Tape Walkman.

I would just like to get something off my chest and I don't care any more if I am banned from this forum. I have two walk.ans that I treasure that require fixing if possible to do so. I just asked for a estimate of how much to fix these units as I want to be able to raise the funds in order to have them fixed. Or even just one at a time. For someone who says he has repaired over 200, maybe more, and who can re-assemble them blind-folded I thought it was not a difficult question to ask. Has this person never asked how much something will cost- for examplecar parts or something similar. Then you get someone who is able to fork out 12,000+ for a Walkman for its wooden velvet lined box and who has already got one of these units. Someone who has got just about every Walkman, disc.an, minidisc players that were made- from all different .akes just to be able to brag about it. How many are actually working g and are they actually used for what they were designed for. Or are they all just put away in their boxes just to be looked at and brag about. If I lost a loved one there is no way I would want to sell it. I would want to keep it because I would be able to look at it and remember all the fond memories that it invoked. Not to make just a few bucks. Sorry if this offends anybody but sometimes a person can ask a question but not to get any response I find equally offensive. I did not realise I was asking such a difficult question.

 

All I can say, from personal experience, is that if there is something you really treasure, and you think someone else or better still a museum or organisation would treasure, make sure you include it in your will. Being in an Amateur Radio Club with lots of elderly members there have been several occasions where we have been asked to clear out their shacks when they became "silent keys". A memorable one took four of us four evenings. Taking the stuff to an Amateur Radio Rally we raised over £1000 for the Silent Keys widow, and quite a lot for the club. She just wanted to get rid of the stuff ASAP and move to purpose built retirement flat.

On the plus side at least the Walkman you are referring to hasn't ended up going to house clearance, or even worse the trash. A couple of weeks ago I posted a link about an unknown person who had dropped off an Apple 1 at recycling ! I have also, in the past, posted a link to a really sensible discussion amongst vintage telephone collectors as to what will happen to their collections. The most memorable, and maybe sensible suggestion was to take lots of photos, put it on Ebay as "Vintage Telephone" and then let it find its own price. I will try and find the link again but it is getting late.

 

Hi Derek
I have been collecting mainly Walkman for some time now and I am not really sure how I began. I was having problems with replacement hips damaged knees and ankles through sport and I just wanted a hobby to fill my time.I can only say that for me the fun part of collecting is tracking the units down but there are very few to find locally in my area so I have to scour eBay However as everyone will tell you the prices in recent years have risen greatly for items which do not justify such prices and ,indeed ,you are right in as much as the reason is profit However you should not paint everyone with the same brush. There is a lot of advice given on this site with regard to repairing units if you are so minded Also members on this site are interested to see units they do not have and they can enjoy seeing them even though they can never aspire to own them .
I am sure you should be able to find someone to repair your units and give you an estimate but it is difficult to ascertain the cost without first seeing them.I am not able to carry out repairs so I have to send items for repair and I obtain estimates but on the basis they will tell me if they find unexpected problems and to advise me before continuing I used to use a former Sony engineer in London to repair units for me but really only ones which were rare and merited the cost of repair which were never cheap combined with Posting and packaging.it can be and indeed is an expensive hobby but I hope you get your units repaired

 

Hi Philip. Thanks for reply. I'm not trying to upset anybody here. I'm just trying to get an answer to a simple question. We have all asked for a estimate sometime during our lives. I have never tried to repair a Walkman as I do t have any of the instruments etc to even attempt it etc. Some of us are no longer in full time employment and have to rely on meagre funds to get by. I understand an estimate may be higher ecr depending on what needs to be done and I understand how time consuming it is and obtaining the parts required. I no longer have my separate which I did all my recording g on years ago. I just enjoy rotating my few units and enjoying them. Maybe something along the lines of paying x amount every month until the repair is paid for. At least that way you know your unit has been repaired and you will eventually have it back again in working condition. As I have said I'm not trying to upset people I just thought it was a straight forward question. Hope you're keeping well. Derek.

 

Hi Derek
Not every tech want’s to give you estimates over the phone or via e-mail, as I guess without looking at the unit they just don’t know what they are going to find. Also I guess they don’t want you to hold them to a quote, imagine if they said £100 and it ends up costing £400.

With regard to some people buying everything up and not even using them, sorry but that's the way it is. They have the money and can do whatever they want with it, that’s just life and you can’t hate them for that. It’s what it is. I for one don’t care about what other people do, I can only worry about what I do. Some people can afford Ferrari’s or Rolls Royce’s and in fact some people have hundreds of cars when some can't afford any, like I said it is what it is and I don’t begrudge them what they have.

With regards to your Walkman, I’ll give you the same advice I gave you before. Send your Walkman to you know who as he will take years to get round to you anyway, by the time he comes back you should have saved up the money.

 

Depends.
what model is your walkman?
Do you know what the exact problems is?
when you push the play button do you hear motor sound?

Wish I had the expertise to fix your walkman for free.
Unfortunately there aren't many technicians who can fix walkmans.
The cost of repair depends on the problem but probably around $75 for simple repair and probably around $150 for more complicated one. Some broken walkmans mostly AIWA and Panasonic cannot be repaired (unless you ask special electronic lab to repair them since the board is completely ruined by leaked capacitors). For these type of issues usually you need a spare walkman to use the parts.

 

I found the thread I said about in my last post.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=5850.0

Looking around the rest of that site there are people as pashionate about old phones as people here are about personal stereos and boomboxes. Substitute the word phone with stereo and it becomes quite relevant.

The subject is actually quite topical for me. Tonight I received an email from a former colleagues widow to say she had sold quite a few of his items which I advised her to put on Ebay rather than taking to the tip. They including a vintage computer which sold for over £400. Due to lockdown I haven't even been able to see her this year or look at the items, so have only been able to give advice over the phone or by email.

Finally, on a lighter note I am reminded of the signature someone uses on a Vintage Radio and TV Forum.
"When I die I hope my wife doesn't sell my collection for what I have told her it cost me".

I think that is enough morbidness for now.

 

Hi Boodokhan. I'm not trying to get it done for free. I was just hoping for a rough estimate- you know approx' min to the worst case scenario. The two walkmans I have are the DC-2 and TC-de ( d3). My two favourites that have been in their box for several years. I have a birthday coming up so I am going to have a word with my daughter- you never know. Worth a try. Thanks for your reply.

 

Hi longman. I think I'm getting old. Even my wife and son both tell me I'm getting a grumpy old git. It just pains me to think that these little beauties are just kept in boxes instead of using and enjoying them like they are supposed to be. As you say enough of this morbidness. Take care.

 

Boodakhan forgot to say. It's the dreaded click on both. Take care.

 

Hi Mr X. Thanks for that. I would absolutely love to be able to meet you and chat and show our units. I could talk all day. I'm a person who loves to actually talk to someone. These days it's all on-line over the internet. The art of conversation is dead. Chris (Too Cool 4) and I have a chat on the phone and he has helped me out. I like to pull his leg over the D-3 because I know he doesn't rate it. It's nice. With regards to estimates I can understand that but I'm old school and if someone messaged me , even if I could not give an answer I would respond in some way. It's funny out of the units I have I still love listening to my wm-4. A very basic loud unit (1982) but feed it a good metal tape through some good headphones and to me it sounds pretty good. I'm listening to the wm-4 as I'm writing this. Thanks again for those kind words. Please take care. Derek.

 

DC2 and D3 are not very difficult to repair. D3 is little bit challenging compare to DC2. Place new batteries in battery compartment and push the play button and see what happens. If you hear the motor is running then it will be an easy fix, Otherwise clean the battery contacts in the compartment and try it again. It will be more complicated if it doesn't turn on.

 

Hi Boodakhan. The d-3 plays no problem. Just the click and tape counter does not work. The d-c2 I took the back off years ago to find the problem. Found it. Put the innards back losing a couple of screws and it's been in its box now for years. I was so angry at the time because this happened only about a year after I bought it. I did tell Sergio about the missing screws and he said no problem.

 

Well, the good news is your walkmans can be repaired. Your D3 need a counter belt and a new central gear. there are some members who can repair your walkman units. You can send them private message and they will give you estimate.

 

Thanks Boodahkan.