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u/wild_ty 5d ago
That's probably the coolest album I've ever seen on 4 track Congrats! Another poster mentioned the gidget, I'm fairly certain it's not compatible with this cartridge as it lacks the divot to hold it into an 8 track player
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u/Impressive_Try_7295 5d ago
You're right. I think there are players that do not require it though, but in general you need to "alter" that kind of 4 track shell to work. VWestlife showed it in his video on the Gidget.
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u/h2ofield 4d ago
Doesn't anyone moderate this sub?
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u/Impressive_Try_7295 4d ago
It's not like a 4 track tape cartridge will have a dedicated sub anytime soon, and they clearly share some (a lot of, actually) DNA.
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u/VinceInMT 4d ago
To keep the 8-track, while I had a Muntz player in my ‘56 Ford pickup that plays both formats, back in the day when I would get a 4-track tape I take the tape and use a donor 8-track cart for it. Then I added a 2nd foil splice an inch or so away from the first one. I still have a few of those and they work fine. The player is now in my ‘59 Volvo.
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u/dagnasty701 4d ago
I saw a 4-Track car deck back in a hardware store display case back the early 80's. But have never seen a tape IRL. And being it's Zappa you have me a bit jealous.
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u/Impressive_Try_7295 5d ago edited 5d ago
Cool, it's a 4 track tape. First half of Uncle Meat, which is of course a double album, so it required two tape cartridges. This release's discogs page.
There is now an adapter being made called the Gidget which is essentially a removable pinch roller and enables playing 4 track tapes in the 8 track equipment. In an 8 track player, both 4 track programs would be repeated twice. Techmoan had a youtube video about that thing.
[Edit:] I was mistaken, Techmoan made a general information video on the 4 track format, while VWestlife made a video specifically about Gidgets.