This is an S&B question, but I figure you guys will know :BI hooked up my S&B stereo for the first time in several years. Put in a cassette tape and it was promptly eaten. Put in another (foolish me). It played, but I noticed the timing was off, would slow and speed up a little. Then it was eaten.I managed to find one album on cd, but for the other I had to buy another tape(!) on ebay. Problem is, I like obscure music.Anyway, my question: Should I do something to try to fix cassette player? Should I use its second deck? Should I get another player at goodwill? Is the problem really that my tapes are from the 90s, do they degrade? I know nothing about these things, but I have a bunch of wonderful music on cassette that may not be replaceable, and anyway $$.Thanks for any suggestions!

There are many commercial services that will transfer them to CDs, or whatever medium you like. Better do that soon.

your player has a second deck but you keep jamming them into the first one? bumpy

Its a long slow process, but start building a digital collection on a MP3 or other player. Years ago I bought all albums, played each once to ensure it played well, then recorded over to Casette for regular listening, and I had a nearly perfect album for when I needed to make another copy. Problem was that in time through multiple moves , some got damaged, then the turntable broke, and eventually I just started going digital. Cloud copies through apple, amazon whoever you want, but they are where ever you want them. I know its not the answer you wanted , but if it makes you feel any better, I just threw away a couple of boxes of 8-tracks, wanna guess what its like finding a player for those on a melancholy evening.

Bumpyroad wrote:your player has a second deck but you keep jamming them into the first one? bumpyYes that is how dumb I am. I thought the first one was a fluke.

Tapes can degrade, depending on how they were storedBut also the drive belts, in the player are probably stretched and taken a setChanging transport speed as it moves, can create WOW and flutterThe drive controls the speed of play back, a strong drive can stretch a tape that has dragging reelsDegraded taped will have drop out or scratchy sounds

Cassette tapes! | Good Sam Community

2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2017
There are many commercial services that will transfer them to CDs, or whatever medium you like. Better do that soon.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jun 24, 2017
your player has a second deck but you keep jamming them into the first one?
bumpy
kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Jun 24, 2017
Its a long slow process, but start building a digital collection on a MP3 or other player.
Years ago I bought all albums, played each once to ensure it played well, then recorded over to Casette for regular listening, and I had a nearly perfect album for when I needed to make another copy. Problem was that in time through multiple moves , some got damaged, then the turntable broke, and eventually I just started going digital. Cloud copies through apple, amazon whoever you want, but they are where ever you want them. I know its not the answer you wanted , but if it makes you feel any better, I just threw away a couple of boxes of 8-tracks, wanna guess what its like finding a player for those on a melancholy evening.
Naio
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2017
Bumpyroad wrote:
your player has a second deck but you keep jamming them into the first one?
bumpy

Yes that is how dumb I am. I thought the first one was a fluke.
MrWizard
Moderator
Jun 24, 2017
Tapes can degrade, depending on how they were stored

But also the drive belts, in the player are probably stretched and taken a set
Changing transport speed as it moves, can create WOW and flutter
The drive controls the speed of play back, a strong drive can stretch a tape that has dragging reels
Degraded taped will have drop out or scratchy sounds
Naio
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2017
Yes, I should transfer them to digital. This will be a PROJECT, as my computer is a laptop and does not have a line in port. It has a couple of fancy ports that I don't know what they do, though, and maybe I could research and find an appropriate cable to use one of them. But this year I have way too many projects already, with the new van build and work on the S&B.

There remains the question of what machine to try to play the tapes on in order to upload them...?
Naio
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2017
Aha! Ebay cassette+to+usb.
myredracer
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2017
Despite Japan being on the cutting edge of technology, cassette tapes have made a huge comeback there lately! The young generation there is apparently fascinated with the old technology we older folks got to enjoy. Maybe if you hang onto your player & tapes for a while longer it'll eventually be worth something here... :) I wonder if repair parts are available out of Japan now.

I knew I shoulda kept my 8-track and (large) box o' tapes, sigh. :(
Naio
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2017
Golly, I remember back in the early 80s we got a console stereo at curbside that had an 8 track player. Even then, the tapes were hard to find! We had about 5 of them ;). Dolly Parton 9 to 5, James Taylor...
kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Jun 24, 2017
Naio wrote:
Golly, I remember back in the early 80s we got a console stereo at curbside that had an 8 track player. Even then, the tapes were hard to find! We had about 5 of them ;). Dolly Parton 9 to 5, James Taylor...

My first two 8 tracks
Three dog night Golden Biscuits
Sly and family stone greatest hits
Too many hazy nights to remember.

JT Mud slide slim
Grassroots
And can you remember the only all white band with a #1 motown label hit?

New qx greatest Rock song of all time?
Sung by ???????
Sugarloaf

Gawd I'm old

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