In my 60 years I have broken down and reassembled a lot of complex machines. I have never, ever had any luck with putting cassette decks back together. Somehow I always lose a critical e-clip, or bend a lever that does not bend back as it should be, or any of a dozen missteps one can make. A big salute to those who can repair them.
I’ve repaired a few in my day. They can be intimidating, and before the days of instant photos off of a cell phone, you had better have a photographic memory if you go deep. Like you mentioned, there are just so many plastic bits that become brittle, sticky belts that become liquid tar, worn rollers that are often impossible to find, and that occasional e-clip that sails to Never-Land upon removal. It’s frustrating.
At 40+ years now, these need some TLC...even if they have been pampered, a lot of real estate on those circuit boards. Tony, you make note of brittle plastic and rubber condition; critical items to pay attention to. This particular deck was a powerhouse in its day (properly calibrated of course). I have a soft spot for the Pioneer blue line items and really lusted after this model as a young person, it had a premium price though and was out of reach. Thanks for taking a deep breath and diving in on this one. I'm looking forward to the next video!
Back in the day, my brother owned one of these beasts. Nice deck, Pioneer really went all out in this one Nice to see you're bringing this one back from the recycler
A definite "How to eat an Elephant..." project ! I have a real passion for Cassette Decks and a potential hoarding issue so I really appreciate seeing you take on such a repair. Fantastic choice by the way - CTF1250 is a fabulous deck - Slightly envious as it happens. I'm attempting to refurb some Nakamichi 'decks at the moment...Spaghetti Junction overload. At least this Pioneer has some space inside! Good luck and I'm looking forward to joining the "Ride".
I got one of these in a package deal with a SX1250 receiver. I managed to put new belts on it and that was quite enough work in and of itself! Only and brave a talented tech would tackle this beast. Go Tony go!
Man, you’re a better man than me. Those old analog mechanical decks were a nightmare to service. There’s a reason why we have digital recorders now. Lol. Great video.
Tony, you are a better man than I! I don't think I would ever attempt to take that all apart - I would never remember how to get it back together! Keep up the great work, love all your vids!
I recently felt motivated to take my Pioneer RT1020L reel to reel deck down out of my garage attic and do a restoration. I found a good quality set of belts on ebay, and did a complete teardown cleaning and re-lube of all the mechanicals.. The high temps had cooked all the grease solid. It's playing well now, good as ever. I did have the good sense to keep the tapes in the house.
It’s a good thing this is for Tony’s personal collection. I can not imagine the number of hours this restoration would take. However when restored these bring large money on the auction sites.
This video was a pleasure to watch. The pre-recorded chrome tape is probably made to play in the 120 micro/sec, normal setting, which can be checked by inspecting the edge cut-outs on the cassette. If so, the playback will be brighter and give the deck the justice it deserves.
You are absolutely correct. I have Lynyrd Skynyrd Second Helping album and it is factory recorded on chrome cassette and the cardboard insert says that it should have played back on normal.
I know exactly how you feel about cassette decks. I've worked on a few, replacing belts, tires, and tested speed ect... I dread doing it every time. My eyes aren't what they use to be, and some parts are pretty small. You have to tear most of them completely apart to change one thing. I'd much rather work on an amp or receiver. But, there are some really cool decks out there like the Pioneer in this video.
some one bought one of these in for repair about 15 years ago every one said do not undertake the repair .watching your video i am glad that we listened and did not accept the job.
I've been waiting for you to do a cassette deck! I have a couple that need to be gone through, but I haven't had the courage to tackle them. You've inspired me to take the plunge and git 'er dun! They don't work now; I guess I can't make them much worse! They're also not high end units, so are probably good ones to learn on. Thanks for all your fantastic videos! I have learned SO much from watching you work.
It's just unbelievable how much complexity went into producing something like that, how on earth did they do it? I remember seeing this machine in the pioneer catalogue back in the day, they cost a hell of a lot more than I could afford
Bought this deck's much more baby brother at a flea market - a still impressive CT-F700. Not a two head deck, though. So you have to work a bit harder to get a decent recording. Lots of us US servicemen brought back stereo kit from overseas, most with these multi-voltage selectors on the back. Great job! Keep at it!
I need to check if my CT-F1250 still works. Hope you can provide information about where to find good quality belts, because I might need some for my other cassette decks and reel-to-reel recorders. Nice video!
Nice work, these can be a nightmare when they fail... tight spaces and when head start separating inside, one or both channels goes out. I prefer reel to reel decks instead, but of course the "blue light" Pioneer models are very attractive to some people.
Great , please show even how you wash it with ultrasonic , which liquids you use to clean , where you made those wheel rebuild it , before I remember they hade service kit that come with key mechanical parts , but I am not sure if there are any more from pioneer , greeting from Sweden
Great video...on my 1250 the cassette no longer locks into place...I found a small piece of black plastic and now I pretty much know where it came from. I had new belts placed on it years ago but don't fee the person did a good job. Curious, what servicing of the 1250 would cost.
Another excellent deck from around the same era was Harmon/Kardon's CD491. This was my 'step up' from the 1250 back in the day, as the 491 had Dolby C, HX Pro and slightly better freq. response.
You are really brave, face this mess of wiring, screws, small pieces, that scare me, but if we want to learn and solve an issue we have to face that what it is
Tony, I have a CT-F1000 that has been sitting for a while after it quit pulling tape. I ordered a kit of all the belts, idler wheels and other parts to redo it, but haven't got around to tackling it yet. Your video is getting me excited in getting it off the shelf and starting on it . Do you know if the transport is similar to the 1250? If I'm not mistaken there are instructions on how to disassemble and replace the worn and broken parts! I love your videos and thanks for doing this one, I want to clean it up like you are doing.
Those X-Tal, or crystal glass ferrite heads can develop cracks which can clog with iron oxide and cause problems with high frequency output. That is what I read, not sure if that is what you were talking about. I have a Pioneer CT-F1250 which is in museum quality, been stored for years. It needs the rubber parts replaced. Also have a Pioneer CT-F900 which has the sendust heads and needs a takeup motor, or brushes repaired.
I have the CTF-850 model and I have performed the service several times; a point to take into account is the pressure exerted by the upper support of the cassette ( the one you had to fix ), if it is loose, it will come off both lower retaining claws and will deactivate the presence switch located at the bottom right, hopefully stopping it... if not.... you have a mess. Hope you underestand this, english is not my native languaje
8 or so years ago a friend of a friend wanted to give me one of those ...and i ALWAYS wanted one as i was growing up. he said it didn't work and i said no. i had never seen inside one but knew it would be a nightmare. after seeing yours, i am glad i refused. being a car guy with some background in electronics i know just enough to get in trouble with a tape transport, i've seen them before and just no. no thank you!
@@fw1421 before radio shack closed down i bought a couple of chrome blanks for a dual cassette deck someone else gave me. they were expensive and the record bay didn't work and then someone else gave me a dual deck and it was the same thing. they were common technics and pioneer decks so i wasn't upset when i scrapped them. even after quitting drinking and having a clear head and no shaking hands, i still have zero urge to service a transport. but i'll enjoy the shit out of replacing every one of those caps!
I said in a previous comment in another video that I purchased one of these at an estate sale a while back. It happens to be in perfect physical condition. One issue is that the reel motor has a dead spot in the commutator. I was thinking of making a video of the repair of the motor. I never made youtube videos and am just trying to get up the nerve to do it.
Put a video up of my Pioneer CT-F900 which needs the reel motor fixed, same problem. Got the belts in and the takeup motor has a dead spot in it. Have a museum quality CT-F1250 in the same video. Have another motor halfway apart, the first shell off, only to find another shell inside that one. That is where I left off. Did you use a punch or a dremel to get it apart?
Thanks for posting!, my deck also needs new belts where did you order it from? TY! Seen pt. 2 will order from there, rubber parts seems to be the weakest link in any product made! Planned obsolescence even 50 years ago.
22:00 Another trick you can use if this is out of view : remove the remaining stud of the broken plastic and drill a small hole trough the plastic where the stud previous was, then use a cable lug and tap threats in it (in the hole where normally the cable sits), so that you can use a bolt into the cable lug. In the opening of the cable lug (that you normally use to screw down the cable lug) fits then the white/grey plastic knob.
The CT-F 1250 had great electronics but rather mediocre ferrite heads that were prone to early wear, especially with contemporary tape material. But it's a beautiful machine nonetheless. Although I would choose its successor, the CT-A9, for better sound quality.
Would you reveal where you found belts and the idler wheel? I have a CT-F900 that the take-up spindle slips causing it to shut off. I can play a tape if I use a small pick to manually turn it. The transport is not exactly as the CT-F1250, but very close. Thank you.
I was actually quite interested in a method of restoring rollers, as they become increasingly hard to find. But I don't think there's a proper way outside of molding+turning or fine layer depositing+turning.
You can repair the brackets with epoxy resin glue just put some tape tight around the bracket you want to feel and use a Q-Tip and smear some candle wax on it place it between the tape in the right position and fill with glue do the trick.
😃😄😁😆😅 5 Smiles was a good one pulled a tone apart 😵lots off bits!. But I am also getting older!.😅 replacement??? How much you appreciate the o!d tube radio🤯. At least it's boarded !?🧐
I have a 1250 without a transformer the unit I have has the Fuse mounted to the back of the case, would you happen to have a transformer you may want to part with???
What's the best method to test the Play & Record head ? I use a 3150Hz reference tape for speed testing. Can I test recording different freq's between 20Hz - 21kHz from my freq generator and see if it's recording that freq ?
Man what a task to just get a few belts on Pioneer sure didn't make it easy when it came to their tape decks. I have the CTF1000 one thing I could never understand is why they didn't make more auto reverse decks in the silver faced units.
Hi, my ct-f1250 is driving me bonkers. The capstan no longer turns on its own. It does spin freely in the shaft. Even without belt to other capstan doesn't start spinning. If I give it a little help it starts spinning no problem. Any idea what could be causing this ? It does manually spin very freely though. I cleaned/ put new lithium grease on white plastic behind rear plate too. PLS HELP !!!
You could have a problem with the motor control board or with the motor board itself. There are a lot of very fine wires on the motor board that can break. Also, the connections to the two boards could come loose. I would start there.
@@xraytonyb Thanks for response. I spent a good hour checking continuity on Tape controller board traces, and all wired connections - All good. The previous owner replaced caps with Elna's. I wish I could somehow take this offline in an email so I could send you a pic or 2 ?
This is really where I live. I have had over 30 different cassette that I remember. My Tandberg TCD-3014 was my favorite. I had the many like Sony ES, Aiwa, Technics, Teac, Harman Kardon, Nakamichi, Marantz, JVC and Akai Diatone. These Pioneers are highly collectable. Ebay prices are through the roof. Should be fun to watch this. Oh by the way, my JVC KD-85 has more capacitors. Crazy huh?
Interesting the distance required (apparently) to go from pretty good (Walkman) to real good (this thing.) Not clear a little one inch MP3 player, even with the compression, won't do a better job.
I just got a set for my ct-f9191 that included 5 pages of instructions with diagrams, grease and cotton swabs. No affiliation, Check www.wjoe.com/vintageandantiques.htm#BELTS#BELTS
Yep these are a bit of a bear to work on, I avoided doing a 950 a few years ago because it was more trouble than it was worth (and not mine!). Good luck with it! 26:53 most prerecorded tapes, even if on chrome, will be at 120us EQ for compatibility, so you can just leave it on 'STD' to play back.
That's a lot more work and dedication I would ever do on a cassette deck unless I had some "valuable" tapes that have yet to be digitized. I have an old SONY TC-K555 (1983 vintage), but I transcribed the last cassette in 2105.
I HATE when equipment uses wire-wrap connections instead of wire plugs of some kind. I know they say that a good connection is made with wire-wraps but still .....Really ! Try to remove a components board for repair, nightmare.
Hello Tony, please would you be so kind to put subtitles on the video. It would be of great help to be able to translate, I am a long time admirer of yours all the vintage equipment of the golden age I am passionate about. Greetings to you and to all the followers of your channel. P. D. I take this opportunity to ask you another favor and it is for you to put the first video of the pioneer sa-7500 subtitles, in its day I was left with the honey on my lips of not being able to understand what you were saying, just guessing and trying to deduce it.
In my 60 years I have broken down and reassembled a lot of complex machines. I have never, ever had any luck with putting cassette decks back together. Somehow I always lose a critical e-clip, or bend a lever that does not bend back as it should be, or any of a dozen missteps one can make. A big salute to those who can repair them.
I’ve repaired a few in my day. They can be intimidating, and before the days of instant photos off of a cell phone, you had better have a photographic memory if you go deep. Like you mentioned, there are just so many plastic bits that become brittle, sticky belts that become liquid tar, worn rollers that are often impossible to find, and that occasional e-clip that sails to Never-Land upon removal. It’s frustrating.
At 40+ years now, these need some TLC...even if they have been pampered, a lot of real estate on those circuit boards. Tony, you make note of brittle plastic and rubber condition; critical items to pay attention to. This particular deck was a powerhouse in its day (properly calibrated of course). I have a soft spot for the Pioneer blue line items and really lusted after this model as a young person, it had a premium price though and was out of reach. Thanks for taking a deep breath and diving in on this one. I'm looking forward to the next video!
Back in the day, my brother owned one of these beasts. Nice deck, Pioneer really went all out in this one
Nice to see you're bringing this one back from the recycler
What a mechanical marvel. You're a fearless man Tony.
A definite "How to eat an Elephant..." project ! I have a real passion for Cassette Decks and a potential hoarding issue so I really appreciate seeing you take on such a repair. Fantastic choice by the way - CTF1250 is a fabulous deck - Slightly envious as it happens. I'm attempting to refurb some Nakamichi 'decks at the moment...Spaghetti Junction overload. At least this Pioneer has some space inside! Good luck and I'm looking forward to joining the "Ride".
Glad to see a cassette deck on your bench. I have a CT-F950 that I disassembled and cleaned the transport. Much easier to deal with than the 1250.
I got one of these in a package deal with a SX1250 receiver. I managed to put new belts on it and that was quite enough work in and of itself! Only and brave a talented tech would tackle this beast. Go Tony go!
Man, you’re a better man than me. Those old analog mechanical decks were a nightmare to service. There’s a reason why we have digital recorders now. Lol. Great video.
Tony, you are a better man than I! I don't think I would ever attempt to take that all apart - I would never remember how to get it back together! Keep up the great work, love all your vids!
Kudos for re-introducing a new term to young ones; tape eating machine.
I recently felt motivated to take my Pioneer RT1020L reel to reel deck down out of my garage attic and do a restoration. I found a good quality set of belts on ebay, and did a complete teardown cleaning and re-lube of all the mechanicals.. The high temps had cooked all the grease solid. It's playing well now, good as ever. I did have the good sense to keep the tapes in the house.
Absolutely love my CT-F1000 Pioneer gear of the 70s
I had a CTF-1000 I bought new in 1979. It was a great deck that made excellent recordings. It had the same transport as this deck, I believe.
It’s a good thing this is for Tony’s personal collection. I can not imagine the number of hours this restoration would take. However when restored these bring large money on the auction sites.
This video was a pleasure to watch.
The pre-recorded chrome tape is probably made to play in the 120 micro/sec, normal setting, which can be checked by inspecting the edge cut-outs on the cassette.
If so, the playback will be brighter and give the deck the justice it deserves.
You are absolutely correct. I have Lynyrd Skynyrd Second Helping album and it is factory recorded on chrome cassette and the cardboard insert says that it should have played back on normal.
I know exactly how you feel about cassette decks. I've worked on a few, replacing belts, tires, and tested speed ect... I dread doing it every time. My eyes aren't what they use to be, and some parts are pretty small. You have to tear most of them completely apart to change one thing. I'd much rather work on an amp or receiver. But, there are some really cool decks out there like the Pioneer in this video.
Beautiful machine, have restored one recently,looks and working like new now! I have full stack now for blue line Pioneer!
some one bought one of these in for repair about 15 years ago every one said do not undertake the repair .watching your video i am glad that we listened and did not accept the job.
Nice work Tony, it looks like this one is salvageable. Looking forward to the next installment.
Wow, that is one complex machine, no wonder microchips took over. Look forward to part two.
I've been waiting for you to do a cassette deck! I have a couple that need to be gone through, but I haven't had the courage to tackle them. You've inspired me to take the plunge and git 'er dun! They don't work now; I guess I can't make them much worse! They're also not high end units, so are probably good ones to learn on. Thanks for all your fantastic videos! I have learned SO much from watching you work.
Hey xreytonyb,
Your knowledge of electronics and radio technicks is inspiring, you are the one.
Wire markers with heat shrink, brilliant! Ive been using a dymo and never thought of that, great tip!
It's just unbelievable how much complexity went into producing something like that, how on earth did they do it? I remember seeing this machine in the pioneer catalogue back in the day, they cost a hell of a lot more than I could afford
Bought this deck's much more baby brother at a flea market - a still impressive CT-F700. Not a two head deck, though. So you have to work a bit harder to get a decent recording. Lots of us US servicemen brought back stereo kit from overseas, most with these multi-voltage selectors on the back. Great job! Keep at it!
Wow . Great job so far. You went where msny people fear to tread. I love the way these machines look. good luck.
There's some good videos on TH-cam showing how you can repair cracked or missing plastic using superglue together with baking soda.
Thanks for posting! Always nice to see stuff like that! Cheers!
I need to check if my CT-F1250 still works. Hope you can provide information about where to find good quality belts, because I might need some for my other cassette decks and reel-to-reel recorders. Nice video!
Nice work, these can be a nightmare when they fail... tight spaces and when head start separating inside, one or both channels goes out.
I prefer reel to reel decks instead, but of course the "blue light" Pioneer models are very attractive to some people.
When replacing belts, use ice spray to remove the old belts
I always wanted one of those but every one I ever came upon had heads that were totally worn out... :)
Only ever had one cassette deck back in the 80s and that was a arcam, very good quality deck.
Great , please show even how you wash it with ultrasonic , which liquids you use to clean , where you made those wheel rebuild it , before I remember they hade service kit that come with key mechanical parts , but I am not sure if there are any more from pioneer , greeting from Sweden
Something different from the norm! Excited to watch this one.
You are amazing my friend, please continue sharing your bast knowledge, I am beginner doing this king of stuff just for have a fun.
Great video...on my 1250 the cassette no longer locks into place...I found a small piece of black plastic and now I pretty much know where it came from. I had new belts placed on it years ago but don't fee the person did a good job. Curious, what servicing of the 1250 would cost.
Another excellent deck from around the same era was Harmon/Kardon's CD491. This was my 'step up' from the 1250 back in the day, as the 491 had Dolby C, HX Pro and slightly better freq. response.
You are really brave, face this mess of wiring, screws, small pieces, that scare me, but if we want to learn and solve an issue we have to face that what it is
After watching this my CT-F9191 will wait, (never!) be serviced. When the mood strikes my Sony TC-160 still works fine. G*** speed and good luck! Dave
What source did you get your belts and rubber wheels? Enjoyed watching Take Care!
I remember this one....could not afford it so I got the CTF 500 instead....was my introduction to Hi Fi
Great start!
That little drive motor on top is made of unobtainium.
Tony, I have a CT-F1000 that has been sitting for a while after it quit pulling tape. I ordered a kit of all the belts, idler wheels and other parts to redo it, but haven't got around to tackling it yet. Your video is getting me excited in getting it off the shelf and starting on it . Do you know if the transport is similar to the 1250? If I'm not mistaken there are instructions on how to disassemble and replace the worn and broken parts! I love your videos and thanks for doing this one, I want to clean it up like you are doing.
From where did you order the belts? Which belts are required? Thanks for your videos!
Those X-Tal, or crystal glass ferrite heads can develop cracks which can clog with iron oxide and cause problems with high frequency output. That is what I read, not sure if that is what you were talking about. I have a Pioneer CT-F1250 which is in museum quality, been stored for years. It needs the rubber parts replaced. Also have a Pioneer CT-F900 which has the sendust heads and needs a takeup motor, or brushes repaired.
I have the CTF-850 model and I have performed the service several times; a point to take into account is the pressure exerted by the upper support of the cassette ( the one you had to fix ), if it is loose, it will come off both lower retaining claws and will deactivate the presence switch located at the bottom right, hopefully stopping it... if not.... you have a mess.
Hope you underestand this, english is not my native languaje
I love that polybag trick.
8 or so years ago a friend of a friend wanted to give me one of those ...and i ALWAYS wanted one as i was growing up. he said it didn't work and i said no. i had never seen inside one but knew it would be a nightmare. after seeing yours, i am glad i refused. being a car guy with some background in electronics i know just enough to get in trouble with a tape transport, i've seen them before and just no. no thank you!
Can you even buy blank Cassette tapes any more?🤔🤔🤔
@@fw1421 before radio shack closed down i bought a couple of chrome blanks for a dual cassette deck someone else gave me. they were expensive and the record bay didn't work and then someone else gave me a dual deck and it was the same thing. they were common technics and pioneer decks so i wasn't upset when i scrapped them. even after quitting drinking and having a clear head and no shaking hands, i still have zero urge to service a transport. but i'll enjoy the shit out of replacing every one of those caps!
I said in a previous comment in another video that I purchased one of these at an estate sale a while back. It happens to be in perfect physical condition. One issue is that the reel motor has a dead spot in the commutator. I was thinking of making a video of the repair of the motor. I never made youtube videos and am just trying to get up the nerve to do it.
Put a video up of my Pioneer CT-F900 which needs the reel motor fixed, same problem. Got the belts in and the takeup motor has a dead spot in it. Have a museum quality CT-F1250 in the same video. Have another motor halfway apart, the first shell off, only to find another shell inside that one. That is where I left off. Did you use a punch or a dremel to get it apart?
12:20 - That *is* stock. Those are push-on terminals on all 3 heads.
Man I had one of these! I could not afford a phase linear one and got this beast.
Thanks for posting!, my deck also needs new belts where did you order it from? TY! Seen pt. 2 will order from there, rubber parts seems to be the weakest link in any product made! Planned obsolescence even 50 years ago.
Good Lord,I’m glad I never had to work on one of these beasts!🙀
Where did you get the full manual (service and maintenance manual)? Also where did you get the high quality belt kit?
Great ! I nice ' meaty ' restore....cheers.
I sold mine 12 yrs ago for 100 €, it was not playing anymore (belts I guess) and I start recording on DAT in these days. But it was a beautiful deck.
22:00 Another trick you can use if this is out of view :
remove the remaining stud of the broken plastic and drill a small hole trough the plastic where the stud previous was,
then use a cable lug and tap threats in it (in the hole where normally the cable sits), so that you can use a bolt into the cable lug.
In the opening of the cable lug (that you normally use to screw down the cable lug) fits then the white/grey plastic knob.
The CT-F 1250 had great electronics but rather mediocre ferrite heads that were prone to early wear, especially with contemporary tape material.
But it's a beautiful machine nonetheless. Although I would choose its successor, the CT-A9, for better sound quality.
Would you reveal where you found belts and the idler wheel? I have a CT-F900 that the take-up spindle slips causing it to shut off. I can play a tape if I use a small pick to manually turn it. The transport is not exactly as the CT-F1250, but very close.
Thank you.
Tonys copper henge :-D
What a fancy tape deck, i bet that cost a pretty penny from new.
“Well Ollie this is another fine mess you’ve gotten us into”
I was actually quite interested in a method of restoring rollers, as they become increasingly hard to find. But I don't think there's a proper way outside of molding+turning or fine layer depositing+turning.
You can repair the brackets with epoxy resin glue just put some tape tight around the bracket you want to feel and use a Q-Tip and smear some candle wax on it place it between the tape in the right position and fill with glue do the trick.
😃😄😁😆😅 5 Smiles was a good one pulled a tone apart 😵lots off bits!. But I am also getting older!.😅 replacement??? How much you appreciate the o!d tube radio🤯. At least it's boarded !?🧐
Looks like "Bloody Stonehenge!"
But even smaller. LOL
I have a 1250 without a transformer the unit I have has the Fuse mounted to the back of the case, would you happen to have a transformer you may want to part with???
What's the best method to test the Play & Record head ? I use a 3150Hz reference tape for speed testing. Can I test recording different freq's between 20Hz - 21kHz from my freq generator and see if it's recording that freq ?
Man what a task to just get a few belts on Pioneer sure didn't make it easy when it came to their tape decks. I have the CTF1000 one thing I could never understand is why they didn't make more auto reverse decks in the silver faced units.
Hi. I have same but need a head for 1250. Can you help me where I can get it.
Hi, my ct-f1250 is driving me bonkers. The capstan no longer turns on its own. It does spin freely in the shaft. Even without belt to other capstan doesn't start spinning. If I give it a little help it starts spinning no problem. Any idea what could be causing this ? It does manually spin very freely though. I cleaned/ put new lithium grease on white plastic behind rear plate too. PLS HELP !!!
You could have a problem with the motor control board or with the motor board itself. There are a lot of very fine wires on the motor board that can break. Also, the connections to the two boards could come loose. I would start there.
@@xraytonyb Thanks for response. I spent a good hour checking continuity on Tape controller board traces, and all wired connections - All good. The previous owner replaced caps with Elna's. I wish I could somehow take this offline in an email so I could send you a pic or 2 ?
This is really where I live. I have had over 30 different cassette that I remember. My Tandberg TCD-3014 was my favorite. I had the many like Sony ES, Aiwa, Technics, Teac, Harman Kardon, Nakamichi, Marantz, JVC and Akai Diatone. These Pioneers are highly collectable. Ebay prices are through the roof. Should be fun to watch this. Oh by the way, my JVC KD-85 has more capacitors. Crazy huh?
As below, we’re can you restore the pinch rollers ..... cheers Matt U.K.
l Watch all your videos.....😎😉👍
27:10 Noticed you have a digit not working on the tape counter, should be four digits lit up.
For a long time ago I had CT-F950. I remember that there was a huge flywheel. And what do I see at 1250? He's not there ... I'm very surprised.
The CT-F1250 is direct drive so a heavy fly wheel is not needed.
@@hqdefault Many cassette decks are direct drive. They also have a flywheel. Or even two. For example, Sony TC-KA3ES
@@any1ne Yes I meant direct drive don't need super sized fly wheel.
Would you know how to get a couple of parts for this deck I'm in Australia..
At 17:12 there is a resistor on standoff's or are they ferrite's.?
Why are capstans tapered. Hope you see this. I was a little slow getting to this video.
Thank you.
You’re welcome!
Interesting the distance required (apparently) to go from pretty good (Walkman) to real good (this thing.) Not clear a little one inch MP3 player, even with the compression, won't do a better job.
23:00 - Tony, were you a dentist in a previous life? :)
?xraytonyb? , who is a good place to order belts ,like the ones for that Pioneer Cassette deck, from? TY, Doc BC
I just got a set for my ct-f9191 that included 5 pages of instructions with diagrams, grease and cotton swabs. No affiliation, Check www.wjoe.com/vintageandantiques.htm#BELTS#BELTS
WJOERadio. I just rebuilt my CT-F 9191 with one of his belt and tire kits. Good quality parts and detailed instructions.
Dan
Yep these are a bit of a bear to work on, I avoided doing a 950 a few years ago because it was more trouble than it was worth (and not mine!). Good luck with it!
26:53 most prerecorded tapes, even if on chrome, will be at 120us EQ for compatibility, so you can just leave it on 'STD' to play back.
I'm guessing 123 caps and 16 pots 😬
They could have made more difficult to work on ...maybe
Baby oil will take the black tar off of your fingers from those belts.
Funny, my 1250 does NOT have the adjustable voltage on the back (or anywhere).
4:28 - I'd at least recap the power supply caps.
That's a lot more work and dedication I would ever do on a cassette deck unless I had some "valuable" tapes that have yet to be digitized. I have an old SONY TC-K555 (1983 vintage), but I transcribed the last cassette in 2105.
I HATE when equipment uses wire-wrap connections instead of wire plugs of some kind. I know they say that a good connection is made with wire-wraps but still .....Really ! Try to remove a components board for repair, nightmare.
Agreed!
La ruggine al telaio di un registratore del genere?,non riesco a crederci,e' assurdo
So much dust on that power resistor 😅
I had one of these, it never did work right.
And I thought putting belts on my Teac X1000R reel to reel was a job.
Devices like that were always a nightmare to me :( a rats nest is more serviceable.
Wait tell you see what people are getting for use cassettes, as I don't think anyone is producing new cassettes tapes.
Hello Tony, please would you be so kind to put subtitles on the video. It would be of great help to be able to translate, I am a long time admirer of yours all the vintage equipment of the golden age I am passionate about. Greetings to you and to all the followers of your channel. P. D. I take this opportunity to ask you another favor and it is for you to put the first video of the pioneer sa-7500 subtitles, in its day I was left with the honey on my lips of not being able to understand what you were saying, just guessing and trying to deduce it.
I'd rather chew broken glass than service cassette decks.
Per-capacita ... 😏
A cassette deck is farily simple compared to a VHS or DAT device.