Christene's eBay Pick: Collection of 8-Track Tapes

Posted by Christene*

Collection of 8-Track Tapes

Granted, I don't know anyone who has an 8-track player, but I still love the kind of mixes people with 8-tracks used to listen to -- my fantastic mom included. I mean, why is it always Anne Murray and Englebert Humperdink in the 8-tracker collection and not Alice Cooper or The Yardbirds?

Collection of 8-Tracks

*Edtior's Note: Christene is mildly eBay obsessed. In fact, she already blogs about all of the eBay treasures that she may or may not bid on at refinery29. She's going to be blogging about even more vintage eBay crushes on Bluelines every week.

Comments

[Rachael White]

8 track collecting and even general listening to the format is still very popular. 8-tracks have gotten a bad rap as being uncool or obsolete, yet they are the most durable of any type of musical media - except, perhaps, for Victorian copper gramophone discs. The endless loop design was and still is a very advanced technical discovery. And quadraphonic 8 tracks marked the beginning of all surround sound and home theatre speaker systems.

Everything seems less cool after 40 years, but with proper pad and sensing splice care, your 8 track tapes should last another 40 and play with a much deeper and wider range of sound than current digital formats like CD's and mp3's that lose a lot of information in compression.

Some tips for keeping your 8 track collection playing like new...forever:
1. Replace worn out pads: Virtually all original pads deteriorate after time, without pads (felt or foam) no 8 track tape will play.

2. Check sensing foil splice: That's the little piece of aluminum foil tape that makes the tracks change. After decades, the adhesive dries out and the splice will need replaced. Failure to do so will result in your tape being eaten by your player and damage to both the tape and player that is not only annoying, but can be very costly to repair.

3. Clean your player: Head and capstan cleaner cartridges are available and need to be used. You can also use cotton swabs and alcohol to clean tape debris off the head and capstan roller.

4. Do not put any unserviced tape into your good player: Have a backup player on hand to fast forward your new tapes to the splice. Check and (usually) replace the splice and pads prior to use in your good player. Also clean any loose pad debris out of tape. Most all tapes you buy on eBay will need to be serviced to prevent damage to the tape and player.

Rachael

www.8-track-shack.com

[Lori]

i have an 8-track player in my '73 airstream! i'll be scouting for tapes at garage sales...

[Ellie]

Mom's and 8 tracks, ... maybe your memories are better; mine are of waking up to the entire living / dining open area sea of tape my mother had thoroughly pulled one by one from my dad's extensive collection. It was two inches deep.

[Carrie]

Yes! I keep a giant old wooden console stereo in my studio. It has a working 8-track player but my (hand-me-down) collection is limited to 2 tapes of Scottish pipes, Godspell, Elvis, Andy Williams, random gospel music and my favorite, a mix of Christmas songs.

[katherine]

My 8-track player doesn't work, but I still buy 8-tracks when I see in thrift stores.

My favorites...

Devo - Are We Not Men
Pharoah Sanders - Summun Bukmun Umyun
Blondie - Paralell Lines

[anne]

ok i'm having a serious flashback. ford el something station wagon with wood paneling on the side, 8 track in the dash, magnetic st. christopher statue on top. fab! thanks for the memories! :)

anne
www.poofny.etsy.com