Watkins copycat heads.

[fetteler]

(Moderator's note; Split from this thread.)

Are you sure that the heads have been replaced as I have one of these and it too has cassette heads. I'm curious, and wonder if I should also be in the market for some originals?

Cheers,
Steve.

[Refugee]

I am pretty sure they were 1/4 inch loops on most of those machines.
I might be wrong though.

[fetteler]

Yes they were 1/4" loops alright there's no doubt about that, the cassette heads had the tape guides removed and are mounted in little aluminium carriers. There have been many variations on the copicat over the years; I've just been looking around and have come across these two pictures (among many others) which are exactly the same as mine (and the one in the OP) so I'm beginning the think that the cassette heads are original on these models.

Steve.

[Refugee]

I just thought the loops and the heads were one and the same. I can understand them using cassette heads at times when they were manufactured in great numbers because if the number on each machine. They do look like shimmed out 1/4 brackets though.

[fetteler]

Yes, I see what you mean, but if you look at a 'real' 1/4" copicat you can see that the heads are very differently mounted. I'm now certain that the cassette heads are original and to retain the character of this version of machine, are best retained. I just checked on my copicat and the brackets are not shimmed out, they look to be made specifically for the heads.
Steve.

[Refugee]

The ones I have got would have to be used with existing guides as they do not have any welded onto them. I have not looked at a copycat for a long time as I have not been asked to fix any gig gear for a few years. I think the one I got to see was much older and it never needed to be repaired so not a close look.

[dragonser]

Hi, when I worked for a music shop in the early 1980's they did some repair work for Wem.
From what I can remember there were several different heads fitted to the copycat units. The Copicat units do have a unique sound.

Regards, Peter.

[Refugee]

I once tried to build one I got it working for one record and one play head with 1/2 track heads 3 1/2 IPS using an old language school deck and a head plate was waiting to give it the 5 heads. The Circuit could record on one head while playing on the other as it was. I had to give up due to a stressful house move and never had enough van space. I do have a couple of the PCBs with germanium transistors in them.

[Refugee]

If i had completed it there would have been switching between all the playback amplifiers as each channel was full to a 600 ohm line output. The old transport had enough space to "stack" the circuit boards on pillars over each other. It was also adorned with a very clunky wired stop/start remote control via an octal connector. I was only able to save several PCBs with all OC series transistors on them. It would have been fun to complete it however external factors killed that project. it was pushed aside by the cinema amplifiers i have been tinkering with.

[Electric-Hair]

Originally Posted by dragonser

Hi, when I worked for a music shop in the early 1980's they did some repair work for Wem.
From what I can remember there were several different heads fitted to the copycat units. The Copicat units do have a unique sound.

Regards, Peter.

One might have been heads used in those 8-track cartridge machines. I assume it would be quite expensive to manfacture non-standard sizes.

[Valvewhiz1]

You could try contacting Charlie Watkins, or search for Watkins Electro Music, he has info on his site!