manhandled Sony TC-W320

[lordxale]

Picked it up at GW for $2.99. Deck 1 was working, and everything sounded good mechanically (couldn't listen to it, of course). Deck 2 is also working, though only via dubbing because the buttons are all smashed. Seriously, the right side of the button panel feels like the actual circuit board behind the buttons has been detached from the front panel.

It's also dirty. Including the heads, of course. However, I didn't notice that the heads actually had permanent spots on them. It's almost like they're corroded/starting to rust. Rubbing them with lots of isopropyl and q tips hasn't done me much good. I'd say that they're actually worn but I think it's probably because it was stored improperly - it's not really like they're particularly worn in the tape path.

It was horribly out of alignment, too. Using an old Prince tape I managed to get some semblance of highs back, but it's certainly not perfect and probably because of the nonsense all over the heads.

So I open it up expecting to vaguely know what I'm looking at. Yeah, wrong. Look at these pictures: the main board is mounted at a SLANT. WTF!?!?!? I'm sure you tape veterans have seen this before but this makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. Sure, ribbon cables suck, but since there are already so many in this deck why not just run one more instead of attaching the main board to the front panel by short uninsulated jumper wires.

I thought I could probably fix the buttons, since the pause button on that side is still working, but after seeing that I closed it right up again as I didn't have time for that kind of commitment.

Anyway, it's a dual-motor (both decks) , dolby b/c, auto tape select, and it even has a remote sensor! Strangely (to me), though, no auto reverse. I was curious about the heads so I read some things about head repair/lapping from this fine PDF http://recordist.com/ampex/docs/repairtips/heads/nortronics.pdf Wow, head lapping. Not for the faint of heart, for sure, but I could probably get it done. I certainly wouldn't try it on anything I care about, though (so this one would be a great start!) I tried to take some pictures of the heads in question but they turned out like crap. I'll see what I can do tomorrow. Is head lapping on a deck like this even a cost-viable option?

Am I on a streak of fun decks or what?

[retrokeeper]

Never seen a circuit board on a slant like that,in all the decks I've torn into at least.As for lapping cassette heads,never heard anybody do it before,probably more worth finding a broken/defunkt deck & taking the heads out of it and transfering them out,at least that's what I would do.Doesn't sound like I would go to the trouble to do that on the deck you found,I guess it depends.Sounds more like a "parts" deck for my usage....or possibly a practice-taking-apart-put-back-together project...you know...honing your repair skills on/for. Rob

[Scorpion8]

Some Nak decks had slanted PCB's, as I know my Nak 581 does. As for re-lapping cassette heads.... don't bother. New heads are available at many sources including here (http://www.matelectronics.com/) and here (http://www.magneticheadcompany.com/).

But I'd have to agree, unless this deck has some special attachment, it might be worth using it as a practice deck to see how much you can repair or actually get to work. Offhand I don't recall anything special about that model that would make it a must-fix'er.

[lordxale]

Thanks for the advice, fellas. Actually, I was kind of hoping you guys would steer me away from fixing this one, since I already have one to fix and there's only room for so many toys.

I haven't bought a lot of electronics from GW, but I've bought a lot (a LOT!) of things from garage sales. I almost never buy anything not working, and if I do, it was advertised as such. Since I've been buying such things from GW, I've been finding a lot of things that work poorly or not at all. Do people really habitually donate broken trash or am I just on a really unlucky streak? I mean, I know it would be practically impossible for the staff to check stuff out before putting it on the floor (nor do I expect them to), much less have the expertise to thoroughly check over every piece that comes in, but I would think human kind would be a little bit nicer than to regularly donate their non-working electronics. I've definitely seen at least as many broken CD players as I have tape decks in the last two weeks :( (though nothing that would really be missed, fortunately)

[MacGyver]

Thanks for the advice, fellas. Actually, I was kind of hoping you guys would steer me away from fixing this one, since I already have one to fix and there's only room for so many toys.

I haven't bought a lot of electronics from GW, but I've bought a lot (a LOT!) of things from garage sales. I almost never buy anything not working, and if I do, it was advertised as such. Since I've been buying such things from GW, I've been finding a lot of things that work poorly or not at all. Do people really habitually donate broken trash or am I just on a really unlucky streak? I mean, I know it would be practically impossible for the staff to check stuff out before putting it on the floor (nor do I expect them to), much less have the expertise to thoroughly check over every piece that comes in, but I would think human kind would be a little bit nicer than to regularly donate their non-working electronics. I've definitely seen at least as many broken CD players as I have tape decks in the last two weeks :( (though nothing that would really be missed, fortunately)


yep, my man, you are definitely on a VERY unlucky streak. i have found many good units at various thrifts in my homecity of PORTLAND, Ore. from GW to Sally-Ann to privately owned. it was at an SA where i found my very first DENON DCD-1500, an indestructable diehard 1986 model CDP possessed of a delightfully musical, analog like sound, to a 1989 model MAGNAVOX cartridge CD changer that was my first cartridge CDP, and despite looking like it was dredged out of a sewer when i found it at a private thift (i had wanted it because of the PIONEER single-disc cart that was in it's bay) served me very well until i got my PIONEER PD-M6, and is still soldiering on to this day in the living-room system. i have found many good finds like this; sadly, you must be in a rather bad area...

[lordxale]

Good, that makes me feel MUCH better about humanity. We'll see how it goes from here on out. Maybe I've encountered enough crappy pieces to where I'll start seeing nice ones, now? I'll keep my eyes peeled!

There's lots of good CDs and tapes though, almost always!