Early 60's before we had a record player in our house my dad had a reel-to-reel tape recorder.

Seem to remember it had a comforting warm smell. Probably the valves that seemed to drive pretty much anything electrical back in those days.

We would do our best to record music through the microphone from the T.V. and radio. Pretty rubbish - but anything was better than nothing.

And I would be up at our local record shop with my nose against the window staring enviously at the Beatles albums on reel-to-reel in those little cardboard boxes they used to sell them in. Wondering if I could ever afford one - but my pocket money wouldn't have even made a dent in the price.

Got me wondering what else was ever released on reel-to-reel. I am guessing some of the show albums which were hugely popular like South Pacific etc. etc.

But did anythig from the R & B/Soul genre ever get released on this medium??!!

Intrigued to know.

MB

Early 60's before we had a record player in our house my dad had a reel-to-reel tape recorder.

Seem to remember it had a comforting warm smell. Probably the valves that seemed to drive pretty much anything electrical back in those days.

We would do our best to record music through the microphone from the T.V. and radio. Pretty rubbish - but anything was better than nothing.

And I would be up at our local record shop with my nose against the window staring enviously at the Beatles albums on reel-to-reel in those little cardboard boxes they used to sell them in. Wondering if I could ever afford one - but my pocket money wouldn't have even made a dent in the price.

Got me wondering what else was ever released on reel-to-reel. I am guessing some of the show albums which were hugely popular like South Pacific etc. etc.

But did anythig from the R & B/Soul genre ever get released on this medium??!!

Intrigued to know.

MB

Many of the Motown LPs were released on reel to reel. Not like berry Gordy to risk losing a sale in ANY medium.

Regards,

Dave

I have a reel to reel of James Browns 'It's a mother' on King........so for sure, the King label dipped their collective toe in the water

Many of the Motown LPs were released on reel to reel. Not like berry Gordy to risk losing a sale in ANY medium.

Regards,

Dave

Thanks Dave,

I suppose there must still be some around - in specialist collections.

Would love to hear one played on an old valve tape recorder. Just to know what I missed back then.

MB

Thanks Dave,

I suppose there must still be some around - in specialist collections.

Would love to hear one played on an old valve tape recorder. Just to know what I missed back then.

MB

Not 'reel to reel' but along similar lines I have two Linda Jones albums on 8 track ...but with no means to play them Look good on display though, Mike

Not 'reel to reel' but along similar lines I have two Linda Jones albums on 8 track ...but with no means to play them Look good on display though, Mike

Mike

Can you believe it - as I was writing that post I was wondering what/if anything came out on 8-track.

(Sorry if this story is too boring) But I think I only experienced an 8-track player once in my life.

It would have been summer 1971, a Friday evening, and I was hitching about 70 miles to my parents' house.

Had about 50 miles to go and round the roundabout came a beautiful Jensen Interceptor. When the guy opened the door and told me to jump in I was in in a state of shock. Cream leather seats, 8-track cassette in the console. I don't think I experienced such opulence before or since.

Really nice guy - I seem to recall he was a car dealer and he would use the best car on his books for his weekend transport.

He was quite apologetic that he lived about 4 miles short of my destination. I was getting ready to hop out when he said "I'd be a real b****** to drop you here wouldn't I?" So carried on right to my parents' front door and there was my Dad looking out of the widow!

Result!!

Such great days!!!

MB

Mike

Can you believe it - as I was writing that post I was wondering what/if anything came out on 8-track.

(Sorry if this story is too boring) But I think I only experienced an 8-track player once in my life.

It would have been summer 1971, a Friday evening, and I was hitching about 70 miles to my parents' house.

Had about 50 miles to go and round the roundabout came a beautiful Jensen Interceptor. When the guy opened the door and told me to jump in I was in in a state of shock. Cream leather seats, 8-track cassette in the console. I don't think I experienced such opulence before or since.

Really nice guy - I seem to recall he was a car dealer and he would use the best car on his books for his weekend transport.

He was quite apologetic that he lived about 4 miles short of my destination. I was getting ready to hop out when he said "I'd be a real b****** to drop you here wouldn't I?" So carried on right to my parents' front door and there was my Dad looking out of the widow!

Result!!

Such great days!!!

MB

I think an awful lot did come out - often mentioned on the back of US vinyl albums. They were pretty good quality if I remember rightly - but lost out to cassettes - bit like betamax vs VHS. My mate had one in his car - always remember you could hear the mechanism change between the tracks - Mike

Does anyone kn ow where you can get reel transferred to disc/cd?

Not 'reel to reel' but along similar lines I have two Linda Jones albums on 8 track ...but with no means to play them Look good on display though, Mike

Mike have a look at this site

https://www.8trackheaven.com/

There is a sales section where you can buy 8 track players

Does anyone kn ow where you can get reel transferred to disc/cd?

I copuld have done it last week,but got rid of reel to reel after 100club.

Ive seen a few Soul related reels over the years, here's one of the best:

regards paul

Nice thread!

I well remember taping 'The Motown Story' on my old fellas Reel to Reel, back when it was broadcast on the Radio.

Must have been around 1970? Can't remember what station? Luxembourg perhaps?

Long before Music Format mattered a jot, I absolutely treasured, lived and breathed that recording ... at least until I bought the vinyl boxed set.

I recently stumbled across an old box of tapes that I'd built up around that time, so I went and bought a very nice AKAI 1710L to play them on.

The sound was amazing, so warm and soulful and clear as a bell.

Almost like being in the studio!

Lovely format Reel to Reel.

Bring it back I say!

Sean

Advert from 1965

'you can play back 2- and 4- track pre-recorded stereo tapes'

I wonder how much 'race' music was available in the format at the time?

Edited June 3, 201014 yr by simon t

The sound was amazing, so warm and soulful and clear as a bell.

Almost like being in the studio!

Lovely format Reel to Reel.

Sean

Funny how we both used the term warm - albeit in different contexts.

Definitely a unique medium.

Something came into my mind since my first post. Round 1972 when I was in my first house share some quality affordable hi-fi was starting to come on the market and there was all sorts of one-upmanship going on. Not me mind - I was the champion of mono - and spending my money on vinyl instead of electronics.

But one kid in our crowd turned up one day with the real trump card. He had splashed out on a seriously expensive Grundig reel-to-reel machine. His boast was that it was so expensive that he couldn't afford an amp or speakers.

So he bought some headphones and just sat in the corner listening to it through headphones and the pre-amp.

Strange fella!!

MB

Edited June 3, 201014 yr by MBarrett

I remember we had a Telefunken reel to reel recorder sometime in the mid to late 60's

Something like this one I seem to think.

But I don't think I bothered recording anything particular on it - nor bought any pre-recorded tapes for it.

But eight tracks was a different matter, I had a few of those

Edited June 3, 201014 yr by John Benson

Mike have a look at this site

https://www.8trackheaven.com/

There is a sales section where you can buy 8 track players

Sorry Dave - just seen your reply - thanks for that!!