[ben]

We still don't know if this deck plays back its own recordings OK. As rambo1152 correctly suggested this is essential info.

I once had a similar problem with a Fisher unit. Turned out the plastic tracks for the roller arms had fractured and occasionally impeded the travel fully home into the V blocks. Ended up scrapping it as it was past its use by date by then anyway.

Another time I read about an impossible to align deck. Turned out someone had replaced the whole drum beforehand, when it was again removed it was resting on a splash of solder, so it wasn't sitting true to the chassis! Another I wrestled with in the end had a bent chassis, I think that was a 1990s Daewoo. As you can see, it can be hard if you don't know the units history!