Nakamichi BX-300

[Fast Forward]

saw a BX300 on a addsite for a reasonable price is got the ,motors spin but tape doesn,t move problems I presume its a belt ,pinch roller repair /replace but do these decks have any other quirks Sorry for the misspell on the title guys long day (corrected)

[Scorpion8]

I don't know if the BX-300 is a dual-capstan Sankyo drive deck, but in my experience Nak's suffer greatly from (a) worn idler-drive tires, which could preclude the deck from taking up the tape as it tries to play, or (b) hardened caked grease in the pinch-roller rotating arm mechanisms. If the pinch roller doesn't rotate up into the slot when play is pressed, the tape won't move. My first Nak 480 had one of two mechanisms frozen in the lowered spot and had to be removed and disassembled and re-lubed.

Nothing that can't be fixed easily if you're handy and precise.

[Scorpion8]

It looks like it is a dual-capstand drive system, and I have the SM if you need it.

[Fast Forward]

It looks like it is a dual-capstand drive system, and I have the SM if you need it.I,m going to pick it up tommorrow outside of the usual scratchs on top from stacking the guy says it,s clean and for 5.00 how can I pass

[Acoustic]

If you want to double your money... I'll do that and pay shipping... if you don't like the deck!:D Seriously, I wouldn't doubt if an idler tire and some clean up time you can get her working... and/or what Scorp said. Should be a 'Deal of the Month Thread'.... not for flippers or just hording the item but for the price and cost to get the gear working to at least weekly usage ratio. Or something like that! Anyways.... good deal (I hope, when you get it).

[braxus]

Whats a "Makamici"?

Uh oh you might get Nak fans up in arms calling it that. :P

I would suspect its probably a belt too.

[Fast Forward]

Whats a "Makamici"?

Uh oh you might get Nak fans up in arms calling it that. :P

I would suspect its probably a belt too.And I would be the first to complain about the misspelling,,I would be willing to bet I,ve owned a Nakamici longer than anybody on this forum

[Fast Forward]

If you want to double your money... I'll do that and pay shipping... if you don't like the deck!:D Seriously, I wouldn't doubt if an idler tire and some clean up time you can get her working... and/or what Scorp said. Should be a 'Deal of the Month Thread'.... not for flippers or just hording the item but for the price and cost to get the gear working to at least weekly usage ratio. Or something like that! Anyways.... good deal (I hope, when you get it). I saw so many posts at the other site about members who got these super deals at thrift,stores ,Craigs lists and garage sales ,, then the same ass-holes would be back on line complainig about the rising prices at the same sources,,its, one thing to get a good deal it,s another to brag about it

[Scorpion8]

I,m going to pick it up tommorrow ...

Grab it, clean it, post some pics (and sell it to me for helping out! Yes!) :D

[Fast Forward]

The guys says he bought it new,, never bought the remote but still has the instruction manual,,it,s a long drive for a 5.00 broken cassette player even if it is a Makamici,,

[Scorpion8]

Depends what's wrong, plus in the worst case the parts-deck market will earn that back asap.

[MacGyver]

I don't know if the BX-300 is a dual-capstan Sankyo drive deck, but in my experience Nak's suffer greatly from (a) worn idler-drive tires, which could preclude the deck from taking up the tape as it tries to play, or (b) hardened caked grease in the pinch-roller rotating arm mechanisms. If the pinch roller doesn't rotate up into the slot when play is pressed, the tape won't move. My first Nak 480 had one of two mechanisms frozen in the lowered spot and had to be removed and disassembled and re-lubed.

Nothing that can't be fixed easily if you're handy and precise.


i SWEAR, the mere mention of the name "Nakamichi" around here, even misspelt, instantly sends everyone here into a stroke. they really ARE the Rolls-Royce/Rolex of cassette decks, eh? anyway, i know that that BX-100 of mine is from the same series as the 300, with the 150 in between them. anyway, the 100 has three motors, and all of them have NAKAMICHI decals on them. does that mean that the motors are NAKAMICHI made, or actually SANKYO OEMs with a sticker slapped on?

[Scorpion8]

... instantly sends everyone here into a stroke. they really ARE the Rolls-Royce/Rolex of cassette decks, eh?

Actually, I wouldn't agree with either of those statements. Naks are nice decks, and you have to remember that was the time when just about all Nakamichi did was cassette tape machines. Everything else was a me-too for them. So their decks are a step above, but there are many many really good decks out there by other manufacturers also.

Besides, I've never had a Rolex. I did have a Timex Ironman Triathlon wristwatch that lasted me 10 years on 1 battery and lasted 25 years total of daily use. Not bad for a department-store pickup.

[Fast Forward]

just got back from picking up my 5.00 Nakamici BX-300,, the usual top scratches maybe a little worse than i expected ,,but a nice clean face and sides ,,brought a cassette with me and just as described it played for a couple of seconds then shuts off,, fine give the guy the money ,put it in the bcak seat of the Whale and drive home ,,once home i remove the cover give the drive wheel a couple of turns ,plug it in pop in a cassette and what happens the SOB works,been playing for about an hour with absolutly no problems,, so I did a de-mag,,and a head and pinch roller clean-up ,,I haven,t tried to record but I have no reason to doubt that it won,t ,,maybe I got lucky,, it makes up for that piece of shit Denon I paid 30.00 for on e-pray

[Mr. Lin]

Great, now, on to the pictures!

[Fast Forward]

I will try to get some up,,but I think I need to get out town this weekend,,I need to un-wind,,and drink some beer

[Web Police]

I will try to get some up,,but I think I need to get out town this weekend,,I need to un-wind,,and drink some beer

and lord knows there is no beer in town. :D

good news on the deck though.

[BroonsBane]

Well that's a nice mid-week deal :-)<-

[stuwee]

"and what happens the SOB works,been playing for about an hour with absolutly no problems,," FF

My $75 BX-300 is the same way, it sporaticly just stops in play or record. I haven't delt with it yet, gotta get the speakers going first. It's probably old grease and the idler tire. Misery loves company, thanks for going through this with me dude, Scorp and macster gave me alot of good info to help as well!

[Scorpion8]

Aren't these little fixit's great! Good score, and enjoy that deck. If not, send it my way to the Scenic Home of Wayward Naks.... :D

[Fast Forward]

What I have noticed is that the difference in VU readings,,Iv,e been listening to tape recorded from my old Nak with fast rise slow decay VU,s ,,I used to record at 0 VU so I would get peaks from plus 2 to 5 ,,what Iv,e noticed is that the BX300 and even my Onkyo will bury the LEDs ,,

[Scorpion8]

Is the tape distorting at that point? It may just be calibrated differently.

[Fast Forward]

Is the tape distorting at that point? It may just be calibrated differently.No distortion at all ,I tested the deck with headphones on

[Scorpion8]

It simply may be a difference in peak LEDs -vs- averaging VUs as meters. As long as it's not distoring, check to see if it's approximately the same difference on every tape between the two decks.

[westgate]

And I would be the first to complain about the misspelling,,I would be willing to bet I,ve owned a Nakamici longer than anybody on this forum

i've had my 600 since '76. beat that?*headtunes*

[Fast Forward]

i've had my 600 since '76. beat that?*headtunes*Bought mine in 1976 also

[graffias79]

Ka-Maka-mici is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas day..

How is your BX-300 these days?

[westgate]

Bought mine in 1976 also

cool. wish i could remember what month i got it.

[stuwee]

Weeell since Jamie drug this ol' thread up again, I've hooked mine up to the new 'love lounge' system, what a piece of work it is!*thumbsdown**thumbsdown*! Freakin' DIVA, looks great, sounds better when It wants to!

I'm about ready to just give it to somebody, like Free!

Get the Damn thing outta my sight! No wonder there's a site dedicated to this infernal, yet wonderful sounding machines, all I hear on Naktalk is Blah, Blah this and Blah, Blah that, I'm totally over this PIA, let's spend more money and see how great it is now crap, I paid $350 on a TOTL Teac, it ate one tape (sadly it was 1 of the traveling tapes). Not a single hiccup since! I'll put my V-8000S up against anyones else's TOTL rig, I think I'm treading in dangerous water now, I mean there's probably more BX-300's in use on TH's than any other deck, I'm just tired of the Drama of Nak ownership!

Should I post this on Naktalk?? *devil*

[jbeckva]

I'm about ready to just give it to somebody, like Free!Get the Damn thing outta my sight!

*wave**stirpot**scratchchin**naughty*

(sends stuwee psychic vibes to go to the ups store)

Heck, if not... I'll make a video of me throwing it out a second story window, overdubbed with that dude that reported the Hindenburg disaster ("OH THE HUMANITY!!!)
*omg*

[faustus]

...Freakin' DIVA, looks great, sounds better when It wants to!

I'm about ready to just give it to somebody, like Free!

Get the Damn thing outta my sight!...


*fit**fit**fit*

Somebody needs a hug! And an idler tire.

*idea* I'll walk you through the fix if you want, or send the deck to me and I'll give it a tune-up on the house.

Stop neglecting your BX-300!!! *wink*

[stuwee]

*wave**stirpot**scratchchin**naughty*

(sends stuwee psychic vibes to go to the ups store)

Heck, if not... I'll make a video of me throwing it out a second story window, overdubbed with that dude that reported the Hindenburg disaster ("OH THE HUMANITY!!!)
*omg*


*lmao**lmao**lmao* *devil* *flame*!!

[stuwee]

*fit**fit**fit*

Somebody needs a hug! And an idler tire.

*idea* I'll walk you through the fix if you want, or send the deck to me and I'll give it a tune-up on the house.

Stop neglecting your BX-300!!! *wink*

I've calmed down now, thanks for the hug, and I just may take ya up on the offer to tune it up, I'll make it worth your while, I got some really nice tapes, with more exciting ones on the way *hope*! Got some great Lp's too!! *Hi5*

Craig

I should also add, Dale founed the remains of his BX-300, it's missing the entire transport, he was trying to fix the idler tire, and the little white plastic piece broke, then he moved and his ex lost the transport box somewhere, I think he was *beer**bomb**bomb* he's not the bright star in the sky!!

[faustus]

...he was trying to fix the idler tire, and the little white plastic piece broke...


Those white retaining washers are tiny and very easy to lose if dropped or misplaced. *headache*

There's a guy on ebay that sells the idler tires AND the little white retaining washers -- he doesn't advertise the washers, but sells them for $3 if you ask for one. I can probably dig up the seller id if you're interested.

Fred (Marrs) might have them, but I've never asked him.

[stuwee]

Those white retaining washers are tiny and very easy to lose if dropped or misplaced. *headache*

There's a guy on ebay that sells the idler tires AND the little white retaining washers -- he doesn't advertise the washers, but sells them for $3 if you ask for one. I can probably dig up the seller id if you're interested.

Fred (Marrs) might have them, but I've never asked him.

I'll put it on my list of to-do's this weekend, so, are you up for a trade? It might be a couple weeks before I can even think about shipping it. Lemme know, Thanks,
Craig

[faustus]

...so, are you up for a trade?


Sure thing! *Hi5* Just sent you a PM before I saw your latest message.

[bluegreengold]

Those white retaining washers are tiny and very easy to lose if dropped or misplaced. *headache*


It's also very easy to fabricate a replacement. Cut out a little circle of plastic from some packaging materials. Poke a hole through it. Push it onto the idler axle. Now the black metal washer, that's a bit more critical, but all the white/clear retaining washer does is hold the idler in place.

[westgate]

It's also very easy to fabricate a replacement. Cut out a little circle of plastic from some packaging materials. Poke a hole through it. Push it onto the idler axle. Now the black metal washer, that's a bit more critical, but all the white/clear retaining washer does is hold the idler in place.

please forgive the slight ot.
about 3 months ago, i did that with the end of a cheap plastic ink pen to make a washer to keep a pinch roller from pressing too hard against the inside end of its shaft on a r2r.
cut off about a 1/16" 'slice', filed it down a bit to fit (took 3 tries), slipped it on, and it's still in place and working. i actually forgot about it til reading your post.

thank you for indulging me. carry on.*reelspin*:)

[Acoustic]

It's also very easy to fabricate a replacement. Cut out a little circle of plastic from some packaging materials. Poke a hole through it. Push it onto the idler axle. Now the black metal washer, that's a bit more critical, but all the white/clear retaining washer does is hold the idler in place.

please forgive the slight ot.
about 3 months ago, i did that with the end of a cheap plastic ink pen to make a washer to keep a pinch roller from pressing too hard against the inside end of its shaft on a r2r.
cut off about a 1/16" 'slice', filed it down a bit to fit (took 3 tries), slipped it on, and it's still in place and working. i actually forgot about it til reading your post.

thank you for indulging me. carry on.*reelspin*:)

Another true confession: Same here... I fabricated a washer I lost on one of my CR-5's out of three layers of scotch tape. Cut it into a small circle and poked a hole in it with a straightened paper clip (which is also used to reset my Palm Zire 71). It's been in the deck (which functions properly) for over a year now.

[Nakdoc]

"and what happens the SOB works,been playing for about an hour with absolutly no problems,," FF

My $75 BX-300 is the same way, it sporaticly just stops in play or record. I haven't delt with it yet, gotta get the speakers going first. It's probably old grease and the idler tire. Misery loves company, thanks for going through this with me dude, Scorp and macster gave me alot of good info to help as well!
Intermittent stopping is almost always the reel motor. Scott Johnson (web site) has a pictorial of burnishing the reel motor brushes, but this often fails to fix it. I can help with some substitute motors.

[westgate]

Intermittent stopping is almost always the reel motor. Scott Johnson (web site) has a pictorial of burnishing the reel motor brushes, but this often fails to fix it. I can help with some substitute motors.
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this (http://www.tapeheads.net/showpost.php?p=48093&postcount=11) worked on my mr-1 (similar to a bx-300). so far.

thanks to 'faustus' for this-

"While you have the top cover off of the deck, go ahead and spray a bit of DeOxit in the backs of the motors -- a preventative maintenance trick, but it might also solve the problem you're having with play. The motors develop "dead spots" inside the casing where carbon deposits build up. They effect play more than ff/rw because the motor is turning more slowly during play (especially as you get further into a tape and the load on the motor increases) and can stop more easily on the dead spots.

Make sure to tilt the deck forward or sideways to allow the DeOxit to work down into the motor internals for a couple of minutes. Then, power-up the deck and run through a series of ff and rw sequences to really work the DeOxit into the dead spots and hopefully desolve them enough that play will be restored to normal. Use a c90 tape and ff/rw through an entire side of the tape a couple of times.

Also, one of the motors inside is the "mode control" motor that responds to the front panel inputs and moves the mechanism from stop into play or ff/rw -- this motor is notorious for developing dead spots because it doesn't really run for any extended period of time when it performs its normal functions. Make sure to spray some DeOxit in that motor and cycle through play/ff/rw for about three minutes allowing five seconds between button presses -- this helps to clean out the innards of that motor and will save you from problems down the road."