Scully tape machines? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Tractorfan · 18th Mar 2018, 11:12 pm

Hi,
I've just read a thread about disc record cutting lathes, and the name 'Scully' arose. It made me wonder if they made professional tape machines as well? I vaguely remember years ago them being mentioned in an article somewhere.
Cheers, Pete.

arjoll · 19th Mar 2018, 4:16 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tractorfan

I've just read a thread about disc record cutting lathes, and the name 'Scully' arose. It made me wonder if they made professional tape machines as well?

Yes, quite high end units used in a lot of studios.

barrymagrec · 19th Mar 2018, 9:45 am

Scully were quite big in the early days of multitrack recording, the late sixties, but I think they lost out to Studer and 3M later - in Britain at least, it may well have been different in the US.

Stevie342000 · 20th Mar 2018, 2:44 am

It was different in the US as far as I know, Ampex had shut down whilst it moved production to Colorado for 12 months by the time they got back in to production the MR70 was no more and the 440 was their next offering, moving into multi-track using the Ampex VR1000 transport for the MM1000 range.

As far as I know Scully got into tape production in the early to mid 1960s when Presto went out of business, the engineers moved or were poached. Presto were best known for disc cutting lathes such as the 6N used at Sun Records.

In the mid-50s they failed to see the writing on the wall part of the board wanted to retire and it was sold to Bogen. After that the lack of foresight and underinvestment saw them go to the wall. Presto made lacquer discs as did Cecil Watts both circa 1934 neither could patent the idea as it was covered by earlier patents. Cecil Watts lacquer discs or actates were used by the BBC, Presto machines were imported as part of the war effort.

Cecil Watts is another nasty story as well, he had a bit of blip in production just before the outbreak of war and as part of the war effort he was supported into expansion until after WW2 by the GPO, when he left in the mid-1950s again company sold off and left to rot. He was banned from having anything to do with Disc Production or cutting for 1 or 2 years. He ran a tea room with his wife and whilst he did that he worked on the dust bug and other cleaning devices.

Tape essentially killed off both companies or many that were involved with disc cutting. Neumann did not move into the market and become market leader globally until the mid 50s, as Studer did as well. Scully went in the early 80s (I assume) and Neumann not far behind with the advent of CD.

As far as I can tell there was no UK disc cutting lathe production in the UK that survived much into the 1960s : BSR, Simons, Connoisseur, MSS (Cecil Watts), Ferranti & EMI were all semi pro, there were probably others as well. Tape and stereo disc virtually killed it all plus the machines were not cheap.

A Sugden (Connoisseur) Lathe cost £150 in 1950 and rose to £250 by 1961 (the last date I can find and it was a special order product), MSS lathes were much more than that, you're talking house or car money as an equivalent.

After that it only left the professional cutting lathes for recording, Neumann, Scully, Lyrec & Ortofon, there were others in France such as Pierre Clement/Dauphin, and Byers in Australia. It was a finite market and the machines were expensive plus they were built like tanks.

barrymagrec · 20th Mar 2018, 8:21 am

There was a British company, I can`t remember the name, somewhere in the midlands who tried to break into the Neumann / Scully market circa 1973. I think they were using an Ortofon cutting head with their own mechanism but I don`t think they got a production machine built.

wd40addict · 20th Mar 2018, 2:10 pm

Interesting insight into the demise of Presto. In the early 50s they were head-to-head with Rek-o-Kut making transcription style turntables, but then they just seemed to merge with Bogen and vanish.

A few years later Bogen retreated back from HiFi into the PA world where they had come from in the first place.

Note to UK readers: This is the American David Bogen company, not the German Bogen company who used to make the tape heads for B&O & Brenell etc.

Stevie342000 · 20th Mar 2018, 8:21 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by barrymagrec

There was a British company, I can`t remember the name, somewhere in the midlands who tried to break into the Neumann / Scully market circa 1973. I think they were using an Ortofon cutting head with their own mechanism but I don`t think they got a production machine built.

I do not remember either but I do think it is mentioned in either advert or review in Studio Sound. American Broadcast history website has the full set, pretty sure I read about it recently.

jamesperrett · 20th Mar 2018, 11:04 pm

While Neumann made their last lathe in 1987, they are still very active in professional audio as part of the Sennheiser group.

Ted Kendall · 23rd Mar 2018, 10:27 pm

Bob Auger, one of the most prolific British recording engineers between 1955 and 1985, swore by his Scullys - three two track and an eight track, all 280s. He particularly liked their robustness and how easy they were to line up. Even in the digital era, which is when I met him, although he had the Sony 1610 system he retained the Scullys and was happy that they would see him out.

18th Mar 2018, 11:12 pm	#1
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,183	Scully tape machines? Hi, I've just read a thread about disc record cutting lathes, and the name 'Scully' arose. It made me wonder if they made professional tape machines as well? I vaguely remember years ago them being mentioned in an article somewhere. Cheers, Pete. __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

19th Mar 2018, 9:45 am	#3
barrymagrec Octode Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Morden, Surrey, UK. Posts: 1,558	Re: Scully tape machines? Scully were quite big in the early days of multitrack recording, the late sixties, but I think they lost out to Studer and 3M later - in Britain at least, it may well have been different in the US.

20th Mar 2018, 2:44 am	#4
Stevie342000 Hexode Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 373	Re: Scully tape machines? It was different in the US as far as I know, Ampex had shut down whilst it moved production to Colorado for 12 months by the time they got back in to production the MR70 was no more and the 440 was their next offering, moving into multi-track using the Ampex VR1000 transport for the MM1000 range. As far as I know Scully got into tape production in the early to mid 1960s when Presto went out of business, the engineers moved or were poached. Presto were best known for disc cutting lathes such as the 6N used at Sun Records. In the mid-50s they failed to see the writing on the wall part of the board wanted to retire and it was sold to Bogen. After that the lack of foresight and underinvestment saw them go to the wall. Presto made lacquer discs as did Cecil Watts both circa 1934 neither could patent the idea as it was covered by earlier patents. Cecil Watts lacquer discs or actates were used by the BBC, Presto machines were imported as part of the war effort. Cecil Watts is another nasty story as well, he had a bit of blip in production just before the outbreak of war and as part of the war effort he was supported into expansion until after WW2 by the GPO, when he left in the mid-1950s again company sold off and left to rot. He was banned from having anything to do with Disc Production or cutting for 1 or 2 years. He ran a tea room with his wife and whilst he did that he worked on the dust bug and other cleaning devices. Tape essentially killed off both companies or many that were involved with disc cutting. Neumann did not move into the market and become market leader globally until the mid 50s, as Studer did as well. Scully went in the early 80s (I assume) and Neumann not far behind with the advent of CD. As far as I can tell there was no UK disc cutting lathe production in the UK that survived much into the 1960s : BSR, Simons, Connoisseur, MSS (Cecil Watts), Ferranti & EMI were all semi pro, there were probably others as well. Tape and stereo disc virtually killed it all plus the machines were not cheap. A Sugden (Connoisseur) Lathe cost £150 in 1950 and rose to £250 by 1961 (the last date I can find and it was a special order product), MSS lathes were much more than that, you're talking house or car money as an equivalent. After that it only left the professional cutting lathes for recording, Neumann, Scully, Lyrec & Ortofon, there were others in France such as Pierre Clement/Dauphin, and Byers in Australia. It was a finite market and the machines were expensive plus they were built like tanks.

20th Mar 2018, 8:21 am	#5
barrymagrec Octode Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Morden, Surrey, UK. Posts: 1,558	Re: Scully tape machines? There was a British company, I can`t remember the name, somewhere in the midlands who tried to break into the Neumann / Scully market circa 1973. I think they were using an Ortofon cutting head with their own mechanism but I don`t think they got a production machine built.

20th Mar 2018, 2:10 pm	#6
wd40addict Octode Join Date: May 2009 Location: Stevenage, Herts. UK. Posts: 1,518	Re: Scully tape machines? Interesting insight into the demise of Presto. In the early 50s they were head-to-head with Rek-o-Kut making transcription style turntables, but then they just seemed to merge with Bogen and vanish. A few years later Bogen retreated back from HiFi into the PA world where they had come from in the first place. Note to UK readers: This is the American David Bogen company, not the German Bogen company who used to make the tape heads for B&O & Brenell etc.

20th Mar 2018, 11:04 pm	#8
jamesperrett Octode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,873	Re: Scully tape machines? While Neumann made their last lathe in 1987, they are still very active in professional audio as part of the Sennheiser group.

23rd Mar 2018, 10:27 pm	#9
Ted Kendall Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 3,671	Re: Scully tape machines? Bob Auger, one of the most prolific British recording engineers between 1955 and 1985, swore by his Scullys - three two track and an eight track, all 280s. He particularly liked their robustness and how easy they were to line up. Even in the digital era, which is when I met him, although he had the Sony 1610 system he retained the Scullys and was happy that they would see him out.