Recomendations on tape

[stratcat]

I have just purchased my first Reel to Reel, a Pioneer RT-701. I write songs and guitar and play. I want to be able record myself as I come up with stuff and am sick of using computer for this. This is just for my personal use to capture lyrics and guitar riffs as I come up with them. I know nothing about tape. Can you recommend a tape that would be good for this purpose? Sorry if this is the wrong forum or if this question has been asked a million times. Also, where would you recommend buying it?

Part 2, I have two Maxell MR-7 7" reels that came with systems. I like the way they look and wonder if I can transfer whatever tape I buy right to one of the metal reels and then put the other metal reel on and use those. Of course, when I am done, would have to transfer back to plastic wheel.

thanks in advance.

[Des-Lab]

Don't feel bad or intimidated as this is why we are here.

For what you want to do, you can either try NOS (New Old Stock) available on Ebay and maybe other venues. Maxell UD or XLI is a fail-safe default choice. Quantegy is pretty good too. 632/642 are good entry level tapes. 406/407 are great midlevels. The higher end ones like 456/457/499/GP9 are probably more tape than you need and in all likelihood, may not bias well with your deck. 7" inch tapes even new, won't break the bank. They can usually be had for around $20 and sometimes less. It's the 10" tapes that you can expect to outlay a large sum to get. Sometimes members here may have tapes they can sell you for a good price. Please check our Classifieds (http://www.tapeheads.net/classifieds/) periodically.

The new production tapes like RMGI LPR-35, SM-900, SM-911, and ATR Master Tape are all available in 7" reels, although the LPR-35 should suffice in the role you described. A word of caution though re: that tape: there is an open and unresolved issue (http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=13510)regarding its structural integrity. Some folks swear by it. Others like myself have been burned and have some trepidation about trying it again.

As far as WHERE to buy it? Currently there are no vendors of either tape that I can personally endorse or recommend at this time. However both the ATR (http://www.atrtape.com/) and RMGI (http://www.rmgi-usa.com/) websites have links to authorized dealers.

Good luck and thanks for coming to Tapeheads. You are among friends here.

[Lance Lawson]

I agree with Des that Maxell is always a safe choice. Finding it can be tricky as it frequently sells for as much as the new tapes from ATR and RMGI. If you can get comfortable enough to buy a bulk reel called a "pancake" and transfer it to 7" reels you can get brand new tape quite inexpensively. The big open quiestion with the new stuff is as Des said whether it will be stable in the long haul. I just posted my test of the RMGI LPR-35 and it will give you a good idea of how fine these tapes can be.