Kind Reel to Reel owner willing to help?

[garbulky]

@watchnerd and whoever else may be interested.....

I have a conundrum. I hope to come in to possession of an ancient Reel to reel tape of my wife's great grandmother doing a piano recital. Unsure of what era this was but it is very old. This tape and recording was made between 1920 to 1950 is my guess. Also I am unsure of the condition of the tape or really anything about it other than it has sentimental value to us. We started trying to procure it when my wife's father was near end of life so that he could hear his grandmother but was unable to make it happen. Since then I have always been thinking about that tape - a piece of my wife's history and how great it would be if we could preserve it.

I don't know anything about Reel to reel recordings but I was hoping to be able to make a digitized copy somehow. But I don't have a Reel to reel player or know anything about reel to reel. I've looked online and I see some "mp3" making services. But I was really hoping for a lossless copy. And more importantly I am worried that they will treat it roughly in some mass produced assembly line. So if anybody here with the equipment would be willing to help make a digitized copy, please let me know. Just keep in mind the tape may not actually be in playable condition and maybe fragile. I would not hold you liable for any damage of course.
Thanks for looking!

 

[amirm]

I suggest contacting Bruce Brown: http://pugetsoundstudios.com/?q=bio

Bruce has done tons of High-res captures of tapes for independent and major record labels. He is a friend and a great guy. He doesn't do the restoration part of the tape but I am sure he has leads on that aspect of it just the same.

 

[garbulky]

I suggest contacting Bruce Brown: http://pugetsoundstudios.com/?q=bio

Bruce has done tons of High-res captures of tapes for independent and major record labels. He is a friend and a great guy. He doesn't do the restoration part of the tape but I am sure he has leads on that aspect of it just the same.

Very nice Amir. It looks like he definitely knows what he's doing. However he looks like a professional recording engineer. I don't really have the cash to pay him what he'd probably charge.

 

[Patrick1958]

Asking for a price is for free

 

[amirm]

Very nice Amir. It looks like he definitely knows what he's doing. However he looks like a professional recording engineer. I don't really have the cash to pay him what he'd probably charge.

As noted by Patrick, it doesn't hurt to ask. I would think it would cost at least a few hundred dollars.

GIven the condition of the tape and preciousness of it, I don't think anyone would capture it for you as a favor. Even if they did, it is a time consuming process to capture an analog tape, set levels, etc. In addition, the oxide layer is likely going to rub off on the heads, rollers, etc. necessitating cleaning, etc.

 

[garbulky]

As noted by Patrick, it doesn't hurt to ask. I would think it would cost at least a few hundred dollars.

GIven the condition of the tape and preciousness of it, I don't think anyone would capture it for you as a favor. Even if they did, it is a time consuming process to capture an analog tape, set levels, etc. In addition, the oxide layer is likely going to rub off on the heads, rollers, etc. necessitating cleaning, etc.

I didn't realize it was time consuming. I was hoping it would be a load it and stick the output onto a digital capture device sort of affair. As you can see I'm pretty ignorant of reel to reel.

I can't afford a few hundred dollars. I can more realistically pay for shipping both ways, provide a behringer UCA 202 for analog capture, and perhaps $40 or the ballpark for the time. And of course I wouldn't be upset if the tape is damaged or hold the person liable.

So I guess I'm asking for it basically free which I guess isn't too kosher, but I'm hoping there's somebody kind hearted enough to take on the project. I know my wife and family would greatly appreciate it.

 

[amirm]

And of course I wouldn't be upset if the tape is damaged or hold the person liable.

Ah, I thought you were worried about this. If not, that makes things easier.

My tape deck is not near my computer/workstation so it is not very convenient to capture anything. I do plan on moving it at some point to measure it so at that time, if no one else has volunteered to do it, I can.

How long is the tape? And do you know its speed?

 

[garbulky]

Ah, I thought you were worried about this. If not, that makes things easier.

My tape deck is not near my computer/workstation so it is not very convenient to capture anything. I do plan on moving it at some point to measure it so at that time, if no one else has volunteered to do it, I can.

How long is the tape? And do you know its speed?

That is supernice of you Amir! Wow!
So the reason I said I was worried was because all the services I looked at, it seemed like they were mass produced services designed for perfect tapes some sort of assembly line.

For all I know it was some untrained teenager shoving tapes in the machines or worse some machine was loading the tapes. I figured if it could get the "human touch" of somebody that has used tape, the tape would be much safer.

Since the tape is pretty old and of unkown condition, and the person is doing me a favor of course I wouldn't be upset at all if it got damaged.

So I don't know anything about the tape as I don't have it in my possession yet. It will be some time before I can get it. It's at a relative across the country in "storage". But as soon as I can, I will update.

If anybody else also feels like helping me out, please let me know so Amir doesn't have to go to trouble moving the tape machine. Thanks.