Full-Track Productions

UPDATE 15 May 2023 The studio/shop is now closed.  I will continue to do motor overhauls and pinch-wheel sales. Due to space limitations, I can no longer offer other repairs.

NEW PHONE NUMBER (206) 307-0161

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Seattle, Washington USA

To contact Full-Track Productions, ping us at 

• Dubs from disc (including 16" transcriptions), tape, wire recordings, and grooved Dictabelts
• Motor rebuilding for 300, 350, 351, 354, AG-350 and AG-440 Ampex recorders (no dc servo motors)
• Replacement turntable pads and pinch wheels for Ampex recorders updated 2022 Jan
• Replacement turntable pads for Scully 280 recorders
• Refurbished Ampex 300 capstan/flywheel assemblies
• Systems consulting and technical writing

NEW LINKS revised 2024 May

If you have re-hosted these in the past, please download the most recent revisions (or better yet, please link to this page).

New-manufacture 300/35x/440 pinch-wheel cores now available
We have contracted with an experienced vendor to manufacture Ampex-style pinch wheels.  These are made from fresh precision-ground nitrile/Buna-N synthetic rubber on a computer-manufactured aluminum core with a fresh bronze bearing.  These parts will long outlast rollers made from urethane.  Click here for more information.

General audio topics

• Simple home-brewed microphone polarity tester with minimal parts
• Non-destructive testing of tape heads (from Jan 1961 Electronics World)
• Thoughts on owning/operating old Ampex tape machines
  

Service bulletins for specific Ampex recorders 

• Ampex 350 15 ips NAB recording equalization
• Ampex 350 MRL equalization
• UPDATED Ampex 350 electronics COMPLETE schematic variants
  
• Ampex 351 bias upgrade
• Ampex 351 Catalog number summary updated 2024 Feb
  
• Ampex 300 cautionary tales updated 2022 May
  
• Ampex 300 capstan maintenance
• Setup instructions for Ampex 350-2 (early stereo recorders)
• Service hints for Ampex AG-350 (first solid-state recorder)
• Ampex 440B and 440C roller clutch refurbishment
• Ampex 300 factory service bulletins (mostly 300 "bathtub" monaural version)
  
• Ampex general service bulletins from the 1950s (various models) plus a few from 1967

Service bulletins covering multiple models of Ampex recorders

• Survey of VU meters used on Ampex recorders
• Overview of head installation/adjustments for older Ampexes
• Beau capstan motor service (with wiring diagrams)
  
• Ampex 350 351 AG-350 Beau motor mods
• Replacing capstan idler core for Ampex 300-, 35x-, and 440-series recorders
• Adding slow-start capstan to 35x transports modified for 30 ips
• Ampex turntable height Rev 5
• Removing the high-frequency record boost from early Ampex tape recorders
• Removing the Noise-Balance circuit from early Ampex tape recorders
• Original Ampex 300/350/351 service bulletins
• Summary of tension adjustments for Ampex recorders
• Modifications to change from NAB to CCIR (IEC1/DIN), from Ampex, circa 1960
• Strobe discs (50/60Hz) and instructions for fine-tuning the speed of Ampex 300 capstan drive
• UPDATED Quick notes on Ampex reel motor overhauling (rev 1.3)

I've also added links to some legacy pages

• Hewlett-Packard 200CD oscillator modifications
• Complete guide to cable lacing
• Old WILL Radio (University of Illinois) photos
• Travis Tapak manual