SIMON SOUND SP/2 REEL TO REEL TAPE RECORDER, 1957

Simon Sound Service Ltd London W1. This was used with the ribbon microphone Item A0934.

Donated by Mr P Holmes

Your comments:

• My father bought one of these when I was auditioning for entrance to the choir of Westminster Abbey and I made several audition tapes on it. It appears to be still in working order. In these digital days, it's a heavy piece of rather obsolete kit, and though I have a sentimental attachment to it, would be interested in whether it might find a new home.
  .......... David Pratley, Sway, Hampshire, 11th of March 2020
  
  
• Simon recorders made a maritime version for the Admiralty with bronze mechs and Wright and Weare heads. In 1958 or thereabouts a MOD warehouse was closed pending a security investigation, Some ten years later the contents were released, part of which was a consignment of these Simon recorders. They were playback only but the bias and oscillator circuits were intact (just bypassed with the valve removed). I bought one of these for £10 and restored it to full operation. Wonder where it is now?
  .......... Gordon Hill, London UK, 31st of October 2014
  
  
• My grandfather, who was an operatic tenor, had one of these, used to record me singing and reading poetry on it when I was a small boy (he died when I was 10 - I'm now 51). I recently spotted it in my father's garage and hauled it (weighs a ton) into the house.
  
  From memory, quite hard to handle, especially braking it down from rewind or wind forward, to avoid the tape coming off the reels and looping all over the place!!
  
  Haven't tested yet to see if it still works, but will do on a future visit.
  
  How rare are these? I've never seen one anywhere else!
  
  Chris J
  .......... Chris Johnson, Gibraltar (the tape deck is in Norwich, England!), 3rd of December 2012
  
  

A0933