For a link to some of the items I use and recommend for tape repair and deck service, visit my Amazon affiliate shop page: www.amazon.com/shop/fluxcondenservintageaudioelectronics?tag=onamzfluxcond-20&linkCode=ic7
thank you SO much for this video! i've recently started buying some cassettes here and there, and it's been an absolute pain trying to find thorough resources on repairing and maintaining cassettes. this video was incredibly helpful, and i'll be sure to check your channel first the next time i need any kind of audiophile help!
Why is it always the tapes with the most interesting stuff on the label always seems to come apart at the spool? Lol. I got a bunch of cassettes from a garage sale that had someone’s recordings from 1971-1974 and tried to play the oldest tape in the bunch, and the leader popped right off the spool and the take up reel was spinning rapidly. Murphy’s Law I guess? 🤷
Thank you for this video and the other videos like this you might have made. I appreciate them, And need to learn as much if this sort of content that you might have made in the past or present. Thank you so much again
That was awesome. I wish I would've known about the "post-it". My Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms cassette I've had since it's release in 1985, parted last year. I've got older tapes that are still going strong. But that cassette was special. It always sounded amazing in my system.
Great video .. i'll have to save it incase I need this information in the future. Do you have videos on how to fix tapes that are running slowly or ones that have broken cases? I have at least a dozen tapes (possible more, once I test them all) that have the slow running issue. Another tape is going to have to pulled apart to figure out what's going on it with it. It's frozen and the tape don't move in it no matter what I do. These are all pre-recorded tapes from the 70s-90s mostly.
All I gotta say you’re brave if you do it on a 1990 cassette tape because it’s not like they’re still making them but the rarity of original tapes from the 1990s or before it’s just priceless. Minus one from the history collection
it would be more helpful if you could position the camera such that we the audience could see what you're doing with the blade. as it is the magnifier's rim is blocking our view.
hi get a vine pin or needle use it to put blue on around the cassette i have a jig i put tape in when glue sets i have done alot taps over the years there is 1/8 edit tape and block you can get
Excellent instructions. I was able to remove the split the shell on my sonic youth "day dream nation" fairly easily pulling apart the shell by putting a small screw driver in holes on bottom of the shell. There is no leader on the side that is available to me. The tape split at the very beginning and the hub has nothing attached to it. What should I do ? I was thinking I could get the splice tape it to the hub and underneath the magnetic tape. Is that a good idea?
Taping to the hub is unlikely to hold. There’s a clip or pin in the hub that’s used to attach the tape. Remove the pin or clip and lay the tape over the recessed area and then reinsert the pin or clip to hold it in place. You can attach the magnetic audio tape to the hub this way, but as magnetic tape is fragile (especially as it ages) it won’t like being bent and held to the hub this way and it’s likely to break again. For a long-term solution, get some leader tape and splice a 6-8” piece to the magnetic audio tape. Then, attach the leader to the hub. You may consider temporarily holding the shell together so you can fast forward the tape and do the same on the other hub. Good luck, hope this helps.
@@FluxCondenser yeah thank you it does. I was looking for the clip or pin in the hub but I could not find it. I was considering buying a repair kit that comes with the leader tape and splicing tape. Even though I allready bought a replacement copy , I am still curious to fix this one. Thanks
@@FluxCondenser I was able to actually figure out just now that some of the tape and leader was so tightly wound around the hub I couldn't see the clip or pin. I carefully removed it from the hub and now I see that all I need to do is splice the magnetic tape together.
@@FluxCondenser yeah I was considering buying a leader cassette for _2.75 on splic it.com along with the cassette splic kit. Will the leader cassette be usefull when reparing cassettes? I can link to product. Do you have promo code or anything with splicit.com?
My problem is that my cassettes keep going muffled. They dont start off muffled but they get muffled. I think the tape is off track. I dont think its the pressure pad because the pressure pad is in place and wont move
Hm. There are a few possible causes for this. The pressure pad may be the issue. The tape itself may require lubrication. Or perhaps the rollers in the shell. Some people claim tape head or tape treatments such as those from Last Factory will solve the issue. Others say replace or repair the shell. I don’t have any experience fixing squeaky tapes other than transferring the tape to a better shell. As far as treatments that claim to lubricate the tape, I can’t comment on their effectiveness. Also, and this is probably obvious, make sure the problem is the tape and not the machine. Good luck.
Chris, if you repeat the process as I showed using an Xacto to score the seam, there shouldn’t be any issue getting the case back open. Simply prying it open without cutting into the seam first, though, could result in a crack. Hope this helps.
I love new technology that helps me and makes my life easier, but the one thing about new technology that I don't love at all is how new technology takes away and steals away my opinions on what I want and what I want to spend my money on. When new technology comes around, it totally destroys any opportunity for any new products that I have grown to love and really understand much more better than new technology. Plus my older products are able to be fixed, this new stuff, you are not allowed to fix,you just have to spend another fortune on another new technology product
Even in English, your comment is confusing. The video is for anyone that doesn’t know how to fix a cassette tape. So yes, it’s for beginners that want to be able to do it the way a pro would. Just as the title says. A pro wouldn’t need the video. What’s your point?
Tapes that are screwed together, I can easily open up and repair. Tapes that are glued or sonically welded together are a different story. I can never get them apart - always end up breaking the shell into several pieces. Then I have to transfer the reels to another cassette shell to get the tape to play again!
This video was a huge help. I recently bought a two tape album and both broke instantly where the magnetic tape connects to the plastic tape when played. I tried the method of opening the tape on an old home-made tape to see if I could do it without damaging it, but didn't have the right tool and was a bit impatient. I managed however to make use of this tape's plastic section to fish out the plastic tape on the tapes I was repairing, since the magnetic section was already exposed. It took a good few hours but somehow it worked. I could then follow your advice on how to repair them from there.
Thanks for taking the time in sharing your tips and experience. I like the way you kept in some of the problems that can arise! Trouble is now I want a nakamichi rx-505!
I first was interested in how to repair the pressure pad. Your instructions and sources of material were very helpful. Great video. Loved seeing someone else using cassette players. Loved the Nakamichi cassette drive! One question: if super glue is used on the inside points of the plastic case, won't that make it impossible to reuse? I assume you would just then move tape over to a new unmarked case, correct? Are replacements available that screw together?
Thanks, Jim. Glad you found the video helpful. As far as getting the cassette open again after using super glue, it won’t be a problem if you used glue on the outer edge of the shell if you repeat the step with the Xacto blade. That’ll cut through the glue. But yes, if you use a lot of glue on parts of the shell that you can’t get a blade into, it might make reopening the shell difficult. Replacement shells are absolutely still available. Check eBay.
I just got my The Doors Classics cracked in two and NOTHING broke. Dropped some glue in the top holes and snapped it back together. I use sponge and double sided tape for new pads.
I have cassette tapes that are mostly sealed ones that need repair. They all have that pressure pad issue. And another tape just randomly snapped at the very end. The tape is sealed too. Some of the tapes I fixed, have the snapping right where the Lier is, because, the sticky thing comes off. Other tapes are really easy to repair. With screws in it of course. I also made a mini tape repair kit for tape parts.
If you use a tape dispenser, you can pull a piece of splicing tape and cut it with the razor blade then stick one end to the razor blade parallel to the edge which helps to align it before you stick it down.
I managed to open the case using a hacksaw on the four corners .When you have opened it please make sure that you have the case with the roller pins facing up towards you otherwise it will be MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ! Cheers Eddie
Thanks a lot! I didn't follow everything as professional as you showed, but it was enough to fix a 42 year old cassette (adhesive tape on both sides had come loose..)to run it once for copying.....
So. I dunno if that was the magic sauce or not but thanks. :D So I was using this same splicing hit to fix an old ZZ Top tape I had because the old tape was coming off. I was worried until I watched this again and realized (maybe) I was cutting the splicing tape too short. Got it a little longer and now no issues. For a minute there I thought the tape was too thick because it was getting stuck on the pinch wheel. 3/4s of an inch it seemed to matter in my case.
Thank you for this. I was able to repair some irreplaceable family tapes that had broken using this guide. (I used 1/4" wide kapton tape and cut it to size with an xacto knife). Tapes play great now and we were able to digitize them for safekeeping :)
Hey, just throwing this out there (havent watched much of the video just looking for someone with the same issue) my tape is playing only on left side of my speakers, both car, home, even my buddies stuff. It only does it. I tried other tapes so its not my player. But all the bass is gone, it only plays on the left side for all tracks (which shouldnt) so if anyone can help me. PLEASE lol im desperate. Thank you
You can do this with VCR tapes as well, there’s a couple of extra parts in them, mainly the locks on the tape reels, and sometimes a little T piece that goes between them that have to be set in accurately, but the principle is the same. And most VCR tapes have screws.
A tip...get tapes from a charity shop and practice taking them apart, adding/removing leader tape, splicing...tapes that would be the very last thing you would normally buy...in my case, any opera, rap or chamber music! There are Tape Repair Kits, splicing blocks and splicing tape available on line....be prepared!
Hey Man - hugely interesting - fabulous presentation / demonstration. Been doin' this for years - more recently I have been digitising my cassettes with Audacity. Have burned a few to CD for a friend who plays these on-air - they sound fantastic!
we can imagine a rectangular piece of wood like a drawer with adjustable width and have the option to fix the blades on the side in a way when you push the cassette through the rectangle wooden drawer the knife cuts at the exact thickness we need to separate the shells without touching the tape. not sure this makes sense :)
Imagine being able to hear your own 19 1/2 year old voice when you are sixty six! And my Mother who passed in 2007....wow! Talk about memories....all because YOU made this really handy video! Thank you. p.s. After slicing my finger with the exact-o-knife, I got a small clamp and clamped the cassette to a bookshelf and used more force than I could have if my cassette was actually in my hand. Went a LOT faster too.
That is really sweet and really cool! I experienced something like that back in February. Wall of text! I’m 22 now. So 7 years ago my pap died and all his stuff went to the attic or the basement. My Uncle now lives in what used to be my pap’s house. So around December ‘23 I asked him if I could take a drive up to the house and we could go through the attic and basement. So we did and there was a lot of old history up there. Hundreds of VHS tapes, cassette tapes, records, boxes of records bought on EBay that were never opened, CRTV’s(that unfortunately didn’t work, too rusty) like 4 VHS players, hundreds on top of hundreds of puzzles. It was amazing but it was sad all that stuff was to just sit there and not to be preserved or enjoyed. I took hundreds of records, hundreds of cassettes (which I painstakingly cleaned cause they were so moldy) I took hundreds of VHS tapes. My car was absolutely packed! Well, In the corner of the attic under a bunch of stuff there was a plastic bag full of them cassettes you could record stuff on to. They weren't marked but I thought I’d take them. I cleaned them up cause they’re really moldy. I listened to them and I could hear my mom from when she was 15 just talking about random things and recording the TV and it would cut to random radio stations. It was so wild! My mom is 50 now. I just find it Bizzare that my mom, who was 15, was recording stuff on cassettes, and 30 some years later her son, who at the time wasn’t even a thought, would be listening to them. That is spooky stuff.
Nice video of repairing broken tape .It is broken between lead tape and the mag tape ,so good solution.If the magnetic tape itself is broken then howvyo fix with your tools on the splicer andvthe blue tape .
You mention we want the blue tape on the 'inside' because the 'outside' has all the information. But magnetic stuff and this 'special' blue tape should not 'block' the information right? I see somewhere else where they suggest putting the tape on both the inside and outside?
Wow, seems like a lot of work for those non-screw tapes! So I don’t ruin a nice one, looks like I’ll need to go purchase some throwaways to practice on. 😅
The main problem I'm having using scotch tape is any tape deck I tried playing on, all autostopped right at the splice. Is the tape too thick or is the play head grabbing the edge of the tape? I've repaired a dozen tapes and every single one had the autostop issue.
Ronaldo, is the scotch tape on the back of the magnetic tape (no music side) or the front (music side)? The tape should be on the back side. Is the magnetic tape cut at the seam or is there an flap of tape remaining? There should be no flap of tape. Is the scotch tape cut exactly to the width of the magnetic tape and perfectly lined up with it? If there’s any scotch tape extending beyond the magnetic tape or if the tape path isn’t completely straight at the splice, that could trigger the auto stop. Also, make sure there’s no sticky residue. If none of those things are present, then yes, I would conclude that the scotch tape is either too thick or rigid and that’s why the auto stop is getting triggered.
@@FluxCondenser Everything you described I've done correctly, and I did find out it was me splicing the tape on the music side! Oh well, I'll need to fix the other tapes. Thanks for your response! No clue about tape gap tolerance. also I'm using the normal brand of scotch tape from Walmart.
HELP - Today a tape of my Grandfather telling the family history broke at the beginning of Side One at the Take-up Reel/Supply wheel. I attempted to open the cassette with the blade and STOPPED. This is too precious for me to break. Do you fix tapes? If not, do you know where I could send it for a repair.
Kathy, I wish you luck getting the tape repaired. I don’t take in work as I do this for a hobby only. I’m not certain who could do the repair for you. I’m sure there’s someone out there if you decide to not continue with the repair yourself. Perhaps a Google search will bring something up. If you do continue with the repair, and carefully follow the instructions, you really shouldn’t have any issues. Additionally, if you’re not sentimentally attached to the cassette’s shell, once you get the tape opened and fixed, you could opt to transfer it to a replacement shell that uses screws to seal the case. That’ll make completing the repair easier and if it breaks again, you’ll have nice, easy access. You could sacrifice another tape to get such a shell, or buy a replacement shell which are available online. Good luck!
Not specifically, but generally this is an easy fix. In the hub there’s a small insert that can be removed. Remove the insert, align the leader with the hub and snap the insert back in to hold the leader in place.
Hi bro I have 25 yrs old panasonic cassete my Mom marriage was in it. Can you help me how I connect to you. In the casseste some white particles are freezed.
Do all cassettes play poorly in your machine or just one individual tape? If you’re having trouble with all cassettes, the machine may be at fault. You could have issues with belts slipping or a worn pinch roller. The pinch roller needs to be perfectly round, if not, playback speed will vary as you describe. Consider cleaning the pinch roller using a Q-tip and a liquid solution made specifically for that purpose. Pinch roller cleaners are available online. I don’t recommend alcohol for pinch rollers, but alcohol can be used on the tape heads. If you determine that the issue is the pinch roller, and cleaning doesn’t improve the situation, you’ll have to replace the roller. If that’s the case it’s a good idea to replace all the belts as well. If only one of your tapes is exhibiting this issue, first inspect the pressure pad and make sure it’s in good shape and secured properly. Check the shell and make sure it isn’t warped. If it is, you’ll need to transfer the tape to a replacement shell. Looking at the magnetic tape itself, make sure that it’s flat and not curled. If it is, or looks worn or distorted in any way, the tape will probably never play well again. If the tape seems fine externally, the shell will have to be opened to investigate what’s causing the problem. Tapes often have two slip-sheets between the tape spools and shell, so check that they aren’t worn or causing friction. Also check that the tape path is correct as shown in the video and that the wheels are spinning freely. Good luck!
My tapes look great but the sound is dragging not the tape deck because then I put a another tape in and plays no problem ? Pads look great and tape looks fine but dragging sound ? Please help it’s not the tape deck
Usually when a tape seems to drag, it is caused from rewinding and playing the same section over and over. This causes the edges of the tape bind against the wall of the shell resulting in the tape to drag. To fix this rewind the tape to the beginning and fast forward to the end. This will smooth out any uneven windings.
Reopening the case over and over is definitely problematic, as these shells weren’t designed to be opened at all once they were sealed. In the event that the case would need be reopened, repeating the procedure should work. And hopefully, any extra glue that was used internally would easily break once the outer shell was cut apart.
I have a Cobra announce cassette that is a 20 second tape which loops, for an old answering machine. The tape got snagged inside itself and I had to open the case. Now I can't figure out how to rewind the tape so it can be listened to. Have you ever done this?
It sounds like yours may loop similarly to an 8-track. If so, you may want to watch a video showing how 8-tracks loop on the spool from the outside and leave the spool from the inside. If I find out more, I’ll let you know.
I did a quick search for “cassette tape loop” and it seems that there are a number of ways to accomplish this, but none seem to use a method similar to 8-track. They simply use various schemes to loop the tape inside the cartridge. I’d suggest doing the same search on Google and look at the images to see if you see a scheme that will work for your tape. To get 20 seconds with a simple loop, your tape player will have to work at a slower than standard speed. Or, the tape will have to take a more complicated path to allow for 20 seconds worth of tape. Good luck.
I’ve had that Fleetwood Mac live album on vinyl since I was a kid and while it’s not one of their most popular albums I absolutely love it. Yeah, this tape probably ain’t worth $10, but I really wanted to listen to it ;-)
Where are you located? I have an old Memorex 45 cassette that came off at the leader just like this one. (Unexposed) Sadly there are no screws and I don’t want to mess it up?
Thank you from Romania, Brasov - followed your instruction and for one cassette by opening it I found out that one of the plastic roles was off, still inside but the pin that was holding that was missing - used a sewing pin to manufacture one and everything was back in place - this cassette is coming from my dead father-in-law so it has sentimental value - loved the joke about hemoroides - piles, never realised that piles is the equivalent of that - translation in Romanian/traducere romana - multumesc din Brasov, Romania - am urmat instructiunile de aici si la o caseta am descoperit in interior ca una din rolele de plastic cazuse si axul ei disparuse - am facut un alt ax dintr-un ac de cusut si acum totul e la loc - casetele astea sunt de la socrul meu care a decedat si au valoare sentimentala - am apreciat gluma despre hemoroizi - piles (mormane) - nu am stiut ca piles poate insemna si hemoroizi pt britanici
I have one cassette tape that gets very stiff on the reel, and when played it gets chewed up. If i squeeze the tape with my fingers it gets loose again. What is at fault here? Too much pressure pulling the tape on the reel?
I love finding thrift store home recorded tapes! As well as pre-recorded. But the home recording ones are my fav as they are sometimes sample gold! Best one I have found is some lady singing and playing organ at a church and the reverse side is a brother and sister playing in a room and at one point the sister yells at the brother who is being mean and he laughs at her so funny, but he gets in trouble. Another one is some little kid names eric who is playing the recorder or flute for his grandma and he seemingly plays random notes but is super serious and it’s amazing! I can’t wait to sample some of these. Another good one is a creepy self-hypnosis tape from the 60’s.... talks about consciousness and mental fortitude etc lol also found some y2k conspiracy tapes as well... those are cool too
I don’t have a brand preference. Just get something that’s specifically designed for splicing the type of tape you’re repairing. Cassette splicing tape is frequently labeled as ⅛” and 8-track and reel-to-reel tape is usually specified as ¼”. Hope this helps.
Today i put a screwdriver into a cassette, and then ripped it apart (it was sonically connected, literally put a screwdriver into the tape path and bent it , exploded in my hands lol ). Took the spool and put it onto the replacement . I then taped down one side and got both the sides spoiled close as possible. The tricky part imo is getting the top tape shell back on without pressing into the tape on the tape path . I’ve never felt more accomplished AND IT WORKS . The tape is now worthless but it has exclusive stuff i cannot find online . Always pre wind new tapes, the factory splice sometimes snaps from being so old
Thanks so much for a great video. I'll use this to guide me through a critical repair I need to make on a demo song I did more than 30 years ago . . . the only copy I have. Let's hope I'm as successful as you were. Thanks again.
That’s a tricky one. First, make sure the problem is the tape and not the player. A dirty or magnetized head could cause that symptom. If it is the player, use some isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab to clean the head and look into getting a demagnetizer. A magnetized head will have poor high frequency response. If the problem really is the tape, there’s not much you can physically do except make sure the shell isn’t warped or there’s another problem impeding the tape path. Once those possibilities are eliminated, I’d then recommend transferring the tape digitally to a computer and using sound software to attempt to improve the sound there. Hope this helps. Good luck!
For a link to some of the items I use and recommend for tape repair and deck service, visit my Amazon affiliate shop page: www.amazon.com/shop/fluxcondenservintageaudioelectronics?tag=onamzfluxcond-20&linkCode=ic7
Great video. Straight forward, no nonsense approach to this common problem. You’re the Bob Ross of cassette repair, an artist! Happy Accidents!
Thanks!
thank you SO much for this video! i've recently started buying some cassettes here and there, and it's been an absolute pain trying to find thorough resources on repairing and maintaining cassettes. this video was incredibly helpful, and i'll be sure to check your channel first the next time i need any kind of audiophile help!
Why is it always the tapes with the most interesting stuff on the label always seems to come apart at the spool? Lol. I got a bunch of cassettes from a garage sale that had someone’s recordings from 1971-1974 and tried to play the oldest tape in the bunch, and the leader popped right off the spool and the take up reel was spinning rapidly. Murphy’s Law I guess? 🤷
Yup, Murphy’s Law. Or maybe, Dolby’s Law.
Thank you for this video and the other videos like this you might have made. I appreciate them, And need to learn as much if this sort of content that you might have made in the past or present. Thank you so much again
I used your video to fix my Joe Cocker cassette...thanks
Well done, glad I could help.
That was awesome. I wish I would've known about the "post-it". My Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms cassette I've had since it's release in 1985, parted last year. I've got older tapes that are still going strong. But that cassette was special. It always sounded amazing in my system.
Thanks for the clear instructions
Yeah, this is much better than the Scotch tape method I used when I was a kid😂
Going to use this to fix my new Heart tape. Thanks :)
Good luck. Let us know how it works out.
Great video .. i'll have to save it incase I need this information in the future. Do you have videos on how to fix tapes that are running slowly or ones that have broken cases? I have at least a dozen tapes (possible more, once I test them all) that have the slow running issue. Another tape is going to have to pulled apart to figure out what's going on it with it. It's frozen and the tape don't move in it no matter what I do. These are all pre-recorded tapes from the 70s-90s mostly.
All I gotta say you’re brave if you do it on a 1990 cassette tape because it’s not like they’re still making them but the rarity of original tapes from the 1990s or before it’s just priceless. Minus one from the history collection
I'd wager that a repaired tape is worth more than a broken one. Granted I could be wrong, I'm new to cassettes, but that's my guess.
Very thorough.
thank you, i will def try this with a few older tapes
I have many cassetts. in my home and i lovet to lisen music on them❤
it would be more helpful if you could position the camera such that we the audience could see what you're doing with the blade. as it is the magnifier's rim is blocking our view.
what kind of blue tape did you use splice them together?
this is some bob ross level relaxation
Thanks Man. You helped save an oral history interview about MGM history from 1967!! Great Video.
I was doing this in the 80s
Me too. The 1880s ;-)
hi get a vine pin or needle use it to put blue on around the cassette i have a jig i put tape in when glue sets i have done alot taps over the years there is 1/8 edit tape
and block you can get
Excellent instructions. I was able to remove the split the shell on my sonic youth "day dream nation" fairly easily pulling apart the shell by putting a small screw driver in holes on bottom of the shell.
There is no leader on the side that is available to me. The tape split at the very beginning and the hub has nothing attached to it. What should I do ? I was thinking I could get the splice tape it to the hub and underneath the magnetic tape. Is that a good idea?
Taping to the hub is unlikely to hold. There’s a clip or pin in the hub that’s used to attach the tape. Remove the pin or clip and lay the tape over the recessed area and then reinsert the pin or clip to hold it in place. You can attach the magnetic audio tape to the hub this way, but as magnetic tape is fragile (especially as it ages) it won’t like being bent and held to the hub this way and it’s likely to break again. For a long-term solution, get some leader tape and splice a 6-8” piece to the magnetic audio tape. Then, attach the leader to the hub. You may consider temporarily holding the shell together so you can fast forward the tape and do the same on the other hub. Good luck, hope this helps.
@@FluxCondenser yeah thank you it does. I was looking for the clip or pin in the hub but I could not find it. I was considering buying a repair kit that comes with the leader tape and splicing tape. Even though I allready bought a replacement copy , I am still curious to fix this one. Thanks
@@FluxCondenser I was able to actually figure out just now that some of the tape and leader was so tightly wound around the hub I couldn't see the clip or pin. I carefully removed it from the hub and now I see that all I need to do is splice the magnetic tape together.
Ah, fantastic! Yes, I was surprised to hear that there was no leader as most prerecorded cassettes have one (though not all).
@@FluxCondenser yeah I was considering buying a leader cassette for _2.75 on splic it.com along with the cassette splic kit. Will the leader cassette be usefull when reparing cassettes? I can link to product. Do you have promo code or anything with splicit.com?
My problem is that my cassettes keep going muffled. They dont start off muffled but they get muffled. I think the tape is off track. I dont think its the pressure pad because the pressure pad is in place and wont move
How to lubricate a squeaky tape?
Hm. There are a few possible causes for this. The pressure pad may be the issue. The tape itself may require lubrication. Or perhaps the rollers in the shell. Some people claim tape head or tape treatments such as those from Last Factory will solve the issue. Others say replace or repair the shell. I don’t have any experience fixing squeaky tapes other than transferring the tape to a better shell. As far as treatments that claim to lubricate the tape, I can’t comment on their effectiveness. Also, and this is probably obvious, make sure the problem is the tape and not the machine. Good luck.
Question would the super glue break the case if you needed to go back and repair it?
Chris, if you repeat the process as I showed using an Xacto to score the seam, there shouldn’t be any issue getting the case back open. Simply prying it open without cutting into the seam first, though, could result in a crack. Hope this helps.
Robert FRIPP!!! Exposure
Not bad man.
Thanks.
Hello… I have a question can you please fix mines my string came out I will pay for the work thanks ?
Don't ever try to make an extra long tape. We have all done that with no success. Haven't we?
I love new technology that helps me and makes my life easier, but the one thing about new technology that I don't love at all is how new technology takes away and steals away my opinions on what I want and what I want to spend my money on. When new technology comes around, it totally destroys any opportunity for any new products that I have grown to love and really understand much more better than new technology. Plus my older products are able to be fixed, this new stuff, you are not allowed to fix,you just have to spend another fortune on another new technology product
Screw this… I’ll just stick to CD’s and vinyl.
Cassette tapes are such a hassle
Most of mine have screws that hold the case together. I use glue to splice.
Can I pay you to fix a tape for me?
Pick me!
Видео для чайников
I have no idea what that means, but I hope it’s good!
@@FluxCondenser Для тех кто с этим сталкнулся первый раз это видео супер. Для таких как я, которым уже больше 55, это все чушь
I have no idea what that means, but I hope it’s good.
@@FluxCondenser This video is for beginners (dummies, as they say in Russia)
Even in English, your comment is confusing. The video is for anyone that doesn’t know how to fix a cassette tape. So yes, it’s for beginners that want to be able to do it the way a pro would. Just as the title says. A pro wouldn’t need the video. What’s your point?
Uhhh…can I just send you my tape to repair? 😂 I’m so scared I’m gonna screw it up.
I can't see anything you doing
I think it's pretty important to work with very slow moving super gel glue. That cheap stuff flows like water and will destroy everything lol
Tapes that are screwed together, I can easily open up and repair. Tapes that are glued or sonically welded together are a different story. I can never get them apart - always end up breaking the shell into several pieces. Then I have to transfer the reels to another cassette shell to get the tape to play again!
This video was a huge help. I recently bought a two tape album and both broke instantly where the magnetic tape connects to the plastic tape when played. I tried the method of opening the tape on an old home-made tape to see if I could do it without damaging it, but didn't have the right tool and was a bit impatient. I managed however to make use of this tape's plastic section to fish out the plastic tape on the tapes I was repairing, since the magnetic section was already exposed. It took a good few hours but somehow it worked. I could then follow your advice on how to repair them from there.
Glad to hear, Jay. Congrats on getting it fixed.
Thanks, helped me fix my Pink Floyd’s the Wall Tape
Fantastic! I wore out my cassette of The Wall when I was kid.
Thanks for taking the time in sharing your tips and experience. I like the way you kept in some of the problems that can arise! Trouble is now I want a nakamichi rx-505!
My pleasure. Sorry about the hit the video will have on your wallet, though ;-)
Coming in 4 years late but, as someone who is starting to collect tapes again, this is insanely helpful.
I first was interested in how to repair the pressure pad. Your instructions and sources of material were very helpful. Great video. Loved seeing someone else using cassette players. Loved the Nakamichi cassette drive! One question: if super glue is used on the inside points of the plastic case, won't that make it impossible to reuse? I assume you would just then move tape over to a new unmarked case, correct? Are replacements available that screw together?
Thanks, Jim. Glad you found the video helpful. As far as getting the cassette open again after using super glue, it won’t be a problem if you used glue on the outer edge of the shell if you repeat the step with the Xacto blade. That’ll cut through the glue. But yes, if you use a lot of glue on parts of the shell that you can’t get a blade into, it might make reopening the shell difficult. Replacement shells are absolutely still available. Check eBay.
I just got my The Doors Classics cracked in two and NOTHING broke. Dropped some glue in the top holes and snapped it back together. I use sponge and double sided tape for new pads.
I have cassette tapes that are mostly sealed ones that need repair. They all have that pressure pad issue. And another tape just randomly snapped at the very end. The tape is sealed too.
Some of the tapes I fixed, have the snapping right where the Lier is, because, the sticky thing comes off.
Other tapes are really easy to repair. With screws in it of course. I also made a mini tape repair kit for tape parts.
If you use a tape dispenser, you can pull a piece of splicing tape and cut it with the razor blade then stick one end to the razor blade parallel to the edge which helps to align it before you stick it down.
Hi, my tape snapped from the roller. It was not the tape was cut in the middle. It was snapped from the end / beginning. Can I still fix it? Thanks.
This helps me tp fix my wobbly Mariah Carey's Charmbracelet album, I just need to replace the pressure pad cause it's old
I managed to open the case using a hacksaw on the four corners .When you have opened it please make sure that you have the case with the roller pins facing up towards you otherwise it will be MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ! Cheers Eddie
Thanks a lot! I didn't follow everything as professional as you showed, but it was enough to fix a 42 year old cassette (adhesive tape on both sides had come loose..)to run it once for copying.....
Glad it helped!
Very good instructions easy to follow keep up the good work thanks.
Thanks for watching!
I bought a splicing kit and have undertaken many repairs after watching this video 😁
So. I dunno if that was the magic sauce or not but thanks. :D So I was using this same splicing hit to fix an old ZZ Top tape I had because the old tape was coming off. I was worried until I watched this again and realized (maybe) I was cutting the splicing tape too short. Got it a little longer and now no issues. For a minute there I thought the tape was too thick because it was getting stuck on the pinch wheel. 3/4s of an inch it seemed to matter in my case.
I just found cassette shields had screws :) Thanks!
Thank you for this. I was able to repair some irreplaceable family tapes that had broken using this guide. (I used 1/4" wide kapton tape and cut it to size with an xacto knife). Tapes play great now and we were able to digitize them for safekeeping :)
Hey, just throwing this out there (havent watched much of the video just looking for someone with the same issue) my tape is playing only on left side of my speakers, both car, home, even my buddies stuff. It only does it. I tried other tapes so its not my player. But all the bass is gone, it only plays on the left side for all tracks (which shouldnt) so if anyone can help me. PLEASE lol im desperate. Thank you
You can do this with VCR tapes as well, there’s a couple of extra parts in them, mainly the locks on the tape reels, and sometimes a little T piece that goes between them that have to be set in accurately, but the principle is the same. And most VCR tapes have screws.
Yes, all tape recording media is relatively similar and can be repaired with splicing techniques. Even digital formats.
A tip...get tapes from a charity shop and practice taking them apart, adding/removing leader tape, splicing...tapes that would be the very last thing you would normally buy...in my case, any opera, rap or chamber music! There are Tape Repair Kits, splicing blocks and splicing tape available on line....be prepared!
Great information. I’m pretty sure I’ll end up in the emergency room if I try to cut apart a cassette shell with an X-Acto knife though!
I would love to buy all of this stuff in need for my cassette tape repair, but today's technology people are erasing my generation from existence
Hey Man - hugely interesting - fabulous presentation / demonstration. Been doin' this for years - more recently I have been digitising my cassettes with Audacity. Have burned a few to CD for a friend who plays these on-air - they sound fantastic!
we can imagine a rectangular piece of wood like a drawer with adjustable width and have the option to fix the blades on the side in a way when you push the cassette through the rectangle wooden drawer the knife cuts at the exact thickness we need to separate the shells without touching the tape. not sure this makes sense :)
Imagine being able to hear your own 19 1/2 year old voice when you are sixty six! And my Mother who passed in 2007....wow! Talk about memories....all because YOU made this really handy video! Thank you. p.s. After slicing my finger with the exact-o-knife, I got a small clamp and clamped the cassette to a bookshelf and used more force than I could have if my cassette was actually in my hand. Went a LOT faster too.
That is really sweet and really cool! I experienced something like that back in February. Wall of text!
I’m 22 now. So 7 years ago my pap died and all his stuff went to the attic or the basement. My Uncle now lives in what used to be my pap’s house. So around December ‘23 I asked him if I could take a drive up to the house and we could go through the attic and basement. So we did and there was a lot of old history up there. Hundreds of VHS tapes, cassette tapes, records, boxes of records bought on EBay that were never opened, CRTV’s(that unfortunately didn’t work, too rusty) like 4 VHS players, hundreds on top of hundreds of puzzles. It was amazing but it was sad all that stuff was to just sit there and not to be preserved or enjoyed. I took hundreds of records, hundreds of cassettes (which I painstakingly cleaned cause they were so moldy) I took hundreds of VHS tapes. My car was absolutely packed!
Well, In the corner of the attic under a bunch of stuff there was a plastic bag full of them cassettes you could record stuff on to. They weren't marked but I thought I’d take them. I cleaned them up cause they’re really moldy. I listened to them and I could hear my mom from when she was 15 just talking about random things and recording the TV and it would cut to random radio stations. It was so wild! My mom is 50 now.
I just find it Bizzare that my mom, who was 15, was recording stuff on cassettes, and 30 some years later her son, who at the time wasn’t even a thought, would be listening to them. That is spooky stuff.
Hey, my tape wont spin in the walkman its jammed what to do?
There could be so many reasons for that. Can you describe in more detail what’s happening? Do other tapes play correctly in the Walkman?
Nice video of repairing broken tape .It is broken between lead tape and the mag tape ,so good solution.If the magnetic tape itself is broken then howvyo fix with your tools on the splicer andvthe blue tape .
You mention we want the blue tape on the 'inside' because the 'outside' has all the information. But magnetic stuff and this 'special' blue tape should not 'block' the information right? I see somewhere else where they suggest putting the tape on both the inside and outside?
Wow, seems like a lot of work for those non-screw tapes! So I don’t ruin a nice one, looks like I’ll need to go purchase some throwaways to practice on. 😅
The main problem I'm having using scotch tape is any tape deck I tried playing on, all autostopped right at the splice. Is the tape too thick or is the play head grabbing the edge of the tape? I've repaired a dozen tapes and every single one had the autostop issue.
Ronaldo, is the scotch tape on the back of the magnetic tape (no music side) or the front (music side)? The tape should be on the back side. Is the magnetic tape cut at the seam or is there an flap of tape remaining? There should be no flap of tape. Is the scotch tape cut exactly to the width of the magnetic tape and perfectly lined up with it? If there’s any scotch tape extending beyond the magnetic tape or if the tape path isn’t completely straight at the splice, that could trigger the auto stop. Also, make sure there’s no sticky residue. If none of those things are present, then yes, I would conclude that the scotch tape is either too thick or rigid and that’s why the auto stop is getting triggered.
@@FluxCondenser Everything you described I've done correctly, and I did find out it was me splicing the tape on the music side! Oh well, I'll need to fix the other tapes. Thanks for your response! No clue about tape gap tolerance.
also I'm using the normal brand of scotch tape from Walmart.
Whenever I am inserting a cassette in a tape recorder, the film is coming out of cassette. How to fix this. Please tell this.
Awesome! Thanks. So you only put the tape on one side only? So frustrating, lol.
Is it possible to flatten tape that is twisted or does it have to be discarded unfortunately?
HELP - Today a tape of my Grandfather telling the family history broke at the beginning of Side One at the Take-up Reel/Supply wheel. I attempted to open the cassette with the blade and STOPPED. This is too precious for me to break. Do you fix tapes? If not, do you know where I could send it for a repair.
Kathy, I wish you luck getting the tape repaired. I don’t take in work as I do this for a hobby only. I’m not certain who could do the repair for you. I’m sure there’s someone out there if you decide to not continue with the repair yourself. Perhaps a Google search will bring something up.
If you do continue with the repair, and carefully follow the instructions, you really shouldn’t have any issues. Additionally, if you’re not sentimentally attached to the cassette’s shell, once you get the tape opened and fixed, you could opt to transfer it to a replacement shell that uses screws to seal the case. That’ll make completing the repair easier and if it breaks again, you’ll have nice, easy access. You could sacrifice another tape to get such a shell, or buy a replacement shell which are available online. Good luck!
change the speed to 1.25 :}
Good tip, Toss. I often do the same when listening to these intolerable windbags ;-)
@@FluxCondenser each to their own :}}}} great content besides
Thanks, Toss. Appreciate that.
Do you have a feature on reattatching leader to hub?
Not specifically, but generally this is an easy fix. In the hub there’s a small insert that can be removed. Remove the insert, align the leader with the hub and snap the insert back in to hold the leader in place.
I just broke my nas cassette I literally received 10 minutes ago😭
Hi bro I have 25 yrs old panasonic cassete my Mom marriage was in it. Can you help me how I connect to you. In the casseste
some white particles are freezed.
It sounds like the tape may have been kept in damp conditions, and got mouldy.
I mean its ashame u have to compromise the original shell, but i has to be done
What device is that, what does it call and where can I get it? Thanks. 🎉
Way too much trouble!
...Not when it's THE CLASH: "COMBAT ROCK".
I have à problem with my cassette, sound is like wave its variable . Go down and up, do you can help me for repaire my cassette 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Do all cassettes play poorly in your machine or just one individual tape? If you’re having trouble with all cassettes, the machine may be at fault. You could have issues with belts slipping or a worn pinch roller. The pinch roller needs to be perfectly round, if not, playback speed will vary as you describe.
Consider cleaning the pinch roller using a Q-tip and a liquid solution made specifically for that purpose. Pinch roller cleaners are available online. I don’t recommend alcohol for pinch rollers, but alcohol can be used on the tape heads. If you determine that the issue is the pinch roller, and cleaning doesn’t improve the situation, you’ll have to replace the roller. If that’s the case it’s a good idea to replace all the belts as well.
If only one of your tapes is exhibiting this issue, first inspect the pressure pad and make sure it’s in good shape and secured properly. Check the shell and make sure it isn’t warped. If it is, you’ll need to transfer the tape to a replacement shell. Looking at the magnetic tape itself, make sure that it’s flat and not curled. If it is, or looks worn or distorted in any way, the tape will probably never play well again.
If the tape seems fine externally, the shell will have to be opened to investigate what’s causing the problem. Tapes often have two slip-sheets between the tape spools and shell, so check that they aren’t worn or causing friction. Also check that the tape path is correct as shown in the video and that the wheels are spinning freely.
Good luck!
Your patience pays off!
My tapes look great but the sound is dragging not the tape deck because then I put a another tape in and plays no problem ? Pads look great and tape looks fine but dragging sound ? Please help it’s not the tape deck
Usually when a tape seems to drag, it is caused from rewinding and playing the same section over and over. This causes the edges of the tape bind against the wall of the shell resulting in the tape to drag. To fix this rewind the tape to the beginning and fast forward to the end. This will smooth out any uneven windings.
The original case was only glued on the outside. How will u open this case again if needed with the glue on the interior of it?
Reopening the case over and over is definitely problematic, as these shells weren’t designed to be opened at all once they were sealed. In the event that the case would need be reopened, repeating the procedure should work. And hopefully, any extra glue that was used internally would easily break once the outer shell was cut apart.
Hello i have a question can you fix my tapes please
I have a Cobra announce cassette that is a 20 second tape which loops, for an old answering machine. The tape got snagged inside itself and I had to open the case. Now I can't figure out how to rewind the tape so it can be listened to. Have you ever done this?
It sounds like yours may loop similarly to an 8-track. If so, you may want to watch a video showing how 8-tracks loop on the spool from the outside and leave the spool from the inside. If I find out more, I’ll let you know.
I did a quick search for “cassette tape loop” and it seems that there are a number of ways to accomplish this, but none seem to use a method similar to 8-track. They simply use various schemes to loop the tape inside the cartridge. I’d suggest doing the same search on Google and look at the images to see if you see a scheme that will work for your tape. To get 20 seconds with a simple loop, your tape player will have to work at a slower than standard speed. Or, the tape will have to take a more complicated path to allow for 20 seconds worth of tape. Good luck.
But Holy Cow,,!! That must be a Zeppelin Jam tape,, the way yer going down to the tightest degree !! But I love it,, tks
I’ve had that Fleetwood Mac live album on vinyl since I was a kid and while it’s not one of their most popular albums I absolutely love it. Yeah, this tape probably ain’t worth $10, but I really wanted to listen to it ;-)
Where are you located? I have an old Memorex 45 cassette that came off at the leader just like this one. (Unexposed) Sadly there are no screws and I don’t want to mess it up?
Thank you from Romania, Brasov - followed your instruction and for one cassette by opening it I found out that one of the plastic roles was off, still inside but the pin that was holding that was missing - used a sewing pin to manufacture one and everything was back in place - this cassette is coming from my dead father-in-law so it has sentimental value - loved the joke about hemoroides - piles, never realised that piles is the equivalent of that - translation in Romanian/traducere romana - multumesc din Brasov, Romania - am urmat instructiunile de aici si la o caseta am descoperit in interior ca una din rolele de plastic cazuse si axul ei disparuse - am facut un alt ax dintr-un ac de cusut si acum totul e la loc - casetele astea sunt de la socrul meu care a decedat si au valoare sentimentala - am apreciat gluma despre hemoroizi - piles (mormane) - nu am stiut ca piles poate insemna si hemoroizi pt britanici
Glad it helped, Unul! Nice hack with the sewing pin.
@@FluxCondenser thank you - nice job once again with this video than brings back to life vintage things
I want to get that blue tape. What does it call and where can I get it? Thx 🙏🏻
it comes with the kit, plenty of them for sale online.
I have one cassette tape that gets very stiff on the reel, and when played it gets chewed up. If i squeeze the tape with my fingers it gets loose again. What is at fault here? Too much pressure pulling the tape on the reel?
Nice work man, thank you for your video
I love finding thrift store home recorded tapes! As well as pre-recorded. But the home recording ones are my fav as they are sometimes sample gold! Best one I have found is some lady singing and playing organ at a church and the reverse side is a brother and sister playing in a room and at one point the sister yells at the brother who is being mean and he laughs at her so funny, but he gets in trouble. Another one is some little kid names eric who is playing the recorder or flute for his grandma and he seemingly plays random notes but is super serious and it’s amazing! I can’t wait to sample some of these. Another good one is a creepy self-hypnosis tape from the 60’s.... talks about consciousness and mental fortitude etc lol also found some y2k conspiracy tapes as well... those are cool too
Which brand and size of adhesive tape would you recommend here ?
I don’t have a brand preference. Just get something that’s specifically designed for splicing the type of tape you’re repairing. Cassette splicing tape is frequently labeled as ⅛” and 8-track and reel-to-reel tape is usually specified as ¼”. Hope this helps.
Nice work bro, thanks for your sharing
Do you do repairs for others? If not, how do I find someone in my area with this skillset?
Hi, Wendy. Sorry, no I don’t take in work. Why not give it a try yourself?
Today i put a screwdriver into a cassette, and then ripped it apart (it was sonically connected, literally put a screwdriver into the tape path and bent it , exploded in my hands lol ). Took the spool and put it onto the replacement . I then taped down one side and got both the sides spoiled close as possible. The tricky part imo is getting the top tape shell back on without pressing into the tape on the tape path . I’ve never felt more accomplished AND IT WORKS . The tape is now worthless but it has exclusive stuff i cannot find online . Always pre wind new tapes, the factory splice sometimes snaps from being so old
can i get a link to the pad replace kit?
Sure thing: www.ebay.com/itm/25-Brown-Pressure-Pads-Cassette-Tape-Repair-Peel-and-Stick-Felt-Free-Sleeves/392881992224?hash=item5b79977220:g:Q1EAAOSwP5JdH-~W
@@FluxCondenser Ty
Thanks so much for a great video. I'll use this to guide me through a critical repair I need to make on a demo song I did more than 30 years ago . . . the only copy I have. Let's hope I'm as successful as you were. Thanks again.
Anyone know how to repair a cassette that sounds like a dirty vinyl record ?
That’s a tricky one. First, make sure the problem is the tape and not the player. A dirty or magnetized head could cause that symptom. If it is the player, use some isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab to clean the head and look into getting a demagnetizer. A magnetized head will have poor high frequency response.
If the problem really is the tape, there’s not much you can physically do except make sure the shell isn’t warped or there’s another problem impeding the tape path.
Once those possibilities are eliminated, I’d then recommend transferring the tape digitally to a computer and using sound software to attempt to improve the sound there. Hope this helps. Good luck!
@@FluxCondenser thanks for replying. I saw your comment regarding swapping the cassette shell. Done this and sounds much better
Excellent! So glad to hear that!
@@FluxCondenser one didn't have any sponge. No wonder it didn't sound good. Learnt something today. Thank you
My pleasure. Take care.