Reel to reel deck -Talk me in or out of buying

Kubla, you can make an offer on my Technics 1520 (balanced), open reel when my Ampex 351 arrives :^).

Looking at Ebay tonight I see 1693, reel to reel tapes for sale.

Several are masters or master dubs and many are 7.5 IPS prerecorded, including three Beatles albums STILL SEALED.

I've purchased about 100 used tapes on Ebay in the last year or so. I got some dogs, just like I do when I buy old LP's at the thrift shop. Some because the material is not good and some because the recordings are not good.

However, mix in the great and (some) rare recordings I've scored, many of which I have never seen on LP or CD, and the price of the deck is a bargain, in fact less money than many audiophile power cords.

I recently bought a 15 IPS half track of a never released James Brown tune that is KILLER sound. When my audio group gets restless, I throw it on, crank the volume and watch everyone do their imitation of "The Godfather of Soul."

(They can't stop, somebody help them !)

I'm enjoying all the comments here, but makes it more difficult, waiting for my fully restored Ampex 351 to be completed.

Mine will have a custom CNC machined head block to accommodate both half and quarter track playback. Also interchangeable to half track record / play.

YES, it is all tube circuit :^).

cool images of Ampex

Scroll down to 7th and 8th images for great shots of some restored 351's. This is not the guy restoring mine but both he and this guy are at the top of the heap for this type of work.

Every time someone shows up at CES or THE Show with an Ampex 351 as source, visitors break out into big grins and I've witnessed spontaneous dancing (I'm not kidding). There is something magic about the old Ampex tube machines.

Kubla,
Some tapes go for crazy money, it's the function of ego's and the bidding wars at EBAY.

However, during the last 48 hours the following reels closed at reasonable prices and long term searching will reward you.

Gershwin on Mercury Living Presence $9.00
Ella Fitzgerald "Sings Broadway" $7.01
Dave Brubeck "Time Changes" $11.51
Bob Dylan "Greatest Hits" $12.99
Mozart "Horn Concerto" London Blueback recording $17.00
Simon and Garfunkel $5.50
Rolling Stones "Greatest Hits" $8.99
Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd "Jazz Samba" $8.90
Jack Teagarden $1.77

Some of these may appeal and some may not. The point is, there are thousands of new items every week and many at affordable prices. If your a software junkie and enjoy the sound of analog, this is another source.