"Trevor Wilson"
"Phil Allison"
** One for the tape gurus .....

See ABSE under same heading for close up pic of a quarter inch play
head from a Roland tape echo machine -
the other two play heads and the record head look just the same.

A. What the heck happened ?

**Nasty. The bottom part of the head is showing (sort of) normal wear. The
top part is showing some really weird wear pattern. I have no suggestions
why it may have occured that way. I presume the tape loop is completely
buggered?


** Yep.

Worn till you could see through parts of it and oxide shed all over the
place.


B. What is the easiest way to re-surface the heads ?

**Replace them.


** Roland have had no spares or tape loops for their tape echos for the last
decade.


I doubt there is enough metal there to allow re-lapping with any success.
You could try BrassoT and complete the job with SilvoT. The damage is so
bad that I doubt that the time taken will make it worthwhile. You may need
to hit it with [SHUDDER] wet and dry (600) first.

** That is just what I may have to do.


How old is that machine?

** It's a RE201, the original "Space Echo", so may well be up to 30 years
old.

I service quite a few of them, along with the RE301, 501 and 555 models
too - but never come across such damaged heads before. The erase head
looks fine but it is very likely a ferrite type.

Oddly enough, the machine works OK like this, but the damaged heads are
ruining tape loops rather quickly.

Those curious can see a pic of one he

http://cobraworxshopz.com/images/Rol...opOpenTape.jpg

There is a 6 metre loop of special grade tape in the box and it is driven
around the head block by a variable speed " brushless DC " motor. Tape to
head speed is anywhere from about 2ips to 17ips.

There is a spring reverb unit inside too.


...... Phil