You brought back such memories! I had purchased a BX-1 back in '83 for $235.00! I loved it until I had to order a new capstan motor.Those Nak's had very low intermodulation distortion and very flat frequency response. It was the first cassette deck I could record FM tuner white noise and have it play back without coloration! This is an EXCELLENT DECK for record and playback. Congratulations!
Nakamish in Brazil was a legend. Extremely expensive. We all "knew" it is was the best but I have never seen one "in person". Your video showing it inside is fantastic. You job on in it is great. The video is super. Thank you very much. Best regards, Mario.
I have fixed many of these Nakamichi decks when I worked at a repair shop. I did exactly the same thing on a number of these by replacing the rubber tire. On some others that you can't get the rubber, a good repair is to file scratch marks on the motor pulley and use a cleaning fluid on them (lacquer thinner or acetone). I then check take-up tension with my finger to make sure the tape doesn't get eaten.I also align heads by playing a tape recorded on a known good machine. (clearest sound)
Thanks thatmuse76 I am happy to have found this Nakamichi, it is a very nice unit. I'm amazed how well the TDK SA cassette tape has held up over the years. I have a TDK SA tape that has been in my cars since I recorded it in the early 1980s, I listened to it today. Great quality tape!
Thanks. I still have a number of TDK SA (super avilyn) tapes and they are ALL just like the day I recorded them in the 80s. I have had the same tape in my car/s since 1983 (Steely Dan of course) and it still plays perfect. I played it today in the car. It has gone through winters in Chicago and summers in Dallas and here in North Carolina, and it still plays perfect. That TDK tape is superb quality.
Awesome video and great job! I specifically liked the fact that you replaced that washer with something from the hardware store. That's a great find on that deck, congrats!
Nice find. I found a bx-125 for 19.00 at the thrift store. I was able to replace the idler tire (most common problem with these decks) relatively easily without removing the transport. It works like new now.
When I first saw it, I just could not believe it. It was in a stack of electronic stuff in a Raleigh thrift shop. Amazing!! It is going to be fun using it to make a digital archive of my OTR programs. Thanks.
I loved this video and I loved the sound of the old tape too at the end its great that silly little things screw quality items up and so easy to fix too...after all the fault finding of course. Wish I was more savvy with electrical stuff.
Funny you got Yours for $18,the other day I picked up a Nakamichi 480 deck for $15. The eject mechanism was damaged,but I was able to figure it out and fix it.For what testing I did it seems to work well,just needs cleaning and a couple record level knobs.I cleaned the roller like the one You replaced,but if it's not too hard to do I might order one when i order the knobs. It looks like it'll clean up well. Glad you had such luck with Yours.
I just picked up a Nakamichi BX - 1 at a thrift store today for $8.00. It caught my eye because I had a BX - 300E in high school - call it sentimentality! The switches (Play, Stop, Rew, Ffwd, etc.) do not make any noise at all when you press them. Yes, it has power. I think it's diagnoses is different than yours was. It's going to take some fixing/figuring out to get it going, but that's part of the fun of collecting. Wish me luck!
Thanks, I am going to be able to get all the quality from my cassette recording that they have to offer. The digital recordings I can make are very good. I am not sure yet if I can tell the difference between the original and the digital. And yes I am delighted that I found a high quality machine for this project.
What exactly did you replace the idler wheel tire/band/belt with? Since you picked the band up at the hardware store I assume it was an ordinary "O" ring of the (nearly) correct diameter. Thank you for the well produced RUclips and the great information.
pitchperfectone Look for number 207 in the O-ring section at Home Depot. You can also buy a kit of 10 different sizes with 20 of each for only $9.95. The O-ring works great. But you can also buy the proper square tire o-ring on ebay for about $4 plus $3 shipping.
That idler tire between the take up and supply reels are a pain to replace. I have a BX-300 and my idler wheel snapped off. I had to buy a parts BX-125 to get the part off of. I just need to get around to doing the repair. A real common problem, so you were very lucky. Nice circa 1977-79 TDK SA tape by the way.
Very well put together video, so it's a really good show. Seems a great player your Nakamichi. Mine is a Pioneer CT-777 i have since 1995, and this week i had to fork out 70 euros for the 3 rubber belts that are worn out since 3 years ago (i'm replaceing them myself). I enjoyed watching your problem being just one tiny cheap rubber in an ingenious Nakamichi design. Once again: your video is neat and fun to watch! Thanks.
Hey RL, I was so amazed to find a Nakamichi anywhere and in a thrift shop! I'm going to enjoy digitalizing all my OTR from cassette. I was delighted with the sound quality of the Johnny Dollar clip. I'm going to have a nice digital achieve. Thanks.
Oh yes Nick Danger Third Eye. They also spoofed Jack Web a lot some of his early programs had some creative dialog. I have tapes of one broadcast day of a radio station and Arthur Godfrey is one of the shows, live. It is very interesting.
I was hoping that the people at the checkout didn't see my double-take and my month drop to the floor when I first was it. lol. The record levels could use a tune-up, I think some one messed with it. It plays great and I'll use it to make some high quality digital conversions. That Pioneer of yours sound interesting. Hope you do a vid on it. Thanks.
Oh yes Tandberg made great audio equipment. I would like to find one of those also. I know that they are smooth operating machines and are built to last. Thanks.
Any idea where I can obtain a schematic for the Nakamichi premium Sound head unit that came with the 91 Lexus LS400? I blew out a resistor while soldering in all new mini bulbs into the head unit display. The old resistor looks to be of the metal film type. I cannot read the value since it was fried. It is R900 on the PCB. I believe it is what supplies power to all the mini bulbs. Thanks!
Beautiful deck - a Nak @ $18-, what a find. Yes, it's funny how most well built quality vintage audio only have 'understandable' faults with them that just require simple fixes! Oh anbd I see you use TDK SA (super avilyn) tapes, I swore by them in the 80's, great tapes that still hold up today! Great vid Rick.
I have a portable jvc cassette deck with the same problem; forward works ok, but no rewind or fast forward. Wish I had your mechanical ability to remove and repair the mechanism.
I have a question. You said that the takeup wasn't turning. Does this deck have sensors which stop the transport if the takeup isn't turning, or is it simply free to eat tapes? I am looking at buying one of these decks, and I want to use it to digitize some priceless, rare and truly irreplaceable recordings I have. If the tape is eaten, then the recordings are lost to history as I have it on good authority that all other copies no longer exist.
One of the tape guides is a tape censer switch. If there is no tape tension the switch is off, stopping the tape drive. Use another tape to practice using the tape recorder before you use it to make your digital recording. If you need more help let me know.
If the machine is working as deigned and restored in good working condition, I would still practice using the tape record to proof to myself it is working properly. Nothing man make is infallible
I googled Nakamichi manual and got a few hits. At the bottom of the link I sent you as a contact for Nakamichi, there may be contact information for whoever made this page and they may be able to help you. But I would bet that Nakamichi, would be able to help you find a diagram for your unit.
You can still get the technical manuals for theswe machines. the pich roller tire you replaced could be brougth back to life with some rubber renew products. You may try that first before changing the rubber tire. Also you needen't remove the entire tape transport to do this. enjoy tge music
Rick, Only $18.00 for that tape deck makes my stomach hurt. You lucky dog! Tell you what...when you're all done converting your tapes I'll give you $20.50 for it. And you can even put the old belt back on. Would you happen to know where I can pick up a good $18.00 am/fm stereo amplifier? Excellent vid. Thanks, John
I think the name of that episode was "The Royal Street Affair" or something like that, 1955 maybe. One of two Johnny Dollars that took place in N.O. Incidentally, nobody really sounds like that here!
Hey John, Lol, Pepto-Bismol, lol, well there was tax too, lol. It is going to be fun using it to convert the tapes. The JD clip quality was really good. If I find and am/fm stereo amp I'll email. Thanks. Rick.
I have the nakamichi mr 1 it will play very well ,after about 20 to 25 mins of play it will stop playing , untill it is off for another hour or so, what should I do. The second one has cassttes stock in it will not play, eject, fw or rv, what is the problem Please help.
To disengage the heads you would disassemble the head assemble, if it is engaged. If the other is getting to hot maybe it needs a good cleaning. I can tell from here. I would suggest contacting a local amateur radio club, someone in the club can help you or knows of someone that can help you.
Shipping is not a good idea, if something gets broke then you have more problems. I have told many people about contacting a local amateur radio clubs.
You brought back such memories! I had purchased a BX-1 back in '83 for $235.00! I loved it until I had to order a new capstan motor.Those Nak's had very low intermodulation distortion and very flat frequency response. It was the first cassette deck I could record FM tuner white noise and have it play back without coloration! This is an EXCELLENT DECK for record and playback. Congratulations!
Nakamish in Brazil was a legend.
Extremely expensive. We all "knew" it
is was the best but I have never seen one
"in person". Your video showing it inside is fantastic. You job on in it is great. The video is super. Thank you very much.
Best regards,
Mario.
I have fixed many of these Nakamichi decks when I worked at a repair shop. I did exactly the same thing on a number of these by replacing the rubber tire. On some others that you can't get the rubber, a good repair is to file scratch marks on the motor pulley and use a cleaning fluid on them (lacquer thinner or acetone). I then check take-up tension with my finger to make sure the tape doesn't get eaten.I also align heads by playing a tape recorded on a known good machine. (clearest sound)
Thanks thatmuse76
I am happy to have found this Nakamichi, it is a very nice unit. I'm amazed how well the TDK SA cassette tape has held up over the years. I have a TDK SA tape that has been in my cars since I recorded it in the early 1980s, I listened to it today. Great quality tape!
Thanks. The quality is really good and the operation is so smooth and elegant. And it is rugged also. I'm so happy I found it!!
Thanks. I still have a number of TDK SA (super avilyn) tapes and they are ALL just like the day I recorded them in the 80s. I have had the same tape in my car/s since 1983 (Steely Dan of course) and it still plays perfect. I played it today in the car. It has gone through winters in Chicago and summers in Dallas and here in North Carolina, and it still plays perfect. That TDK tape is superb quality.
Awesome video and great job! I specifically liked the fact that you replaced that washer with something from the hardware store. That's a great find on that deck, congrats!
Nice find. I found a bx-125 for 19.00 at the thrift store. I was able to replace the idler tire (most common problem with these decks) relatively easily without removing the transport. It works like new now.
That is a fine tape deck! You really got a steal on that one. Some say that Nakmichis were the finest cassette decks ever built.
Best ever would be Studer/Revox
When I first saw it, I just could not believe it. It was in a stack of electronic stuff in a Raleigh thrift shop. Amazing!! It is going to be fun using it to make a digital archive of my OTR programs. Thanks.
I loved this video and I loved the sound of the old tape too at the end its great that silly little things screw quality items up and so easy to fix too...after all the fault finding of course. Wish I was more savvy with electrical stuff.
Funny you got Yours for $18,the other day I picked up a Nakamichi 480 deck for $15. The eject mechanism was damaged,but I was able to figure it out and fix it.For what testing I did it seems to work well,just needs cleaning and a couple record level knobs.I cleaned the roller like the one You replaced,but if it's not too hard to do I might order one when i order the knobs. It looks like it'll clean up well. Glad you had such luck with Yours.
I just picked up a Nakamichi BX - 1 at a thrift store today for $8.00. It caught my eye because I had a BX - 300E in high school - call it sentimentality! The switches (Play, Stop, Rew, Ffwd, etc.) do not make any noise at all when you press them. Yes, it has power. I think it's diagnoses is different than yours was. It's going to take some fixing/figuring out to get it going, but that's part of the fun of collecting. Wish me luck!
the switches in the Bx-1 are silent
Thanks,
I am going to be able to get all the quality from my cassette recording that they have to offer. The digital recordings I can make are very good. I am not sure yet if I can tell the difference between the original and the digital. And yes I am delighted that I found a high quality machine for this project.
What exactly did you replace the idler wheel tire/band/belt with? Since you picked the band up at the hardware store I assume it was an ordinary "O" ring of the (nearly) correct diameter. Thank you for the well produced RUclips and the great information.
Yes, it was an O ring.
pitchperfectone Look for number 207 in the O-ring section at Home Depot. You can also buy a kit of 10 different sizes with 20 of each for only $9.95. The O-ring works great. But you can also buy the proper square tire o-ring on ebay for about $4 plus $3 shipping.
That idler tire between the take up and supply reels are a pain to replace. I have a BX-300 and my idler wheel snapped off. I had to buy a parts BX-125 to get the part off of. I just need to get around to doing the repair. A real common problem, so you were very lucky. Nice circa 1977-79 TDK SA tape by the way.
Thanks. That Pioneer CT-F900 is a very nice deck, hope you get it working like new!
Just fiund a bx-300 at Goodwill.$10.00. Only needed a new idlerwheel rubber. Works and sounds like a brand new deck now.
Thanks
Very well put together video, so it's a really good show. Seems a great player your Nakamichi.
Mine is a Pioneer CT-777 i have since 1995, and this week i had to fork out 70 euros for the 3 rubber belts that are worn out since 3 years ago (i'm replaceing them myself). I enjoyed watching your problem being just one tiny cheap rubber in an ingenious Nakamichi design.
Once again: your video is neat and fun to watch! Thanks.
Nice Deck Rick, What was that recording software on your PC? Looks like a nice package.
Thank you. Your effort is greatly appreciated. I have changed my settings accordingly.
The heads look to be in good condition. I'm surprised that the motors haven't gone bad with gummed up bearings.
Hey RL,
I was so amazed to find a Nakamichi anywhere and in a thrift shop! I'm going to enjoy digitalizing all my OTR from cassette. I was delighted with the sound quality of the Johnny Dollar clip. I'm going to have a nice digital achieve. Thanks.
Oh YES, hope you can get it working again.
Oh yes Nick Danger Third Eye. They also spoofed Jack Web a lot some of his early programs had some creative dialog. I have tapes of one broadcast day of a radio station and Arthur Godfrey is one of the shows, live. It is very interesting.
$18 for a bottom of the line Nakamichi 2 head is still a rocking deal.
It was about $300 when it was new in '82.
Thanks
I was hoping that the people at the checkout didn't see my double-take and my month drop to the floor when I first was it. lol. The record levels could use a tune-up, I think some one messed with it. It plays great and I'll use it to make some high quality digital conversions. That Pioneer of yours sound interesting. Hope you do a vid on it. Thanks.
Oh yes Tandberg made great audio equipment. I would like to find one of those also. I know that they are smooth operating machines and are built to last. Thanks.
Any idea where I can obtain a schematic for the Nakamichi premium Sound head unit that came with the 91 Lexus LS400? I blew out a resistor while soldering in all new mini bulbs into the head unit display. The old resistor looks to be of the metal film type. I cannot read the value since it was fried. It is R900 on the PCB. I believe it is what supplies power to all the mini bulbs. Thanks!
My dad gave me one of these, and I'm having an issue with the take up. How did you get the transport out?
I think this may help you.
www.manualslib.com/manual/887963/Nakamichi-Bx-1.html?page=3#manual
Beautiful deck - a Nak @ $18-, what a find. Yes, it's funny how most well built quality vintage audio only have 'understandable' faults with them that just require simple fixes! Oh anbd I see you use TDK SA (super avilyn) tapes, I swore by them in the 80's, great tapes that still hold up today! Great vid Rick.
Can you post a video on how to repair a broken bias potentiometer on the BX-300 series decks?
I have a portable jvc cassette deck with the same problem; forward works ok, but no rewind or fast forward. Wish I had your mechanical ability to remove and repair the mechanism.
I have a question. You said that the takeup wasn't turning. Does this deck have sensors which stop the transport if the takeup isn't turning, or is it simply free to eat tapes?
I am looking at buying one of these decks, and I want to use it to digitize some priceless, rare and truly irreplaceable recordings I have. If the tape is eaten, then the recordings are lost to history as I have it on good authority that all other copies no longer exist.
One of the tape guides is a tape censer switch. If there is no tape tension the switch is off, stopping the tape drive. Use another tape to practice using the tape recorder before you use it to make your digital recording. If you need more help let me know.
@@AllAmericanFiveRadio Does that mean that it won't eat tapes, or at least that it won't be able to get far into doing so before being tripped?
If the machine is working as deigned and restored in good working condition, I would still practice using the tape record to proof to myself it is working properly. Nothing man make is infallible
I googled Nakamichi manual and got a few hits. At the bottom of the link I sent you as a contact for Nakamichi, there may be contact information for whoever made this page and they may be able to help you. But I would bet that Nakamichi, would be able to help you find a diagram for your unit.
Amazing explication ever listened! Thank you for share you talent!
You can still get the technical manuals for theswe machines. the pich roller tire you replaced could be brougth back to life with some rubber renew products. You may try that first before changing the rubber tire. Also you needen't remove the entire tape transport to do this. enjoy tge music
Rick,
Only $18.00 for that tape deck makes my stomach hurt. You lucky dog!
Tell you what...when you're all done converting your tapes I'll give you $20.50 for it. And you can even put the old belt back on.
Would you happen to know where I can pick up a good $18.00 am/fm stereo amplifier?
Excellent vid.
Thanks,
John
I think the name of that episode was "The Royal Street Affair" or something like that, 1955 maybe. One of two Johnny Dollars that took place in N.O. Incidentally, nobody really sounds like that here!
Thanks Ron.
Thanks Mario.
Works great, thanks again!
Lol. I wish I had a dollar for every time I had done something like that! Maybe you will find another one some day. Thanks.
Thanks Antoniopang
Must likely the motor or motor and belt/s that control the heads, could be the play switch. It is hard to say without looking at it.
my k7 player on sony rx88 mini hifi stop working. any advice? thanks
Hey John,
Lol, Pepto-Bismol, lol, well there was tax too, lol. It is going to be fun using it to convert the tapes. The JD clip quality was really good. If I find and am/fm stereo amp I'll email. Thanks.
Rick.
there is also EBAMAN where you can download manuals for free. i don t know if they still exist but i got a few manuals from them.
Certainly close enough. It was The Royal Street Matter 11/25/56. I doubt that the writer had ever been to N.O. I just ignore the Hollywood. Thanks.
I was going to send you the link but RUclips says you have your mail blocked.
Thanks SuperTuinman
I have seen some manuals on eBay.
THANKS!
I have the nakamichi mr 1 it will play very well ,after about 20 to 25 mins of play it will stop playing , untill it is off for another hour or so, what should I do.
The second one has cassttes stock in it will not play, eject, fw or rv, what is the problem Please help.
The one that stops playing could be getting hot. The other one, the heads may still be engaged.
How do I get it to disangade ? and the one that get hot what can be done about it ? and thank you for the quick reply. Thank you .
To disengage the heads you would disassemble the head assemble, if it is engaged. If the other is getting to hot maybe it needs a good cleaning. I can tell from here. I would suggest contacting a local amateur radio club, someone in the club can help you or knows of someone that can help you.
If I try to clean it and dont get it, can I ship it to you for service ?
Shipping is not a good idea, if something gets broke then you have more problems. I have told many people about contacting a local amateur radio clubs.
@antonmjor
Darn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks nicamman66
DAK