Questions about the GF-8989
- Thread starter Lasonic TRC-920
- Start date
-
- Tags
- sharp gf 8989
- Status
I totally agree. Silver and Aluminum, Ton's of buttons and knobs. If it had 8's with power to push'm....oh yeah!-GZ- said:
I really was hoping that was the case....But now that I know it's about the size of the SCR-8, I'm already rearranging the shelving to make space!
Wow man....that's sayin' something!-GZ- said:
There is a car commercial out right now that features an 8989. They are showing how much space is in the back of the car. They show it with all sorts of stuff in the back including the 8989 and it looks BIG. Prolly because that stupid little car doesn't have shiat for space!
But I keep seeing the commercial so I finally had to buy one!
-GZ-
Member (SA)
Trust me. Right out the box. Crank the treble...put the bass at +2....and play YOUR music. Its gonna rock.
"Silver and aluminum"...that's why i kept buyin em. Long live the 8989.
I gave my girl's daughters each one....they always tell me to turn em down when I blast em in their rooms before bed.
I can't wait. Take video.
My favorite boxes
1. M90
2. C100
3. 975
4. SCR8
5. 20/20
6. 8989
"Silver and aluminum"...that's why i kept buyin em. Long live the 8989.
I gave my girl's daughters each one....they always tell me to turn em down when I blast em in their rooms before bed.
I can't wait. Take video.
My favorite boxes
1. M90
2. C100
3. 975
4. SCR8
5. 20/20
6. 8989
baddboybill
Boomus Fidelis
With the fuel tubing guys it has to be just right size cut and you need to sand whole tube to smooth edges and roughen up outer part. I've restored many GF units and never had warble issue. The warble issue may be coming from your pinch roller as these get dry very easily 
Chris never had or heard an 8989 but I hear they are great bargain units for the price. Good luck on restore
Bad Boy Bill
Chris never had or heard an 8989 but I hear they are great bargain units for the price. Good luck on restore
Bad Boy Bill
Beosystem10
Member (SA)
I've used fuel pipe on both decks in my GF-555 and on my 9090s, the key thing is to place a length of the tube between the ends of the eye in the capstan bush carriers (pictured below) and then push the capstan through and leave it alone. If you remove it again, then the pipe will stretch again and won't grip properly. Even if the sleeve were slightly off centre, this wouldn't be detectable as wow because the only thing that it drives is the idler tyre to the takeup hub and as long as it takes up smoothly so that the tape doesn't drop out, then the takeup hub has no bearing whatsoever on speed stability which is dictated by the capstan running directly on the pinch roller so, as Bill said, instability is more likely to be caused by a dry or dirty pinch roller in which case clean that and rejuvenate it with glycerine and don't use any spirit or solvent on rubbers. As Bill also said; roughen up the outer surface of the sleeve, that's a good plan though on one of the 9090s I didn't do this and it still plays fine but the tyre in that set is starting to become slightly tacky which - ironically - probably helps it to grip. 
I replaced the idler tyres on the 555 when I was in about at it and used O rings that I'd intended to be temporary and only there while I'd found square section tyres but in fact, the slightly cushioned tread of the silicon tubing accommodates the O rings perfectly and after doing the 555 and 9090s, none of these boxes needed any adjustment to playback speed as neither they should.
The 9090 is probably one of the easiest decks ever to work on and if that fitted to the 8989 is similar, if the other way up, then it should be just as straightforward. Even the decks in the 555 which have three layers of plates that have to be separated, standoffs and springs that have to be removed and replaced where they belong and one motor for each capstan, the job was just a bit time consuming rather than difficult.
Tip: Use pink pipe as that way, when/if the idler tyres start to decompose you'll see the molten rubber clearly against the sleeves and effectively that fact gives you more notice of impending tyre failure. OK, so the pink pipe was cheaper than any other colour but I've since discovered the above.
Edited: I'll need to upload images later as flickR is playing up this morning.
I replaced the idler tyres on the 555 when I was in about at it and used O rings that I'd intended to be temporary and only there while I'd found square section tyres but in fact, the slightly cushioned tread of the silicon tubing accommodates the O rings perfectly and after doing the 555 and 9090s, none of these boxes needed any adjustment to playback speed as neither they should.
The 9090 is probably one of the easiest decks ever to work on and if that fitted to the 8989 is similar, if the other way up, then it should be just as straightforward. Even the decks in the 555 which have three layers of plates that have to be separated, standoffs and springs that have to be removed and replaced where they belong and one motor for each capstan, the job was just a bit time consuming rather than difficult.
Tip: Use pink pipe as that way, when/if the idler tyres start to decompose you'll see the molten rubber clearly against the sleeves and effectively that fact gives you more notice of impending tyre failure. OK, so the pink pipe was cheaper than any other colour but I've since discovered the above.
Edited: I'll need to upload images later as flickR is playing up this morning.
Alberto
Member (SA)
Bill, hey bro whats up and Happy New Year. The warble I was talking about has no effect on playback of the cassette tape. The sound is clean and steady because the tape is moved across the play head by the pinch roller and the capstan, and that is fine. This tube that fits over the capstan just contacts an idler wheel, and that idler wheel makes contact with the take up spool. It has no effect on playback it is just for take up. When I said there was a slight warble, I meant really, really, really minute and since this take up idler wheel has a spring to keep tension against the capstan tube and take up spool it's always making contact with both in the play mode. For me that really,really, really, minute warble that I am talking about was more of a visual problem than a functionality problem. And once you put the boombox all back together you can't see it anyway.baddboybill said:With the fuel tubing guys it has to be just right size cut and you need to sand whole tube to smooth edges and roughen up outer part. I've restored many GF units and never had warble issue. The warble issue may be coming from your pinch roller as these get dry very easily
Chris never had or heard an 8989 but I hear they are great bargain units for the price. Good luck on restore
Bad Boy Bill
k2j
Member (SA)
Me neither, and its funny to hear someone say bargain units. i was searching for one for the longest time for the right price and it never happened. (maybe that was when jimmy was buying them upbaddboybill said:Chris never had or heard an 8989 but I hear they are great bargain units for the price. Good luck on restore
Bad Boy Bill
) But have noticed that at least 1 has sold lately for about half of what they used to.Great classy looks. Keep us posted!
Hey guys..thanks for all the great information. It sounds like getting this radio worked out won't be to hard. Since its a popular radio and so many of you guys have experience with it, I'm not to nervous if I need help.
BTW, do these have strap attachment points?
The 9090 that I have is a heavy radio for its size. How is the weight? Floyd says perfect carry around radio. I like that!
BTW, do these have strap attachment points?
The 9090 that I have is a heavy radio for its size. How is the weight? Floyd says perfect carry around radio. I like that!
Beosystem10
Member (SA)
Better late than never, (flickR's been naughty most of today) here are the photos I promised showing some fuel pipe action! In the shot of the 555's reassembled decks, you can just see the pink pipe in place in between the capstan bearings on the decks, the other image shows the usual state that the area surrounding the capstan bushes will be found in when you tear down a Sharp that uses this sleeve arrangement.
The area surrounding the bushes, my dining table, my face, hands and feet, the kitchen floor, etc. Have fun when you do yours!
And the sort of mess you'll find if the 8989 has this problem, which any Sharp that hasn't already been fixed in this area will have, I'd do it as a precaution anyway as the sleeves will soon turn to mush even if they didn't yet.....
Nasty! But at least there's only one of those in an 8989 so you'll only get half as covered in sh*t!
Finally, note that I've used O rings as replacements for the idler tyres on this box, I wasn't sure how durable or indeed how suitable they'd be where the original was square section stuff but the box sees more action than any other and it's still playing like it did when it was new, even this long after I fixed it.
The area surrounding the bushes, my dining table, my face, hands and feet, the kitchen floor, etc. Have fun when you do yours!
And the sort of mess you'll find if the 8989 has this problem, which any Sharp that hasn't already been fixed in this area will have, I'd do it as a precaution anyway as the sleeves will soon turn to mush even if they didn't yet.....
Nasty! But at least there's only one of those in an 8989 so you'll only get half as covered in sh*t!
Finally, note that I've used O rings as replacements for the idler tyres on this box, I wasn't sure how durable or indeed how suitable they'd be where the original was square section stuff but the box sees more action than any other and it's still playing like it did when it was new, even this long after I fixed it.
Northerner
Boomus Fidelis
I spent a good while looking for an 8989 as its a great looking box and I'm slightly addicted to Sharps.
I got one in the end in a bulk trade with an S2G member for pretty much nothing. The looks don't disappoint and it was easy to sort the deck having done loads of GF's. It's an ideal size and weight for carrying about but I wasn't that impressed with the sound on mine...the smaller 9090 was better. It was ok but I chucked it on eBay in the end. Maybe I just got an iffy one?
I got one in the end in a bulk trade with an S2G member for pretty much nothing. The looks don't disappoint and it was easy to sort the deck having done loads of GF's. It's an ideal size and weight for carrying about but I wasn't that impressed with the sound on mine...the smaller 9090 was better. It was ok but I chucked it on eBay in the end. Maybe I just got an iffy one?
Beosystem10 said:Better late than never, (flickR's been naughty most of today) here are the photos I promised showing some fuel pipe action! In the shot of the 555's reassembled decks, you can just see the pink pipe in place in between the capstan bearings on the decks, the other image shows the usual state that the area surrounding the capstan bushes will be found in when you tear down a Sharp that uses this sleeve arrangement.
The area surrounding the bushes, my dining table, my face, hands and feet, the kitchen floor, etc. Have fun when you do yours!
And the sort of mess you'll find if the 8989 has this problem, which any Sharp that hasn't already been fixed in this area will have, I'd do it as a precaution anyway as the sleeves will soon turn to mush even if they didn't yet.....
Nasty! But at least there's only one of those in an 8989 so you'll only get half as covered in sh*t!
Finally, note that I've used O rings as replacements for the idler tyres on this box, I wasn't sure how durable or indeed how suitable they'd be where the original was square section stuff but the box sees more action than any other and it's still playing like it did when it was new, even this long after I fixed it.
Thanks for the detailed info. Man you really took that double deck apart! Not sure I got the balls for that.
Northerner said:
I haven't rebuilt any Sharp decks YET. I guess it's time.
Ok, thats cool. Good to know. I have done this to a few radios. I hate those piezo tweeters.JVC Floyd said:
im_alan_partridge
Member (SA)
I did have an 8989 ages ago but something about it just didnt make me want to keep it 
it was a bit rough.
Ive often looked out for a mark2 as they have the line in, and for me that might make it more of a keeper.
Sharp also did an 8787, which looks pretty much identical except i think it had a blue tuner scale, not sure if there is any mechanical differances..
Reading this thread is making me want one again
it was a bit rough.Ive often looked out for a mark2 as they have the line in, and for me that might make it more of a keeper.
Sharp also did an 8787, which looks pretty much identical except i think it had a blue tuner scale, not sure if there is any mechanical differances..
Reading this thread is making me want one again
No strap points on the 8989 Chris.
I had 2 of these and I agree. Might not be as bassy as a SCR-8 but you can crank the sharp much louder with no distortion. I was a little dissapointed in the size as well.
I sold my 8989II to Jimmy because it wasn't getting the love it deserved with me.
I had 2 of these and I agree. Might not be as bassy as a SCR-8 but you can crank the sharp much louder with no distortion. I was a little dissapointed in the size as well.
I sold my 8989II to Jimmy because it wasn't getting the love it deserved with me.
Beosystem10
Member (SA)
You can do this! OK, so the 555 looks complex because it has two of most parts but all of the Sharps of that era that I've been involved with so far have been well built and that makes fixing them easier. These things were clearly designed to be repaired rather than scrapped so the whole thing is held together with screws and there's not a riveted part anywhere to cause trouble or to make it necessary to break out the drill! So, as long as you take plenty of photos to show every stage of the job, then rebuilding is straightforward and I find this sort of work therapeutic too, because when it's all apart, I clean everything, put fresh silicon grease on every place where a nylon part slides in a metal part, clean the heads thoroughly and check for any signs of wear, refresh the pinch rollers with glycerine and examine all of the gears to make sure that there's no stray grease or oil on their teeth. Gear teeth are designed to roll across each other in such a way that there should be no contact between the tips of the teeth, oiling those teeth causes tiny quantities of airborne dust to stick to the gears and that has an abrasive effect on the parts of the teeth that do make contact with each other, eventually wearing them down to the point where the teeth will touch and then the wear becomes fatal.Lasonic TRC-920 said:
Take lots of photos as you go through the job then you'll always have a point of reference. I promise you; it's not a difficult thing to do, just a time-consuming one.
Here is the link for anybody wanting high quality 5mm OD, 2mm ID 'Viton' Rubber Tubing (V0205):Lasonic TRC-920 said:Well then, medical tubing it is!
http://www.silicone-tubing.com.au/viton-tubing.htm
Most 5mm OD hose you see around the place has a too big 3mm ID making it a loose fit when repairing these Sharp decks. The 2mm ID offers a nice firm fit with no chance of slippage. This type of hose is stiffer than fuel line hose and should be much more robust with this application.
James....
Beosystem10
Member (SA)
It's available in 3mm i/d, yes, but the solution is to buy the 2mm i/d stuff (1.98mm to be exact, as seen above), which is a good snug fit. My concern with the medical grade stuff is that it could - depending on whether you have a suitable means of removing one of the Oillite bushes - be too stiff. It's just a case of which one the individual finds better to work with.
Here's a thought Chris: PM me your address and I'll send you (free of course) some of the pink silicon to try, that way, you can make your own mind up about which type you prefer and I won't be remotely offended if you decide on the medical tubing but as long as the dimensions are correct then either is equally suitable.
- Status