Unfortunately, most cassette decks will need an intact counter belt . Not all, but most decks will trigger auto stop during playback if the counter is not progressing.
Thanks for sharing the gen, Mike! Technics and JVC made a few cassette decks with direct drive, which avoids the whole belt issue, but in my experience they're also the manufacturers whose belts seem to be immune to the ravages of time! Worst offenders for belt rot seem to be Pioneer, Trio/Kenwood, Sony and Aiwa.
I did read there was a little peek in cassette sales, but just looking on eBay does seem the prices have shot up on these old decks. But I do not think I will be tempted to repair any. I will leave that to people that do it day in day out as to many fidley parts for my hands and eyes these days lol.
My generation loves piano key cassette decks and when well maintained sound quality is very nice. Really get pissed at those ALPS switches ya seem to have made peace with em. My biggest thrill is finding a bootleg cassette someone made of a concert, some are pretty rough and some are remarkably good. Awesome video Mike thank you God Bless.
Good advice, Michael. The vintage cassette player market is on fire at present. Never seen prices so high. Of all vintage equipment cassette players are most troublesome & fiddly to work on. Changing belts on some requires engineering degree. So do check inside if at all possible. If it looks like a nest of wires and you can't see belts - move on unless you are really handy (and patient). Good luck!
This JVC is well known in Brazil. Manufactured under Gradiente brand, has a lot of followers and it is very desired here. Endless parts suppliers localy.
The same cassette deck as this? Oh right. I have heard of the brand Gradiente and I understand they made some good stuff. We can't get this brand for sale here in UK unfortunately.
That is something I did not know and after searching I see a Gradiente cassette deck for sale on eBay here in the UK that is infact as you say a JVC deck. thanks for the info
@@MichaelYates FYI about Brazilian brands: Gradiente is almost JVC/Sherwood/Garrard Polyvox has their own eng department (but tapes are Alpage) CCE is almost Kenwood/Alpage/Dual Cygnus has their own eng department Quasar has their own department
I have had a lot of success with replacing belts on CD's and cassette decks - before buying them I drop the old ones in boiling water for a couple of minutes - the heat rejuvenates the molecular construction of the rubber making it more flexible. My CD and cassette deck are still running on that repair 2 years after I did it!
Had mixed success with replacing belts. I managed it on a Panasonic portable cassette player and a JVC mini system I have but failed on 2 Panasonic boomboxes. The belts were actually wrong size. My Technics cassette deck has worked fine since buying it 2 years ago. This one here worked fine but as you mentioned, when recording first couple of times it sounded distorted. I never knew that about the switches, I would have used some contact cleaner. After a few recordings, it actually sounded quite good.
Some can be a nightmare on a lot of decks, at the time they did not think anyone would want to replace the belt 20 or so years later. They are so many parts that can wear out. A lot of technics decks have the same problem make a ticking or clicking sound when playing, its a plastic cog that has a split and it and can be very hard to get to.
