I have just purchased an Elizabethan LZ 30 Reel to Reel tape recorder on ebay, it was listed as broken/spares and so went cheap. Just tried it out today and it actually seems to function fine, with the exception that the play mechanism doesn't work (the reels don't turn). They do turn when I fast forward or rewind, and if I push the tape against the head it plays it (albeit a bit fast/backwards), so that side of things work.

What I want to do is to restore it and clean it up so it's in working condition, then I can use it for home recording and things. I was wondering if anyone can give me any details about elizabethan, about the specific model, whether it's worth a lot and I should ensure I try to find the same components, whether modifying it (for example changing the inputs/outputs to jacks or XLR's) would be blasphemony. I'm new to vintage gear, so I thought it would be best to ask these things first.

I've tried google but it really hasn't been forthcoming. What I would ideally like is a schematic to refer to, but I don't think I'll be able to find one.

Thanks very much

Aaron

One of the most common problems with old tape decks is the pinch roller gets gummy or wears out. Then the tape speed is off, either drags or doesn't play at all. If it will play, it will often eat tapes because the tape sticks to the roller and is carried around rather than passing through.