(Part Two)

Hi, Folks!

I'm Catherine from 4-a-little-lady, an active eBay 8-track store. Are you confused about the mysteries of the 8-track? If so, perhaps I can help.

To comply with eBay size requirements this guide will be posted in sections. You are reading:

Part Two: Buying Tips.

(Guide: Part One, is found under "music" to section "other".)

Introduction

WARNING: 8-track music tapes are a fragile music source.  Tapes malfunctioned easily 40-years ago; tapes malfunction today. The design of the 8-track tape creates this problem.  Please see part-one for a detailed discussion on tape construction.

Buying Tips:

(Continued from Guide: Pt. 1)

Inside Photos?

~~~ Buyers, if you want to listen to music, remember that a picture is not worth a thousand words when it comes to 8-track tapes.

Your case and label condition can't tell you what's going on with pads, roller, splicing foil, and tape inside of the case. Sometimes really-used looking tapes indicate that they have been working fine for years; new looking tapes indicate that nobody has played them over the years for a reason. 

Sellers enjoy pre-sale questions! Simply click the number beside of our names to reach us quickly.

Read Feedbacks

~~~Always before buying tapes, read feedbacks! Click the number beside your sellers name. This will show you everything others have said about their sales from day #1 forward.  

Reading FEEDBACK is very important when buying 8-track tapes. Feedbacks tell you more than just what others are saying. You can see what your seller is buying and selling by clicking on the item number at the end of every feedback. Is the tape that you want to buy there where you can see what your seller paid for it? Always read feedbacks.

Negative feedbacks are not always bad. Almost all highly active sellers will have a few negatives comments over the course a  year. You can't please everybody, all of the time, when you deal in volume sales.  Read those negative comments and weigh them against the number of positive comments before jumping to a final conclusion about your seller.    

The Sealed Tape Myth 

Folks? If you are buying tapes to play, don't believe that a factory-sealed, never-opened 8-track tape is guaranteed to be problem free; this is a myth.  Foam pads, rollers, and splicing foil can be just as bad inside of a sealed box, as outside of it. The difference is that nobody can tell what's inside of the sealed box until the tape is opened.

Problems inside of a sealed tape can occur from the makers use of a  petroleum based lubricant that only some used on their tapes. This can turn your sealed rubber parts into "goo" or act as an agent that helped your pads to become old before being used. Splicing tape is attached by a glue product, some glues get brittle with age allowing the tab to fall off.

The most problematic sealed tapes seem to be the head-cleaning tapes. Always, always, always,  buy opened and tested head-cleaning tapes if you can.   

 Pads: Foam or Fuzzy?

Most 8-track tape titles are put out by more than one source. When a choice is presented to you, always try to buy tapes with 2 "fuzzy" pads attached to metal wings instead of a tape with a single foam pad. The tapes with the 2 pads normally put out a better sound quality and also hold up longer than those with the foam pads. (Pads are not hard to replace, please see my future guide on repairs.)

This (Part Two) Guide Is Under Construction

Please Check Back Again

 

(This guide is being produced by a cheery, non-professional, slightly-graying, 8-track collector who just loves her hobby. Thank you for all of your wonderful comments of encouragement. )

Everybody have a great day! Catherine from 4-a-little-lady