Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

scruffygit · 17th Jul 2006, 4:38 pm

I just bought one Ebay that looked OK cosmetically, but apparently plays OK but has trouble with slow RW and FF. Seemed like a bargain at £35 + £12 shipping. I hope so! Any tips or sources for Sony spares etc , would be appreciated....now all I have to do is wait for it to turn up! Ta.

Stewart · 17th Jul 2006, 6:55 pm

I'm not familiar with the TC458 as such, but many Sony machines of this period used grease that turns to toffee after a few years.

My suggestion would be to remove any top covers and check on the quality of the grease in the mechanism, removing, cleaning and replacing as required. Whilst inside clean up any rubber drive surfaces. Even if all appears well with the lubrication observing the mechanism when winding (or attempting to) may well show the cause.

I suspect nothing will actually need replacing - just a bit of TLC to the mechanincs.

Good luck - let us know what you find when you get the machine

scruffygit · 18th Jul 2006, 9:07 am

Hi Stewart. Thanks for the reply. I'm looking for ward to the beast arriving. I'll post my findings. it would be good if it's just TLC required.

scruffygit · 15th Aug 2006, 10:19 am

Well just thoought I'd let you know about my TC-458 experience. It eventually arrived from the Ebay seller.....3 weeks after paying for it! When it got here Parcelfoce had used it for football practice! The wooden case was smashed on one side and that was detached from the rest of the case and on the front panel right down at the bottom edge it had a dent approx 1cm wide by the same deep!
Anyway I set to on the beast......lots of gooey grease removed , loads of cleaning , re-lubed, case repaired, replacement finishing strip on the front lower edge, heads and transport cleaned and de-magged, switches etc cleaned......and wow it sounds and works a treat. Even the auto reverse with the Sony Roto-head system works like a dream. It's a 4 head machine with 2 Erase, 1 play and 1 record. FF heads, with no sign of wear. I think it's mid 70's vintage and quite a rare model. I'll try and add a picture of it, I'm really chuffed with the old gal!

Roger13 · 15th Aug 2006, 12:11 pm

Hi (do I really have to call you scruffygit?),

Nice looking machine. Sorry to hear about the bad parcel handling - I had the same experience with a Ferrograph. Happily they'd have needed a nuke to damage that!

I have a fancy for one of the big Sony/Pioneer/Technics machines. My experience of the Japanese machines is so far limited to Akai's 4000 series which are excellent and fabulous value for money. I'd be very interested to hear of your 'extended use' impressions.

Regards,

Roger.

Nickthedentist · 15th Aug 2006, 5:58 pm

That looks liike a nice machine, an absolute bargain for the money

.

It's the first Sony I've seen that uses piano keys - all the ones I've played with had a rotary control.

Nick.

DOFFERY · 15th Aug 2006, 6:06 pm

Hello Scruffy Git,

Re. your Sony. poor wind ,rewind, check the drive belts, single motor drive, more than likely the belt/s are a bit past their sell by date.

Cheers.

Doffery

scruffygit · 17th Aug 2006, 10:47 am

Hi guys.....you can just call me Scuffy!
The belts were all OK on the Sony....the main problem , other than the cosmetics was toffee type grease. The roto head system and the most of the transport were seized with the old grease. Really good cleaning and re-greasing seemed to fix all that. Anyway she's going on Ebay tonight ! I'm getting into these old beasts and enjoying refurbishing them. I've done a Revox B77 Mk2 and an Akai 4000 DS k2 and I'm at the mo working on another 4000 DS Mk2. The Revox needed a new VU meter, clean, re-lube etc....the counter belts were Ok, but lots of cosmetics were needed to restore it to it's former glory....it came from a heavy smoker and it's the first time I'd seen a yellow Revox! The 4000DS had been bodged on the FWD/REC switch mechanism, and I had to use lots of parts from a scrapper, also needed a replacement VU meter and counter belt + lots of elbow grease! It's a great sense of achievment when you get a machine back up and running and looking and sounding good.

17th Jul 2006, 4:38 pm	#1
scruffygit Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 48	Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? I just bought one Ebay that looked OK cosmetically, but apparently plays OK but has trouble with slow RW and FF. Seemed like a bargain at £35 + £12 shipping. I hope so! Any tips or sources for Sony spares etc , would be appreciated....now all I have to do is wait for it to turn up! Ta.

17th Jul 2006, 6:55 pm	#2
Stewart Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: N.E. Surrey, UK. Posts: 361	Re: Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? I'm not familiar with the TC458 as such, but many Sony machines of this period used grease that turns to toffee after a few years. My suggestion would be to remove any top covers and check on the quality of the grease in the mechanism, removing, cleaning and replacing as required. Whilst inside clean up any rubber drive surfaces. Even if all appears well with the lubrication observing the mechanism when winding (or attempting to) may well show the cause. I suspect nothing will actually need replacing - just a bit of TLC to the mechanincs. Good luck - let us know what you find when you get the machine

18th Jul 2006, 9:07 am	#3
scruffygit Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 48	Re: Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? Hi Stewart. Thanks for the reply. I'm looking for ward to the beast arriving. I'll post my findings. it would be good if it's just TLC required.

15th Aug 2006, 10:19 am	#4
scruffygit Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 48	Re: Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? Well just thoought I'd let you know about my TC-458 experience. It eventually arrived from the Ebay seller.....3 weeks after paying for it! When it got here Parcelfoce had used it for football practice! The wooden case was smashed on one side and that was detached from the rest of the case and on the front panel right down at the bottom edge it had a dent approx 1cm wide by the same deep! Anyway I set to on the beast......lots of gooey grease removed , loads of cleaning , re-lubed, case repaired, replacement finishing strip on the front lower edge, heads and transport cleaned and de-magged, switches etc cleaned......and wow it sounds and works a treat. Even the auto reverse with the Sony Roto-head system works like a dream. It's a 4 head machine with 2 Erase, 1 play and 1 record. FF heads, with no sign of wear. I think it's mid 70's vintage and quite a rare model. I'll try and add a picture of it, I'm really chuffed with the old gal! Attached Thumbnails

15th Aug 2006, 12:11 pm	#5
Roger13 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wrentham, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 508	Re: Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? Hi (do I really have to call you scruffygit?), Nice looking machine. Sorry to hear about the bad parcel handling - I had the same experience with a Ferrograph. Happily they'd have needed a nuke to damage that! I have a fancy for one of the big Sony/Pioneer/Technics machines. My experience of the Japanese machines is so far limited to Akai's 4000 series which are excellent and fabulous value for money. I'd be very interested to hear of your 'extended use' impressions. Regards, Roger.

15th Aug 2006, 5:58 pm	#6
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,846	Re: Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? That looks liike a nice machine, an absolute bargain for the money. It's the first Sony I've seen that uses piano keys - all the ones I've played with had a rotary control. Nick.

15th Aug 2006, 6:06 pm	#7
DOFFERY Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 1,488	Re: Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? Hello Scruffy Git, Re. your Sony. poor wind ,rewind, check the drive belts, single motor drive, more than likely the belt/s are a bit past their sell by date. Cheers. Doffery

17th Aug 2006, 10:47 am	#8
scruffygit Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Buckinghamshire, UK. Posts: 48	Re: Anyone know anything about Sony TC458's ? Hi guys.....you can just call me Scuffy! The belts were all OK on the Sony....the main problem , other than the cosmetics was toffee type grease. The roto head system and the most of the transport were seized with the old grease. Really good cleaning and re-greasing seemed to fix all that. Anyway she's going on Ebay tonight ! I'm getting into these old beasts and enjoying refurbishing them. I've done a Revox B77 Mk2 and an Akai 4000 DS k2 and I'm at the mo working on another 4000 DS Mk2. The Revox needed a new VU meter, clean, re-lube etc....the counter belts were Ok, but lots of cosmetics were needed to restore it to it's former glory....it came from a heavy smoker and it's the first time I'd seen a yellow Revox! The 4000DS had been bodged on the FWD/REC switch mechanism, and I had to use lots of parts from a scrapper, also needed a replacement VU meter and counter belt + lots of elbow grease! It's a great sense of achievment when you get a machine back up and running and looking and sounding good.