What are Refurbished Tapes?

Reel to Reel Warehouse is the first company to certify and sell refurbished reel to reel tapes. Why are we doing this? We know you can reuse tapes and that many can perform as well as new! You can also find tape lots on ebay or at garage or estate sales, but how do you know you can use them reliably and safely? At Reel to Reel Warehouse, we developed a procedure to certify tapes so that you can use like a new tape out of the box. Our goal is to take the risk out of buying used tapes and make it easier for beginners to have success with the new Reel to Reel tape recorders. We also intend to serve as a global knowledge base for professionals and enthusiasts to identify their tape formulations and learn to the extent they are usable. So what does Reel to Reel Warehouse do to the tapes to make them refurbished? Are our tapes worth the money? Here’s what we do:

• We only select tape formulas for refurbishment that have proven to withstand the test of time – and we know which ones are good:
  1. No sticky shed (tape sticking and shedding sticky binder and oxide residue)
  2. No oxide flaking or shedding beyond what is considered normal for that type
  3. No acetate-based tapes
  4. No squealers (a result of SBS Soft Binder Syndrome)
  5. We only resell tapes from recognized manufacturers – no private label tapes
• Tape formula and length are verified to match the box type, so you know what you are getting.
• All tapes were purchased in good condition, free of mold, dirt, and water damage. With older tapes, how they were stored over time has a direct impact on the ability to use them reliably.
• All tapes have been wound, cleaned, and checked to make sure the entire length of the tape is defect free (no folds, bends, tears, splices, stretches, or oxide shedding). Over 25% of the tapes we receive that are identified as possible formulas for refurbishment are rejected here.
• All tapes are bulk erased – a very important step – to make sure you will never hear ghosts from the old recordings!
• Reels are placed in a plastic bag and sealed with the RR label once it has passed our quality control check.
• The package is renewed – the box is either shrink-wrapped, the RR label is affixed to the box, or an insert is placed in the box. The box might be a blank white box with an identification label in case the original packaging is not suitable for resale.
• RR branded tapes are placed in their performance category and have the same guarantee.
• 90 day no fuss replacement guarantee – if you find a problem with the tapes or are not satisfied for any reason, we’ll send you a replacement tape.

Buy with confidence!