8 Track Woes

[Mr70]

Very few tapes were held together with screws back then.and even less than them,some used glue.
The majority of those 8tk cases are held tight with plastic locating tabs.A simple small screw driver can release one in seconds.
I've homemade an assortment of tools to open any case,cut splice & rewind a tape too.
The biggest problem with any poor sounding 8tk tape,is the diameter of the rubber pinch roller inside.The bigger it is,the more "bulletproof" it is and the better longevity of it's sound and function.The 8tk tapes with the Big meaty pinch rollers were mainly used on the more expensive tapes.
Back then those tapes were Barbara Streisand,The Carpenters,and Orchestral tapes etc.,as their older audience would shell out the taller price tag for em.
The Rock & Roll tapes were aimed at the younger generation who wouldn't pay as much as those better quality tapes.So they mainly got a cheaper less quality case & pinch roller.
Today I buy every boring Barbara Streisand & orchestral 8tk tape I see,then come home and put a Ledd Zepplin,Bob Seger or AC/DC tape in them.