Best Way To Ship a Recorded Master Tape??

lneal · #1 06-01-2007, 06:52 PM

I have a master tape of some of my original tunes that I need to get transferred to .wav files. It was recorded on a Sony 3324 machine a few years ago and now I need to get it into a usable format. Well, I found a place in Houston that will do the transfer for a reasonable price but I'm in Alabama and won't have an opportunity to drive it out there personally. I'm deathly scared of shipping it UPS or FedEx, for reasons I'm sure you all understand, and I need to insure that it doesn't get exposed to an x-ray machine or stomped on.

This reel is the only copy of the work and if it suffers a fatal blow at the hands of some malcontent on it's way to the studio, its all gone forever. Is there anyone who can recommend a safe way to get it there? Private courier? Any ideas are appreciated.

deaf pea · #2 06-01-2007, 07:23 PM

IME, the ONLY safe way to transport a recorded magnetic tape (analog tape OR, like you have, a digital master tape) is persoanally . . . You physically carrying the tape(s) to the destination and back again. I wouldn't let a MASTER TAPE out of my sight!

And remember, HEAT, COLD and high OR low humidity can also damage magnetic master tapes.

If I were you, I'd change my other plans so that I could travel (by car or bus) to Texas to get the transfer made ASAP . . . OR, just wait until you DO have the time to make that trip . . .

Good luck.

lneal · #3 06-29-2007, 06:33 PM

This may be of help to someone else so, as a follow-up to this, I sent the master out via FedEx and it got to Houston and back just fine. The postal service (USPS) said that they do x-ray some things so I wrote them off. Then I called UPS and couldn't get a human on the phone, so I called FedEx and spoke to a real person. She advised me to put a label on it that says "keep away from magnetized materials" so I put one on the top, bottom and all 4 sides, double boxed it and sent it out. I got it back this week, intact and converted to .wav files so the tunes can now be finished. The name of the place was Digital Services and I had them put it onto an external hard drive. I can only guess that the tape is still okay. Here is the link to their site: http://www.digisrvs.com/

Steve · #4 06-30-2007, 12:59 PM

Yeah, if it where me, I wouldn't be shipping it anywhere.

hbarcat · #5 06-30-2007, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lneal

Well, I found a place in Houston that will do the transfer for a reasonable price but I'm in Alabama and won't have an opportunity to drive it out there personally.

I agree that shipping the tape by any normal method is not an option since it's priceless to you.

I would recommend finding a place close to where you live that you can take it to personally, even if it's more expensive, because it is so valuable to you.

Thunder Pulse · #6 06-30-2007, 05:51 PM

Does anyone even read prior posts before they chime in?? The OP shipped it and got it back already.

lneal · #7 06-30-2007, 08:41 PM

haha

I agree that delivering it personally is the best way, no question. It just wasn't possible with my work schedule. I didn't take it somewhere closer because you don't find a Sony 3324 on every corner. I did find a couple of places within a reasonable driving distance, one in Nashville and one in Atlanta but their 3324 machines were broken. These machines are aging and the people who know how to fix them are disappearing and the services of those who can fix them come at a premium. At least now the tracks are viable again.