For Family and Love The TEAC A-460 Cassette Deck.

[vcautokid]

My Uncle Ken had one of these as these were made in 1975. Certainly not the best Cassette Deck you could by. Not even the point of post. It is what the title says. In memory and love of my Uncle Ken. He was the Brother of my Dad's Dad. He was an Engineer. Brilliant man. He had this machine, and some Ohm Acoustic speakers. No idea of the Amplification. That was hidden.

We just listened to music as kids and we always had some awesome eats too. Like a full roast pig. Oh my gosh that was epic.

The music always was sourced from that TEAC A-460.

When I first got this. Holy Cow, this thing was rough. Though mostly intact. It was clear some love was needed. Bought on Ebay, and told in "excellent" shape. Hmm, heard that before.

youtu.be/_TIk8O5FxLA?si=VKUV0R9bWFKqKXAn
Video here pretty much not doing anything with it.

Ebay photos of the machine too.

youtu.be/d54YELvoODc?si=bi9z5CB1h6MMrpM_

After taking off what seemed like pounds of Nicotine off the machine inside and out. Like 4 hours worth of cleaning. I started with a blue micro fiber towel, was brown when I was done. What the Actual??!! Amazingly, the Heads look brand new, the pinch roller was in sad shape, used Rubber Restorer and brought it back again. Another bunch of time and cleaning material later.

Demagnetized the metal tape path, and used the American Recorder S-721H. Best in the business of metal tape path and head cleaning cleaner available. I have over 30 years of history with it. Only thing I really trust. IPA is okay in a pinch....not being funny there.

The belts were perished too. "Excellent" Condition mind you was the post on Ebay. Uh huh. Sure.

My part 2 shows the inside of the belts and mechanism. Not a total Schiit show to work on.

[vcautokid]

Part 2 of the mess of a smokers TEAC A-460 Cassette Deck.

As I said above, the belts were perished. I would listen and hear bump wow or flutter. Replaced the belts completely from www.vintage-electronics.net/.

Cost me like under $30.00 to get them, unlike the Ebay ones. Don't even get me started.

CRC cleaned all the control pots and Switches, and Dexoit as the preservation method.

I will most likely have to recap and replace any suspect transistors as time goes by. Really need the Service Manual, and parts catalog too, but hey! You know.

So my labor of love is complete for now, but for sure something this old will need more.

A bit of History of the A-460.

It follows the A-450 Cassette Deck. Yeah makes sense. Only this one includes a variable record blank space insert feature and the PLL Motor system for the Capstan unlike the A-450. Otherwise most else is identical or closely related.

So Uncle Ken's Legacy lives on in my living room, and really we love the music sure, but we love our family, and the music makes it that just much better.

[405x5]

Oct 22, 2023 12:16:09 GMT -5 vcautokid said:

My Uncle Ken had one of these as these were made in 1975. Certainly not the best Cassette Deck you could by. Not even the point of post. It is what the title says. In memory and love of my Uncle Ken. He was the Brother of my Dad's Dad. He was an Engineer. Brilliant man. He had this machine, and some Ohm Acoustic speakers. No idea of the Amplification. That was hidden.

We just listened to music as kids and we always had some awesome eats too. Like a full roast pig. Oh my gosh that was epic.

The music always was sourced from that TEAC A-460.

When I first got this. Holy Cow, this thing was rough. Though mostly intact. It was clear some love was needed. Bought on Ebay, and told in "excellent" shape. Hmm, heard that before.

youtu.be/_TIk8O5FxLA?si=VKUV0R9bWFKqKXAn
Video here pretty much not doing anything with it. View AttachmentView AttachmentView AttachmentView AttachmentView Attachment

Ebay photos of the machine too.

youtu.be/d54YELvoODc?si=bi9z5CB1h6MMrpM_

After taking off what seemed like pounds of Nicotine off the machine inside and out. Like 4 hours worth of cleaning. I started with a blue micro fiber towel, was brown when I was done. What the Actual??!! Amazingly, the Heads look brand new, the pinch roller was in sad shape, used Rubber Restorer and brought it back again. Another bunch of time and cleaning material later.

Demagnetized the metal tape path, and used the American Recorder S-721H. Best in the business of metal tape path and head cleaning cleaner available. I have over 30 years of history with it. Only thing I really trust. IPA is okay in a pinch....not being funny there.

The belts were perished too. "Excellent" Condition mind you was the post on Ebay. Uh huh. Sure.

My part 2 shows the inside of the belts and mechanism. Not a total Schiit show to work on.

That’s a great story, especially when you tie it into family………

Last pig roast I attended (My neighbor did one out in the backyard by the edge of the woods every year) I would get the nostrils and it would really gross out my wife I just like the teaser you know meat is meat.

I haven’t spent a lot of time refurbishing the old tape machines, reel to reel or cassette, but rather kept getting a hold of machines it still worked in in order to keep the memories going that being some of these vintage tapes. The homemade ones are own recordings are the treasures just like super eight I left off with that old Akai, which should be operational enough to play my 7 1/2 inch reels life’s been hectic lately hoping to get it to it after taking down and putting up all the window treatments in this house lol that’s when you really find out how big the places