YUCK

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:00 am

So I got this Tapco spring 'verb on eBay...you know, the big stereo one with the eq sliders...and it arrived in good shape and looks to be in almost perfect physical condition. Then I plugged it in. Man alive...it sounds good, but the sliders are freaking gunked all to hell! TONS of scratchiness, etc. How are they so dirty when the rest is so clean? So I cracked the sucker open and noticed that the foam pads inside the reverb tanks seem to have disintegrated...and lo and behold, take a look at the circuit board. OUCH

There's a part of me that just wants to throw the whole thing in the dishwasher. Instead I'll get out the alcohol, qtips, and contact cleaner. Good lord what a mess.

Milkmansound · Post by **Milkmansound** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:30 am

that is filthy. I had to repair a light board once - there were about a hundred of faders just like that and I replaced all of them.

you might consider new ones.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:34 am

If they stay scratchy after cleaning, I will. Shouldn't be too taxing.

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:47 am

Speaking of "YUCK", my girlfriend has a bunch of older mics, I think EV, that had that foam on the capsule that melted like that. How can I clean that shit off the capsules without damaging them? I would like to use them. Perhaps I'll take some photos as well to make this thread as gross as possible.

Jeff

Rodgre · Post by **Rodgre** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:36 am

Let this be another reminder of owners of older Ashly gear and Realistic Moog MG-1s. Clean out the decomposed foam! What a nightmare.

Roger

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:38 am

decomposed foam...please tell me there's none of that shit in DeltaLab gear.

rjd2 · Post by **rjd2** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:25 am

the inside of every moog rogue is that picture.

wait til you have the treat of getting it off your fingers. its stays there longer than that other stuff that stays on your finger for a long time.

Phiz · Post by **Phiz** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:24 am

Rodgre wrote:Let this be another reminder of owners of older Ashly gear .... Clean out the decomposed foam!

How old? I've got a graphic Ashly EQ that I've never opened up...

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:33 am

Well, nice surprise, it actually cleaned up great, and there's hardly any scratchiness now. I might replace the sliders someday anyway...they SUCK...very cheap plastic buggers. They don't like to move. It shouldn't be too hard to get my hands on some 60mm alps right?

I had heard this was a noisy/lo-fi reverb but I am definitely not hearing it. It's quite clean, and the inputs overload nice and hairy. Very long, drippy tails...a way cool piece of kit. I recommend it...

Did you know that Tapco stands for Technical Audio Products Corporation? Well, it does. It says so right on the front panel.

littlesongs · Post by **littlesongs** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:16 pm

It shouldn't be too hard to get my hands on some 60mm alps right?

The replacement 60mm faders are not cheap if there is a gaggle of 'em:
http://www.rscomp.com.sg/1/202942704-60 ... K-LOG.html

Did you know that Tapco stands for Technical Audio Products Corporation? Well, it does. It says so right on the front panel.

In lieu of say, "The Abominable Portland Craigslist Option" or an abbreviated user instruction like, "TAP on the COnsole if it is intermittent." As one of the folks who has found these to be noisy, perhaps the secret is the foam preserving the innards with an impenetrable barrier. Our ancient Tapco rehearsal mixer would need an IV drip of Caig to keep the pots quiet.

All levity aside, I am glad it cleaned up and is behaving nicely for you. One can never have enough reverb options.

decomposed foam...please tell me there's none of that shit in DeltaLab gear.

No, not in my experience. However, the memory batteries in a Super Timeline can develop a really nice case of colic over the years. The buildup of acidic vomit tends to corrode a nice big spot fanning out from the cells. It often is so efficient that it takes out components in both the power supply section and various sundry functions in the rest of the unit. Traces are lifted, solder is eroded, and without a rebuild, it is a bulky knob donor.

japmn · Post by **japmn** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:41 pm

A guy here in Chicago has one of those I have had my eyes on but he want $350 for it.

Worth it?

I could buy a lot of spring reverb for $350

P.S. I will not disclose the location of said reverb until I decide if it is to be mine

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:46 pm

littlesongs wrote:
decomposed foam...please tell me there's none of that shit in DeltaLab gear.
No, not in my experience. However, the memory batteries in a Super Timeline can develop a really nice case of colic over the years. The buildup of acidic vomit tends to corrode a nice big spot fanning out from the cells. It often is so efficient that it takes out components in both the power supply section and various sundry functions in the rest of the unit. Traces are lifted, solder is eroded, and without a rebuild, it is a bulky knob donor.

so battery removal is a good idea on a Super Time-Line?

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 2:18 pm

This unit is NOT worth $350. I got mine for $150. You could get a freaking space echo for 350!!

littlesongs, thanks for that link!

ideaofnorth · Post by **ideaofnorth** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:56 am

vintage mxr effects tend to have disintegrating foam issues, too. what a drag.

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:08 pm

RefD wrote:
littlesongs wrote:
decomposed foam...please tell me there's none of that shit in DeltaLab gear.
No, not in my experience. However, the memory batteries in a Super Timeline can develop a really nice case of colic over the years. The buildup of acidic vomit tends to corrode a nice big spot fanning out from the cells. It often is so efficient that it takes out components in both the power supply section and various sundry functions in the rest of the unit. Traces are lifted, solder is eroded, and without a rebuild, it is a bulky knob donor.
so battery removal is a good idea on a Super Time-Line?

opened my Super Time-Line and the batteries look like new.

i never tried the memory on the thing, but after re-racking it tried out all 4 positions and they all still work!

btw, i took pics of the Super Time-Line's guts, if anyone is at all interested.

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