How to simply repair an 8-track tape -splice techniques for tape echo or regular 8 track tapes 

I've found this video extremely helpful. I too have been collecting and repairing 8-track tapes in my collection for the past 30 years or more. My first set of 8-track tapes were just five Kiss albums, that unfortunately didn't stay with me during the many moves throughout my teens. And this was pre-internet days, so 8-track tapes used to be a dime a dozen back then. Any artist you could want could turn up eventually on 8-track tape. I was fortunate since mine were hand-me-down 8-track tapes including my very first two Lloyd's home units (almost identical eerily enough). My first Lloyd's was a low end model. My second Lloyd's had an on/off switch, bass, treble, volume, tone. Originally 8-track tapes sold in thrift stores for 25 cents each. I had Jim Croce, a black cartridge of ZZ Top (album title escapes me) but it wasn't Fangdango. I also had .38 Special Rockin' Into the Night. My second collection of 8-track tapes varied from hard rock, 80's new wave, 70's disco and totaled 299 tapes. I played the heck out of these as a teen and loved the old analog sound. I didn't care how unpopular it made me, at least I had a format that wouldn't skip, for example. Then I downsized in 2010 and just recently started over. I'm just after the artists that I truly enjoy listening to. Always some helpful advice: keep your 8-track player clean. Routinely clean the tape head, capstan, and clean and dab a little bit of Hoppie's oil on the base of the flywheel. Since I currently don't have pen tube oil feeder (I'll need to get one), I use a dab on a clean q-tip for now. Always check the belt. If it's springy and pliable that's good. I recently got into a raw deal buying a cobbled together 8-track player that crapped out in less than 24 hours of getting it. My second helpful tip when looking to buy an 8-track player is to ASK questions, always. And carefully review all photos of said 8-track player. Ask to see the back. A red flag that I missed were two missing back screws on the machine and the seller probably wasn't aware that the unit had even been tinkered with. As for 8-track tapes, most are pushing 50 ++ years old so don't expect excellent sound quality. Expect problems to arise such as deteriorated pressure pads, tape splice (Maylar aluminum coated splice coming unglued), which are fairly simple repairs. The only other issue I've experienced lately is program 4 on my working Lloyd's isn't playing. There's cross talk which could indicate a tape head adjustment is needed, however, I'm not going to be that invasive. My working Lloyd's plays great otherwise although the programs don't automatically switch tracks. This could very easily be due to it being low end (not a high end model), and possibly just not ran through the rigors of testing from the factory. However, I'm still very happy with both my units even though cobbled together Lloyd's doesn't power on anymore. I realize it could have blown one of it's eight diodes or one (or all) 12 transfomers kicked the bucket. Originally, my Lloyd's units were sold at Target in 1975, price of these machines were on sale during the Christmas season for $99.99 (original retail price was $109.98) back in the day. 😊

... enjoy this video very much indeed 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

You broke an 8-track cassette tape just for us.😄 Thanks for the tutorial.

Good video. Screw fastened 8 Tracks are mostly on some older 8 Track Brands and not as common as Tab fastened which were cheaper to make. When replacing a broken splice I try not to cut off any tape near the splice and instead use the side edge of a razor to scrape off the old glue and loose tape oxide to get a durable and residual free surface for the tape to adhere to.

Here's another good tidbit I learned last night: If you happen to purchase an 8-track tape that is new old stock or still factory-sealed, _check the splice before sticking it in your player._ Even if the tape looks brand new because it was sealed, the splice will still dry up over time, and of course since it was sealed for 40+ years that naturally means *none* of the previous owners maintained the tape. I ran into this issue last night and ended up having to toss out a blank tape I bought for recording, because I didn't think to check the splice on it first. Thankfully I managed to get it out of my player, but the tape didn't survive. >.

Руки когда не из того места растут, всегда нужно рукожопые советы давать😊😊😊

Thanks Mark, I'm hoping this info will help me resurrect a Freddy Fennder tape I love. 🙏

What I used to do was grab scotch tape and put the scotch on the bottom part of the foil tape and that tape has lasted me 43 years and I have replaced the tape 4 or 5 times

This was really helpful- thank you!

Hi can you remove the metal spring then change it to normal pad only

Clear tape vs silver splicing tape???? Logic?

I bought cartidges, but two of them broke during playback. I connected them with the intended tape. But when the fourth track is supposed to end, it goes back two songs and plays again. It will start again at the point of gluing. How is it possible?

Do you lose sections of song when doing tape repairs? I'm new to 8-track/cassette tapes so wasn't sure how that worked hah.