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Reel To Reel Tape Recorder


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Just dug on old reel to reel tape recorder Elizabethan LZ 34 model out of the attic with about 6-8 reels. Unfortunately, it’s not working very well and the reels date back to the 1970’s with contributions from friends and family, many sadly gone. I’m hoping to transfer them to a modern media to preserve them.

I’m looking for somewhere to borrow, loan, or rent one just to do the transfer, otherwise try to buy an old second hand one in working order, if I can find one (they stopped making them years ago) or try to get this one reconditioned because once the reels are transferred I’ll have no further use for it.

Any ideas gratefully received

TED

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Problem with any old tape recorders is the drive belts and rubber idlers which have usually deteriorated. It's very unlikely they will work properly unless they have been restored. I think the road to go would be get someone with a good machine to transfer them for you. 

Would you know if it's recorded in 2 or 4 track and what speed? Doesn't matter if not. Where do you live (roughly) 

 

PS good clear photo of the machine would help 

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17 minutes ago, Paul said:

The UK Vintage Repair and Restoration forum might be a good place to look. They deal with reel to reel machines including a lot of tips for your particular model. 

I'm a member of that Forum. Very helpful. Just a quick search - it does look to be a four track three speed machine. Therefore the tapes need to be played on a 4 track, they wouldn't work on a 2 track. 

I might be able to help 

Elizabethan LZ34.JPG

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I haven't involved myself with reel machines for a long time now, and never much with Elizabethan so not really my area. Were all these machines 3 speed? I thought the three speed transport was only fitted to a few. Asking out of my own interest really.

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I used to have a teac 2300, 3.75/7.50 dual speed dolby which I bought from a flea market in Loughborough around 1985. It was not working and paid a fiver for it and a praktika slr camera. It came with a waxed paper envelope with replacement drive bands which did the trick, plus a good clean around the heads and pinch rollers and it worked a treat. Sounded lovely too. It came with reels that included stuff such as The Beatles, The Eagles etc. Alas when my attention turned to Dolby Pro-Logic it had to go to fund the new home cinema. Needless to say it went for considerably more than I paid, though I wish I still had it. 

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12 minutes ago, Paul said:

I used to have a teac 2300, 3.75/7.50 dual speed dolby which I bought from a flea market in Loughborough around 1985. It was not working and paid a fiver for it and a praktika slr camera. It came with a waxed paper envelope with replacement drive bands which did the trick, plus a good clean around the heads and pinch rollers and it worked a treat. Sounded lovely too. It came with reels that included stuff such as The Beatles, The Eagles etc. Alas when my attention turned to Dolby Pro-Logic it had to go to fund the new home cinema. Needless to say it went for considerably more than I paid, though I wish I still had it. 

That would be a very nice machine Paul :91_thumbsup: Pity you had to let it go.

That's exactly right, main problem is the drive belts which stretch, deteriorate or turn to sticky jelly depending on the machine. The rubber idlers can be a problem too. Otherwise they often need just a good clean and lube to get them going again. In this digital age many are probably gathering dust in attics. But you can't beat the sound of classic vintage technology :default_biggrin:

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7 minutes ago, Paul said:

That looks like the three speed TD10 to me but Howard would know better. 

Yep, definitely looks like it - BSR 3 speed and definitely 4 track. Nice machine, would have cost a few bob back in the day. 

It may work but as with all vintage gear best to carry out some basic checks before plugging it in. Smoothing capacitors likely to need reforming at least. 

Tape was quite expensive back then so always a temptation to use the slower speeds although the 7 1/2 ips would give the best quality at the expense of less recording time. 

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3 hours ago, NorfolkNog said:

Tape was quite expensive back then

Try buying it nowadays. I did start looking a while back at a direct drive machine, perhaps something like an Akai with 10" reels but the machines are fetching four figure sums and 2400ft reels in excess of fifty pounds a pop.

I was never a fan of compact cassettes although my hifi system did have a nakamichi (which I still have somewhere), mostly used for talking books. I progressed to CD, CD-r, Laser Disc and Mini Disc (which should have caught on much better than it did). Now I download my music and audio books and use the network to load it directly to the dashboard of my car. No tape, no disc, just a tingling in the ether.

Despite all the progress I still look back at that pre-digital technology so fondly. I still have a copy of White Christmas on 10" shellac.

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