Pioneer CT-F900 thrift find!

savv

Super Member
Found a less than pristine Pioneer CT-F900 at a local thrift. I thought to myself I don't need to get this since I hardly have any cassettes. But came back the next day and found it still there! Brought it home and plays fine except for a couple of issues:

1) no fast forward or rewind - will hesitate than stop.
2) not all flouroscan meter lights work - only from the 0 level up work.

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks. :yes:
 
That's a pretty deck, congrats!!!
Looks like your belts need replacing. Idler wheel probably also needs rejuvenating. Well worth restoring this classic.

As for the fluoroscan display, are the elements totally out or just dim? If they are out, perhaps you need to resolder the connections to the FL display or spray contact cleaner to the wirewraps/connections.

Good luck!

croon
 
Looks like the thing to restore yours.

As for installation, it may require some ingenuity on your part :D

If you find you need to take apart the transport to get to the belts, then stop and have them installed by a technician.

I usually do my own repairs on electronics, but cassette decks have always eluded me. After all they are partly mechanical devices.
 
I'm still battling a CT-F 1000. looks like a similar transport. There is a lot of disassmbly to be done, so take notes, mark things, keep screws seperated.
You may want to order the belts before tearing into it to make it a little easier on yourself. Great decks when they're working. :thmbsp:
 
They are a major PITA to replace the belts and idler tire, but well worth the effort. The following mods must be done or the idler will go bad again in a couple months:
1. Increase the tension on the spring that actuates the idler lever. (cut off 2 or 3 turns.)
2. Remove the take-up reel, disassemble the clutch. Using 200 grit sandpaper, rough up the edge of the clutch that the idler contacts to give it a better grip. Now carefully clean the felt pad and pressure disc with IPA, allow to dry then test re-assemble to make sure it doesn't grab when you turn the clutch slowly. If it does, repeat the cleaning.
3. You must decrease the take - up torque so that it is sufficient to take up the tape when it is near the end of the tape (the take up side has more tape on it). As designed, they provided too much torque, causing premature wear of the idler tire. Reduce the torque slightly by cutting off one turn from the clutch pressure spring, then reform the end of the spring as it was originally so it doesn't scrape on the plastic as it turns.
Note; these mods are needed on the CT-F900, and CT-F1000. I can't remember if the CT-F950 needs these and The CT-F1250 does not need the take-up tension reduced, but needs the rest of them.
 
Good luck...

Its pretty tight in there. My TEAC 650 was a real PITA to get apart and replace the belt. Much harder than my top loader TEAC 450 and 460. If you have worked on cassette decks,give it a go. If not, I agree get a tech to do the belts. Never could get it to go into auto reverse. It plays,rewinds,ff, and records, just no auto reverse. Its so tight in there I decided to let it go. Leave well enough alone. Figured I might wreck it by going in deeper. Good luck!

Eric
 
When I opened up my CT-F1250 to replace the belts I was overwhelmed by how difficult it became! I quickly put it back together and shipped it to a tech who knew his way around it.

With a deck like that it would be fully worth your while to have a tech bring it up to spec's.

There is a guy on ePay that constantly has ads with the title (I TOTALLY RESTORE YOUR PIONEER CT-F1250 CASSETTE DECK) and seems to do exceelent work, judging by his Feedback rating. If nobody here can handle it, I wouldn't hesitate to give that dude a counter-offer!!

The reason I suggest having it serviced is because that is rule #3 in my Vintage Audio Rulebook: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=41381&highlight=rules
 
i can completely settle the whole issue of who to send pioneer ct-fxxx units to: our own AK'er, pustelniakr. this gentleman has a deep understanding of these units, and will do the work the Ebay guy advertises, only probably better, and very price competitive. i know this because i have been enjoying a ct-f 950 that had been a continuing problem for me and i had way too much $$ in to throw away. i had to either go all the way with it, or give up. richard (pustelniakr) rebuilt my motor for me, and tweaked, tuned, aligned it to perfection .... i can't say enough good things here about this
 
Your first step should be to acquire some service data for your unit. You can get a full set from an ePay seller, quag-west, for about $7, or a nice repro hardcopy from Rick, at http://www.stereomanuals.com/

The service manual will give you the dissassembly instructions you need, as well as the interconnection wiring diagram you will need to troubleshoot the meter problem. It also contains circuit descriptions, telling you how each module or circuit works, and representations for what you should see at various test points.

For belts and idler tires, I would not go with an ePay crap shoot. I would contact Bob, at http://www.vintage-electronics.cc/

Now to the repairs...You will need to go step by step. There are plenty of knowledgeable folks here that will help. Take your time, relax, fight frustration, cut no corners. There is a lot of unobtainium in there. The final result will more than make up for the effort it will take to do it right. Do get the service data before beginning. You won't be sorry you did. You have a potentially real nice deck there.

I hope that helps.

P.S...Shrinkboy, you are very kind. Thank you. I am truly glad you are getting some enjoyment from that sweetheart of a deck. We did get to know each other well. I hated to see her go.

Rich P
 
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