AMPEX MM-1200 MM-1100 MM-1000 UPGRADE: ROLLING GUIDE FOR 2" HEAD ASSEMBLY

Description

You are looking at a roller replacement for both static guides on Ampex MM-1100 and MM-1200 2" head assemblies.
It is also a replacement for the left hand MM-1000 head assembly guide (with the right hand MM-1000 guide being a special order item).
These are newly manufactured to a very high tolerance:
•
Runout does not exceed 0.0001" - yes: 1/10,000" - at either end (typically lower at the mid point), which is critically important to avoid adding flutter.
•
Bearings are selected for smooth and quiet running, again critically important for low flutter.
A weakness of the MM series design is the amount of tape wrap over static surfaces. Replacing these surfaces with rollers reduces flutter, tape wear, and oxide shedding, it eliminates buildup of gunk from the backing material (no fixed surfaces against the back of the tape), and reduces workload on the MDA. The design of the MM-1100/MM-1200 head assembly in particular presents over 90 degrees of total wrap over fixed guides. This is a source of flutter, which is only partially alleviated by the small flutter roller between the record and repro heads.
More dramatically that gunk from the backing material that gets stuck on the fixed guide can sometimes catch on the tape, drawing as stripe along the length of the tape and rendering it useless on that track.
Until recently the only way to fit rolling guides was to disassemble and drill the head block to accept modified guides taken from a donor machine. With the new Thin Brown Line purpose-made guides, replacement is literally a 10 minute operation. And the clever design avoids any change to the head wrap angle by virtue of an offset mounting hole.
Once your machine is fitted with these rollers, you will find overall tape handling
totally
transformed, with increased responsiveness, especially towards the end of the reel.
The first photo in this auction shows the guide, while the second one shows it mounted on a head assembly.
Here's a testimonial from a satisfied customer:
"The rollers arrived & I put them on the machine. That was a breeze. I can tell that the startup at the reel extremities is much faster & smoother, & no shedding on the guides, so that's great. Don't feel the need to hunt down a constant tension kit now either. Very happy."
Note that this is a multi-item auction, so you will be invited to enter the number you wish to purchase (normally two).  If you only want to purchase one guide, then the greatest benefit is achieved by replacing the left hand guide.
See the calculator for shipping cost.
Also see my other auction for a rolling tension arm for MM-1100 and MM-1200 machines.