Re: [ARSCLIST] screeching reels

[David Lennick <dlennick@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Trey Bunn wrote:

> I have just started a project digitizing old reel to
> reel tapes.  The first of the reels began that awful
> screeching/squealing sound that we all know and hate
> about half-way through, and this of course distorts
> the recording I'm making on the computer.
>
> Does anyone have any recommendations on how to fix the
> tape to make the screeching stop?  Even a temporary
> fix would be acceptable, as long as it gives me time
> to get the sound off the reel.
>
> Oh, and the tapes aren't that old, really; the stack
> I'm going through now was recorded in 1991.  My guess
> is that they were stored improperly at some point.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Trey Bunn
> Folklife Resource Center
> McKissick Museum
> University of South Carolina

Welcome to the wonderful world of Sticky Shed Syndrome. Nothing wrong with the
storage methods....back-coated Ampex and Scotch all exhibit this problem,
depending on the year of manufacture, and Scotch 226 and 227 from 1991 are all
bad as far as I know. The solution involves baking the tapes and I'm sure Steve
Smolian or Joe Salerno will send the recipe.

dl