Echoplex EP-4 slider issue

[Dessert guy]

Hey there everyone!

First time posting here. Just acquired a 77 EP-4 echoplex and it sounds lovely but I’m noticing a few issues. Number one being the slide is tough to move, some spots will slide right by easily but other spots on the tracks take some serious force. Also, if the play head get too close to the record head - the fastest delay time, the tape will stop spinning. In which case I have to move it to the right a bit and then it starts again.

The other two intermittent issues are :

A. A squeak coming from somewhere but I can’t seem to locate it.

B. Very occasionally a loud pop happens almost as if the cable is being pulled out of an input or something.

Anyway thanks and any help is very much appreciated. Thanks!

[olddawg]

Hey there everyone!

First time posting here. Just acquired a 77 EP-4 echoplex and it sounds lovely but I’m noticing a few issues. Number one being the slide is tough to move, some spots will slide right by easily but other spots on the tracks take some serious force. Also, if the play head get too close to the record head - the fastest delay time, the tape will stop spinning. In which case I have to move it to the right a bit and then it starts again.

The other two intermittent issues are :

A. A squeak coming from somewhere but I can’t seem to locate it.

B. Very occasionally a loud pop happens almost as if the cable is being pulled out of an input or something.

Anyway thanks and any help is very much appreciated. Thanks!

Replace the pinch roller and lubricate the bearing. Check the pinch roller pressure to the capstan. Check/lubricate the capstan bearing. Clean/lubricate the slider track with a little molybdenum grease. (Very little). It’s basically a tape deck. Check the tape tension. Demagnetize, etc..