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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

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Old 11th Apr 2018, 4:32 pm   #1
Quadman
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Location: Hartfield, East Sussex, UK.
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Default Unknown tape recorder. Identified as a Timbra Countess.

Hi guys some help please in identifying this compact domestic mono half track 3 head tape recorder. The spools are 7" diameter, concentric one on top of the other. The machine has one two speed motor belt driving the capstan flywheel assembly and one dual coaxial motor driving the rewind and take up spools. Most of the components are of British manufacture with the motors made in the Netherlands. There are no manufacturers labels on the machine at all although there is an oval shaped hole in the top centre of the lower tape transport cover with a lamp below this so a manufacturer's badge, since lost, could have been fitted here. The case is plastic fabric covered wood with a date stamped inside "10th March 1960". Mullard valve line up is ECC83 (2), EL84, EL95 and EM71A. I would be grateful if somebody is able to give me any information on this refurbishment project as to the make and model number of this rather strange machine.
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Old 11th Apr 2018, 5:55 pm   #2
barrymagrec
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Default Re: Unknown tape recorder

Timbra Countess (or possibly the other way round)

https://www.vintagerecorders.co.uk/V...age.asp?IDS=21
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Old 11th Apr 2018, 6:53 pm   #3
rontech
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Default Re: Unknown tape recorder

I recall being at a party ( in Southport ) in about 1971, at a very large upmarket residence.

The father of the family was in a senior position with Plessey the electronics company and I was interested in the tape recorder being used for playing dance music.

It had stacked feed and take up spools like the one shown in the link ( barrymagrec post) He told me it was a model made by the Plessey Company.

Not sure if it is the same model but I have never seen another stacked reel tape recorder since.
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Old 11th Apr 2018, 7:31 pm   #4
barrymagrec
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Default Re: Unknown tape recorder

Dunno if I`ve done this link properly....

https://vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=129247
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Old 11th Apr 2018, 9:18 pm   #5
Quadman
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Default Re: Unknown tape recorder

Thanks for the swift response guys... very impressed. Yes the Countess certainly matches this recorder (3.75" and 7.5" per second) and there are quite a few Plessey components in it. It is certainly very well and solidly built and very heavy for its size.
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Old 13th Apr 2018, 3:49 pm   #6
brenellic2000
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Default Re: Unknown tape recorder. Identified as a Timbra Countess.

Plessey contract-assembled many 'famous name' pieces of audio equipment.

Of Dutch(Timbra)/Belgian (Lugavox) origin these were also marketed/assembled c.1959 by Amplion (Plessey-made?) and then sold by Radio Clearance as their 'Countess' from 1961 and finally by 'Puratone' (Newey & Eyre). Amplion went under in 1962.

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