How to Restore a Reel-to-Reel Tape Recorder

Reel-to-reel tape recorders are old fashioned recording devices in which the recording tape is held on two reels instead of inside a cassette. Although they are rare, some companies still make reel-to-reel audio recorders today. It's sometimes more economically feasible and fun to restore an old reel-to-reel recorder instead of buying a new one.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cotton swabs
• Denatured alcohol
• Tape deck lubricant
• Head demagnetizer

1. Clean all of the tape heads and guides with denatured alcohol and cotton swabs. Gently repeat this process several times until the cotton swabs no longer pick up any discolored residue from the heads.

2. Demagnetize the heads of the reel-to-reel recorder with an electronic tape deck demagnetizing device. Make sure you're using a demagnetizer with a plastic or rubber end so that it doesn't scratch the tape recorder heads. Be sure to turn the demagnetizer on before using it on the tape deck heads. If you turn it on after putting it near the heads, it'll actually magnetize them.

3. Use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of tape deck lubricant to the tape heads and bearings to help reduce the chances of your tape getting caught up in the moving mechanical parts of the recorder. Let it dry for several hours before continuing.

4. Make minor adjustments to the record and playback heads until the gauges on the recorder indicate that it's performing optimally. Each adjustment should be very small. Additional adjustments can be made at any time.