How to Load a Seven-Inch Reel-to-Reel Tape Recoder

Seven-inch reel tape recorders were the most common tape recorder type between the 1950's and late 1970's. Starting in the late 1950's, companies such as Sony and Wollensak began creating their own lines of consumer tape recorders that became very popular.



Reel-to-reel tape recorders replaced record cutters and wire recording devices as the radio industry medium of choice. 7-inch reel-to-reel tape recorders use 1/4-inch thick tape which can be easily "spliced" or cut with a razor blade, and then taped to another piece to create a smooth edit.

Things You'll Need

• Reel-to-reel tape recorder
• Reel tape

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Place the empty reel on the right-most reel peg.

   • 2

     Place the reel containing tape on the remaining peg on the left.

   • 3

     Rotate the left reel counter-clockwise until a short length of tape comes unraveled.

   • 4

     Lead the tape around the tape head and up through the slot in your second reel.

   • 5

     Slide the tip of the tape through the side slot of your right reel and twist that reel counter-clockwise. This will lock the tape for winding on the take-up reel.

   • 6

     Press the "Play" button. Hearing sound from your tape will confirm that you have loaded your reel-to-reel tape recorder properly.