereo 8 Tracks by Lear!
Click to expand...

The Compact Cassette makes its first appearance in the Lafayette catalog in the fall of 1964 (the 1965 catalog), but only in the form of a monophonic, battery powered portable - the Norelco 150 Carry-Corder. It first appeared in Europe the year before.

The 8 track design was finalized in the summer of '64, but it was the tail end of 1965 before it became generally available to the public at large. It was initially available as an option on 1966 Fords, with the first release of titles from RCA in the first months of 1965.

Cassette as a music format really only started in about 1968 or so with the first release of prerecorded titles from Mercury/Philips. It was another year or so before decent stereo home decks became available - no Dolby yet, of course.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
 
You wouldn't believe the inside of the GM 8-T player. I swear the innards were made from left over tank parts...the unit must weigh 25 pounds. While taking it our one time, the under dash unit fell on my hand...I thought I had broken a couple of fingers!:).

There's one huge rotating chunk of weight inside that keeps the take moving at a constant rate...the W & F I won't comment on:no:...but the tunes still come out, eh?:music:

It does take constant maintenance and care, but I love the old thing.

Q2
 
Quadman2 said:
You wouldn't believe the inside of the GM 8-T player. I swear the innards were made from left over tank parts...the unit must weigh 25 pounds. While taking it our one time, the under dash unit fell on my hand...I thought I had broken a couple of fingers!:).

There's one huge rotating chunk of weight inside that keeps the take moving at a constant rate...the W & F I won't comment on:no:...but the tunes still come out, eh?:music:

It does take constant maintenance and care, but I love the old thing.

Q2
Click to expand...
I have an 8-track player in my parent's old Magnavox console. The A/C motor in that thing would power some small cars I believe! :D

I purchased an Akai deck last year that records/plays and even has microphone inputs. Lifting that sucker is like lifting weights!

Stuff used to be built to withstand anything I believe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom