- Brand: Scotch-3m
- Type: Classic, Master
- Reel: 7" (18cm), 10.5" (26.5cm)
- Lengths Available: 1200' (360m), 1800' (550m), 2400' (720m), 3600' (1100m), 4800' (1640m)
- Thickness: SP (1.5 mil), LP (1.0 mil), DP (0.5 -0.75 mil)
- Tape Grade / Performance Level: 4-High Ouput / High Bias +3
- Base Material: Polyester Backcoated
- 2024 Advice: Playback Only - Do Not Record, Sticky Shed - Must be Baked Before Transfer, Unstable - Transfer ASAP
- Where Produced: USA
- Mfg Years: Late 1970s
- Sale Condition: Refurbished - 90 day warranty
- Description:
Scotch Classic and Master were both top end, low noise, high output +3 tapes (type 4) for the consumer market, roughly equivalent to Maxell UDXL or Ampex Grand Master available in the 1970s. As new tapes, they were excellent, even at 3-3/4ips. You can identify them by their reddish dark brown oxide with a shiny finish and black matt back coating. Updated guidance 8/2022: Most of the Classic tapes we are seeing DO NOT exhibit sticky shed and can be used successfully. In our opinion, the batches of non-sticky CLASSIC are among the best tapes Scotch ever made. Notes:
- The Classic Series came in padded boxes, and later in standard black Scotch boxes at the time. The Master is a newer and slightly better formulation that replaced the Classic in the mid 1970s.
- Both series were available in SP, LP and DP lengths in 7″ and 10.5 metal reels, all with the same oxide coating and performance.
- The CLASSIC DP is the only back-coated DP tape with the full +3 oxide coasting EVER MADE. The only other DP tapes that competed were made by BASF and AGFA, and their DP tapes had a slightly thinner oxide coating than the LP tapes and this lower performance.
- Updated guidance 8/2022: The older Classic tapes seem to perform fine. We are still investigating the MASTER, which appears to be the same tape, but subject to sticky shed.
- Of the batches that suffer from sticky shed, these cannot be played without baking. In fact, many batches cannot even be WOUND without baking as the oxide can be stripped off and the tape permanently destroyed
- Available Refurbished: We offer Scotch CLASSIC tapes in our store now for purchase. If you already own the Classic or Master tapes, you have to be careful before you use them. If there is any valuable program material, these tapes need to be baked first.