ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
I was sitting next to my Century playing a tape when suddenly it started to increase in pitch and I quickly hit Stop just in case something was going wrong and was going to snap the tape. About 20 seconds later it made 6 clicking sounds and now pressing the tape does nothing but recreate the clicking sounds. The tape is also trapped inside.
My initial thoughts are belts have gone on the clutch wheels or something like that and I thought I'd check if this is a common fault so that I can at least order the replacement bands or whatever before I start dismantling the unit and have to ban my kids from the basement for a week (lest they move/break parts)
I decided to finally spend an evening opening the unit to see what it was, expecting to find a loose band and have the parts all over my basement while waiting on a new one to arrive in the post. Well it turns out it was just a jammed tape, I took some pieces off and removed a tape that was wrapped round a wheel. Reassembled and it works. Took less than 30 minutes!
As an aside I will say that my elation at having the kitchen Gigi working again is by far outweighed by losing a tape. I could plug the computer in and record a copy tomorrow (I keep all my playlists) but it’s not the point. That was a tape I had for 15 years in smoky bachelor pad parties and when people ask why I use old tech I say it’s because I will never have a sentimental or emotional attachment to a digital medium.