Free score: Otari MX-5050!

beatcomber

beatcomber

AK Member
Yesterday I brought a guitar amp over to a guy’s house after he answered my Craig’s List ad.

He had a nice digital-based home studio set up and we started talking about recording. I mentioned that I was more of an analog guy, using a 4-track reel-to-reel to do my own recordings. He told me that years ago a friend had given him a reel-to-reel (it had been salvaged from a Catholic radio station or something like that), and that he hadn’t ever used it, and would I like to take it? He opened a credenza, and wedged inside was a slightly dusty Otari MX-5050!

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So, not only did he buy my amp at the full asking price, I also got an Otari for free! I did offer to cut him a break on the amp as a thank you, but he brushed it off, which was incredibly nice of him. Maybe he was just glad to free up the space, I dunno.

Anyway, I briefly fired it up last night. The lights came on (one of the meter lamps is burned out though), but it started slowing down during rewind. (There was a tape already on the reels.) I haven’t cleaned it at all, so I don’t know if it’s something simple like a dirty/glazed pinch roller, sticky old tape, etc., or something needing real attention. I’m going to clean it up tonight and see if that makes a difference.

I figure, even I have to pay a pro to refurbish it, I’ll still be ahead of the game.
 
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Natively, they're all two-track. Flip up the head cover, you'll find the switch for 4-track playback. Technically, the four-track playback head was an option, but few seem to have been built without it.

If you want to turn it into a four-track record deck, there are heads from a big TEAC that fit. Of course, it would have to be aligned afterwards.

They're among the most durable electronic machines I've ever seen. Old story, but my MX-5050 BII-2 came from a college auction, where it was tossed on a pile of electronic scrap (which also contained a number of Variacs). With all but the lowest rear cover pulled, it sat face-down on top of the pile in the rain for at least one night. It still works fine - only thing I had to do after it dried out was adjust a reel table that was pushed in when it was thrown on the pile.
 
Sam Cogley said:
Natively, they're all two-track. Flip up the head cover, you'll find the switch for 4-track playback. Technically, the four-track playback head was an option, but few seem to have been built without it.
Click to expand...

Izzat so? I'll take a closer look this evening! That would be really great.
 
beatcomber said:
It has the 2T/4T switch! Yippee!
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It's also probably set to play 7.5 and 15ips, I was reading the manual and this can be switched if you want. Since it's a two speed you can also set it for 3.3/4 and 7.5ips tape speed if that works better for you. If you want to record albums a lot of them wont fit on a 2400ft tape @ 7.5 as they are 35 minutes long or something like that
 
I've determined that it was indeed the sticky tape that was causing the drive to slow down. I finally got it wound back all the way onto its hub and tried a known tape, and it seemed to play fine.

Tomorrow I'll give it a proper cleaning with some pinch roller cleaner and head cleaner, and shoot some contact cleaner on the knobs and buttons, and then I'll see how she does for real. So far so good!

4-2-7 said:
It's also probably set to play 7.5 and 15ips, I was reading the manual and this can be switched if you want. Since it's a two speed you can also set it for 3.3/4 and 7.5ips tape speed if that works better for you. If you want to record albums a lot of them wont fit on a 2400ft tape @ 7.5 as they are 35 minutes long or something like that
Click to expand...

That's right, it currently is playing 15 and 7.5, which should be fine for me. (My Akai does 3.75, so I'm covered.)
 
That is a genuine score! Especially since you not only got the NAB hubs but ALSO the original take up reel!!

These decks suffer from dirty switches, where deoxit will do the trick, and some have 2 orange capacitors on the main board that leak.
To look at these, flip down the big board in the rear. If you see 2 (usually) orange capacitors, they are likely leaking and corroding the board.
They should be changed. Also, if your deck still has the nasty foam between the rear cover and circuit board, get rid of it and scrub the board
with alcohol. Then take a magnifying glass and look for corroded and cracked solder connections in that area and fix as needed.

That's USUALLY it. Another good advice, google the otari capstan oil and get a small bottle. Oil the front capstan bearing ONLY WITH THAT OIL!
The deck will thank you for it. They are wonderful machines!
 
4-2-7 said:
It's also probably set to play 7.5 and 15ips, I was reading the manual and this can be switched if you want. Since it's a two speed you can also set it for 3.3/4 and 7.5ips tape speed if that works better for you. If you want to record albums a lot of them wont fit on a 2400ft tape @ 7.5 as they are 35 minutes long or something like that
Click to expand...

That's kind of a crapshoot. Despite what they were built for, quite a few that AKers have found were set to run at 3.75 and 7.5 ips. The fact that all three speeds are capable is a plus, the fact that it requires internal switching and recalibration is a bit of a headache.
 
Sam Cogley said:
The fact that all three speeds are capable is a plus, the fact that it requires internal switching and recalibration is a bit of a headache.
Click to expand...

I never read that any recalibration was needed. Just make the switch internally from 15 and 7.5ips to 7.5 and 3 3/4
 
I'll offer FOUR TIMES what it cos... no wait: two waiting in the corner to be rehabbed... VERY NICE SCORE !!!
You may want to conact 'Gustavo' on this site as he is The King of 5050's in rehab & parts. DSCN2540.JPGone of mine in processDSCN2540.JPG
 
Tinman said:
That is a genuine score! Especially since you not only got the NAB hubs but ALSO the original take up reel!!

These decks suffer from dirty switches, where deoxit will do the trick, and some have 2 orange capacitors on the main board that leak.
To look at these, flip down the big board in the rear. If you see 2 (usually) orange capacitors, they are likely leaking and corroding the board.
They should be changed. Also, if your deck still has the nasty foam between the rear cover and circuit board, get rid of it and scrub the board
with alcohol. Then take a magnifying glass and look for corroded and cracked solder connections in that area and fix as needed.

That's USUALLY it. Another good advice, google the otari capstan oil and get a small bottle. Oil the front capstan bearing ONLY WITH THAT OIL!
The deck will thank you for it. They are wonderful machines!
Click to expand...
Great info, thanks!
 
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