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Elizabethan LZ 29 reel to reel tape recorder


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Old 12-07-2016, 17:27
daisydee
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Hope this is the right thread for this query.

I have one of these and want to play some self recorded tapes from the 1950s. I'm trying to find my way around the controls but so far there is no sound (from the tapes). Is it possible that the tape head is no longer functioning or that the tapes have deteriorated to the extent that there is no longer anything on them? They look to be in good order.
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Old 12-07-2016, 17:47
Chris Frost
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Does it have a built in speaker or do you need to connect an external one?
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Old 12-07-2016, 18:00
anthony david
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These machines date from the 60's, are self contained and use valves. With the volume turned up you should hear hiss, hum and possibly muffled speech/music with the tape playing. If the sound is poor clean the heads with cotton bud soaked in alcohol, vodka would do at a push. The tape should be loaded with the dull side towards the tape heads. If you are getting absolutely nothing see if there is an output for a speaker on a phono socket, if so push a phono plug in and out of the socket several times as the socket may have a switch to cut the internal speaker when an external speaker is used and those switches get dirty over time. As a long shot, putting the model number into Google may bring up something from an enthusiast.

If the tapes have been badly stored they may shed oxide rapidly causing the sound to go low level and muffled.
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Old 12-07-2016, 20:42
daisydee
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Thanks for replies.
Built in speaker, vaguely remember using it about 15/20 years ago. Tapes are in original boxes and look to be in good condition, no obvious sign of deterioration.
I looked on youtube for info, but not much available on this particular model. Will put in a general search.
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Old 12-07-2016, 22:06
Tassium
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The thing to determine is; are the Elizabethan LZ29 electronics still in working order?

As 'anthony david' said above, without any tape in the machine (but it operating and play selected) there should be a hum/hiss from the speaker.

If there isn't then it's probably faulty.
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Old 12-07-2016, 23:09
chrisjr
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If it uses valves then you should be able to look through the ventilation slits and see the valves glowing if they are working (would not advise taking it apart though as they can use some nasty voltages). It should also get noticeably warm after a few minutes.

I'm also not entirely convinced that 60 year old tapes will be in a playable condition anyway. You would need a temperature and humidity controlled store room to preserve tapes that long. I've seen tapes only a few years old that have been stored badly shed oxide so much the tape almost becomes transparent!
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Old 13-07-2016, 04:10
spiney2
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Clean replay head with cotton buds and meths.
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Old 13-07-2016, 09:29
chrisjr
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Clean replay head with cotton buds and meths.
Not meths, or at least not the purple stuff sold in the shops. That leaves a residue behind. The pure clear stuff that you used to need a licence to buy (not sure if you still do as it is a very long time since I bought any) was perfectly fine.

Isopropyl Alcohol which you can get from the likes of Maplin would be better.
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Old 13-07-2016, 12:50
Nigel Goodwin
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Not meths, or at least not the purple stuff sold in the shops. That leaves a residue behind. The pure clear stuff that you used to need a licence to buy (not sure if you still do as it is a very long time since I bought any) was perfectly fine.
Meths is perfectly fine for cleaning tape recorder heads - and even for VCR heads (although less so), any tiny deposits aren't of any concern at all for audio tape recorders.

Best to use pure alcohol, if you have any?, but purple meths is fine.
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Old 13-07-2016, 16:26
tealady
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Must be a fake. I'm sure these devices weren't around in the 16th century.
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Old 13-07-2016, 17:24
Nigel Goodwin
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Must be a fake. I'm sure these devices weren't around in the 16th century.
I must admit I don't have the faintest idea who 'Elizabethan' were? - and I repaired load's of their tape recorders 'back in the day' - in common with most of the cheap makes they used BSR tape decks.

Pretty similar to Fidelity models - but not identical (except for the mechanics of course).
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Old 13-07-2016, 17:34
anthony david
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Made in Romford apparently. I owned a similar version which I bought second hand in the late 60's, the picture of an LZ 27 on this site looks familiar. It was OK but hardly HiFi.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/elizabetha_lz29l.html
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Old 13-07-2016, 19:05
Nigel Goodwin
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Made in Romford apparently. I owned a similar version which I bought second hand in the late 60's, the picture of an LZ 27 on this site looks familiar. It was OK but hardly HiFi.
I don't know, it's was three speed, 4-track, and took 7 inch reels - pretty decent HiFi for it's day.

Thanks for that, I notice it used a Collaro deck, the later cheaper ones were BSR.
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Old 13-07-2016, 21:01
daisydee
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Deary me - technology of yesteryear! Forgot that the tapes are only one sided. The reason for the red & green tape at the beginning and the end of the tape finally kicked in. Unfortunately I don't seem to be able to get the right speed as the knob won't turn, it is fixed on 71/2" and my tapes are small, consequently the sound comes out at high speed.
I always knew I would have problems with the speed as the recording were made on a Grundig portable tape recorder. It took 3 or 4 U2 batteries which were not fit for the job, the power diminished whilst recording and even more so on play back. But would be great to hear again what's on these tapes,
.
Looking at the tape deck in the link above, I can see that the speed knob on my recorder is small and brown, I wonder if it is a slightly different model, although everything else is the same apart from the space for storing the plug/connector, which is larger on mine. Or maybe the knob has been replaced at some time.
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Old 14-07-2016, 13:29
Nigel Goodwin
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Unfortunately I don't seem to be able to get the right speed as the knob won't turn, it is fixed on 71/2" and my tapes are small, consequently the sound comes out at high speed.
I always knew I would have problems with the speed as the recording were made on a Grundig portable tape recorder. It took 3 or 4 U2 batteries which were not fit for the job, the power diminished whilst recording and even more so on play back. But would be great to hear again what's on these tapes,
Normal tape speed is 3-3/4 ips, more expensive (higher quality) ones added 7-1/2 ips to give improved quality, and 1-7/8 ips to give longer recording times (but obviously lower quality).

If the know won't turn, then it's probably seized up somewhere, the grease will have hardened with age - it's a VERY common fault. It should be pretty easy to fix, and small, and accurate, applying drops of WD40 (and a little patience) might be all that's required.

However, under NO circumstances squirt WD40 at random, it will probably never work again. You're looking at 'dribbling' WD40 on the seized parts, rather than 'squirting'.
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Old 14-07-2016, 21:17
ianradioian
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I must admit I don't have the faintest idea who 'Elizabethan' were? - and I repaired load's of their tape recorders 'back in the day' - in common with most of the cheap makes they used BSR tape decks.

Pretty similar to Fidelity models - but not identical (except for the mechanics of course).
A lot of their cassette stuff was Hitachi stuff badged as Elizabethan, especially cassette recorders and radio cassettes from the late 60s into the mid 70s. I think " Van Der Molen " was the same firm, too-based in Romford
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Old 14-07-2016, 22:45
daisydee
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Normal tape speed is 3-3/4 ips, more expensive (higher quality) ones added 7-1/2 ips to give improved quality, and 1-7/8 ips to give longer recording times (but obviously lower quality).

If the know won't turn, then it's probably seized up somewhere, the grease will have hardened with age - it's a VERY common fault. It should be pretty easy to fix, and small, and accurate, applying drops of WD40 (and a little patience) might be all that's required.

However, under NO circumstances squirt WD40 at random, it will probably never work again. You're looking at 'dribbling' WD40 on the seized parts, rather than 'squirting'.
Thanks Nigel. My WD40 is in a spray can so will have to work out how to get the oil around the base of the knob as you describe.
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Old 15-07-2016, 00:30
Tassium
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Spray some into the cap of the can itself.

Then using either the thin plastic tube that comes with WD40 or a tooth-pick, dip it into the WD40 in the cap and then touch that to what you wish to oil.

However I think it's likely the problem will be inside the machine. Obviously unplug from the mains before opening. Probably leave it overnight.
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Old 15-07-2016, 08:44
Nigel Goodwin
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Thanks Nigel. My WD40 is in a spray can so will have to work out how to get the oil around the base of the knob as you describe.
Personally I've always simply applied slight, and accurate, pressure to the button and allowed the WD40 to simply 'dribble' out of the nozzle. If you're not confident of that, then Tassium's suggestion is a good one.

But you need to first find out exactly where it's seized, it's unlikely to be the knob itself.
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Old 15-07-2016, 08:46
Nigel Goodwin
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A lot of their cassette stuff was Hitachi stuff badged as Elizabethan, especially cassette recorders and radio cassettes from the late 60s into the mid 70s. I think " Van Der Molen " was the same firm, too-based in Romford
Interesting, we used to see various Van Der Molen products as well.
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