8 Track Tapes: tips, advice, how to fix, and the experience - The Soundtracker

Chipper Doodle - Electronic Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Disco con Tutti by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Aces High - Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@toomuch884]

GREAT vid.! I recently inherited a 1979 Thunderbird convertible (one of only 100 produced) that has a factory "AM/FM/8 TRACK" radio. Unfortunately the 8 track part of it doesn't work, but fortunately I just found a guy (in his '80s) who going to fix it! I can't wait to start playing those tapes! A neighbor down the street - who has an old Triumph with an factory AM/FM/8 Track - shares your enthusiasm and passion for 8 track technology as you! Thanks, man!

[@VintageGearMan]

Great to see someone so passionate about these players and tapes as I am. The reward of being able to listen to your tapes again is priceless!

[@VintageGearMan]

Oh my God laughing about the exploding 8 track unit. That was great!

[@SONORSQ2guy]

In between songs on eight track tapes, you can hear other songs from the album in the background. You should probably change the battery in your alarm. 😂

[@skudie]

I have a great working Pioneer H-R99 here in the record store i work at, i think the owner kept it in plastic in storage, it's freaking mint

[@alexrivera1605]

Thanks for a great and funny video. If anybody is in the Denver area, Electric City sells and repairs them. I just bought one from them. Old stereos and speakers also.

[@karmalord]

Cool, but a full rebuild would be addressing the tapes at the splices as well.

[@OfficialSoundtracker]

True, but I didn't have the splicing equipment at the time. I'm working on a follow up to this one to address more about 8 tracks.

[@VintageGearMan]

A pack of matches tucked in underneath the tape can help adjust the highs on playback.

[@VintageGearMan]

Also a inline EQ is a must for these old tapes.

[@vergevinyl]

Great video !

[@deanwolfechannel]

Yes relayer, nice!

[@VintageGearMan]

8 track players are troublesome. Folks like us are just crazy enough to deal with them and the tape issues. 8 tracks are way fun when all is working correctly.

[@JoshNichols-tg3zn]

My player is a 70s car am/fm 8 track radio hooked up to a 12 volt pawer supply but i gonna get a nicer one

[@bobsbits5357]

hi i had 8 tracks from 16 years some one at school gave me some note i did get in 4 track carts my mate and me used to get them in the uk fee ads 1000's of them we 2 were the only ones that used to by alot in the uk i still have alot stopped buying them because the capstan rollers in side the tapes stopped working right heavy wear i have a loop of tape i put in side a 8 track to test for wear the loop of tape was recorded on a otari mtr 12 top line deck and once test tape was in side you can hear how bad the tape is note i went over to audio pro carts i can use the 8 track tape in side of them and junked alot of 8 track tapes i can tell you

[@countchokula2680]

Heyyyyy daaaan ahhhhhhh Can i find your music on the spoofy?

[@That_AMC_Guy]

From somebody who's been messing with 8-tracks all his life (40+ years), my advice would be to stick to the major name brands: Pioneer, Motorola, Panasonic, JVC, Akai, Wollensak. From my experience; Sanyo and all the "big box" store brands from the likes of K-Mart, Kresges, Wollworths, Montgomery-Wards, Sears, etc are all garbage. They were cheap, borderline devices when new and 50 years down the line are nothing but hot garbage. With tapes, try to stick to first-run cartridges. Columbia House, Record Club of America and tertiary-party dupes will probably sound like trash.

[@skill3487]

I'd try to fix the Sanyo, 8 Track aren't to hard to repair, barring the motor or head's are bad.

[@Bob-1802]

Even then, if you have few bad units as the guy said, you salvage them to fix the most promising one. Motors and heads should be quite interchangeable.

[@VintageGearMan]

Apparently the capacitors died.

[@spitfireraf8646]

I used a 70s player preamp and stereo speakers and it sounded much worse lol

[@Cheficide]

First