Well, first you break out the manual and try and figure out what is wrong, and then you reach out to Mara Machines!
While Mara Machines (www.maramachines.com) is well known for providing completely rebuilt MCI stereo and multitrack machines, they also have introduced a new line of replacement transport cards for your JH series tape machine.
In the coming months, we will be retrofitting our JH24 with the transport cards and looking forward to the reported performance and stability improvements.
While the JH24 has always been a great sounding machine, they are unfortunately plagued with issues that are well known, primarily revolving around the Molex interconnects. That has been (from what we understand) a problem pretty much from the beginning.
Keeping in mind that the NEWEST of these machines are approaching their 40th birthdays, and it’s easy to understand why it might make sense to invest in re-engineered transport cards.
Now, with improved accuracy and surface mounted components (for reliability) it allows the owner of a vintage JH machine to neatly sidestep the myriad age (and design) issues that can get in the way of making music.
Pricing is surprisingly low (considering the cost of a service call and/or the time to start sourcing and replacing components) and installation is plug and play.
You can check out the available cards here as well as checking out other information on Mara Machines and their 1979 recording studio.
Mara Machines also offers power supply rebuilds (which we will report on as well).
Watch this space for a full review!