[Reelman]

I also had trouble with the A-B switch within quite a short space of time after buying it. I don't know if switch cleaner will fix the problem, I just don't think the switch is up to the job, it got used a lot.

I also had problems with the tracks lifting very easily on the board that contains the A-B switch when soldering.

One interesting little issue on the earlier machines is oscillation of the sprung tape guides during playback/record. Can get violent enough to affect the sound quality. Philips fixed this by attaching a damping mechanism to each guide consisting of two disks with a viscous liquid between. Sadly my machine did not have them.....

I have to say that in nine years of hard use very little went wrong.

Peter