Eight-Track Tape Cartridges!
Eight tracks, commonly known as the eight-track cartridge, eight-track tape, or eight-track, is a magnetic tape sound recording technology, popular from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s.
The popularity of both four-track and eight-track cartridges grew from the booming automobile industry. In September 1965, Ford Motor Company introduced dealer-installed eight-track players as an option on most models, and RCA Victor introduced 50 Stereo-8 Cartridges of pre-recorded music from its label's artists. By 1966, all of Ford's vehicles offered this upgrade. Thanks to Ford's backing, the eight-track format quickly won out over the four-track format, with Muntz abandoning it completely by late 1970.
Despite its problems, the format gained steady popularity because of its convenience and portability. Home players were introduced in 1966 that allowed consumers to share tapes between their homes and portable systems. "Boombox" type players were also popular. With the availability of cartridge systems for the home, consumers started thinking of eight-tracks as a viable alternative to vinyl records, not only as a convenience for the car. Within a year, prerecorded releases on eight-track began to arrive within a month of the vinyl release. Eight-track recorders had gained popularity by the early 1970s.
Quadraphonic eight-track cartridges (introduced by RCA in September 1970) were also produced, with the major auto manufacturers being particularly eager to promote in-car quadraphonic players as a pricey option. The format enjoyed a moderate amount of success for a time but faded in the mid-1970s. These cartridges are prized by collectors since they provide four channels of discrete sound, unlike matrixed formats such as SQ. Most quadraphonic albums were specially mixed for the quad format.
Eight-track was a popular and highly portable music format suitable for home, recreation, or vehicle that reached a wide market and perpetuated the recordings of a majority of music genres. The eight-track format maintained a cult following with avid collectors even after its demise on the open market.
Article from Wikipedia!
The popularity of both four-track and eight-track cartridges grew from the booming automobile industry. In September 1965, Ford Motor Company introduced dealer-installed eight-track players as an option on most models, and RCA Victor introduced 50 Stereo-8 Cartridges of pre-recorded music from its label's artists. By 1966, all of Ford's vehicles offered this upgrade. Thanks to Ford's backing, the eight-track format quickly won out over the four-track format, with Muntz abandoning it completely by late 1970.
Despite its problems, the format gained steady popularity because of its convenience and portability. Home players were introduced in 1966 that allowed consumers to share tapes between their homes and portable systems. "Boombox" type players were also popular. With the availability of cartridge systems for the home, consumers started thinking of eight-tracks as a viable alternative to vinyl records, not only as a convenience for the car. Within a year, prerecorded releases on eight-track began to arrive within a month of the vinyl release. Eight-track recorders had gained popularity by the early 1970s.
Quadraphonic eight-track cartridges (introduced by RCA in September 1970) were also produced, with the major auto manufacturers being particularly eager to promote in-car quadraphonic players as a pricey option. The format enjoyed a moderate amount of success for a time but faded in the mid-1970s. These cartridges are prized by collectors since they provide four channels of discrete sound, unlike matrixed formats such as SQ. Most quadraphonic albums were specially mixed for the quad format.
Eight-track was a popular and highly portable music format suitable for home, recreation, or vehicle that reached a wide market and perpetuated the recordings of a majority of music genres. The eight-track format maintained a cult following with avid collectors even after its demise on the open market.
Article from Wikipedia!
Table of Contents
Growing Up With 8-Tracks
Enough with the technical stuff! I grew up playing my favorite music on an 8-track portable radio/player and the old 8-track tapes will always have a place in my heart.
Compared to the CDs that we all use today, they were bulky and took up a lot of room but back in the sixties, they were a great way to carry our favorite music with us.
Most of us who can remember the 8-tracks, can remember getting real mad when a tape would stick and come un-wound. You used to see a lot of "tape" scattered along the highways where they got tossed when they screwed up right in the middle of someones favorite tune.
Maybe we would have tried repairing those tapes if we would have had the internet to find some answers. Here are a couple of quick links to help you out when you want to repair those old tapes.
Troubleshooting Cartridge Problems
Troubleshooting Player Problems
How Does 8-Track Work?
8-Track Repair
Compared to the CDs that we all use today, they were bulky and took up a lot of room but back in the sixties, they were a great way to carry our favorite music with us.
Most of us who can remember the 8-tracks, can remember getting real mad when a tape would stick and come un-wound. You used to see a lot of "tape" scattered along the highways where they got tossed when they screwed up right in the middle of someones favorite tune.
Maybe we would have tried repairing those tapes if we would have had the internet to find some answers. Here are a couple of quick links to help you out when you want to repair those old tapes.
Troubleshooting Cartridge Problems
Troubleshooting Player Problems
How Does 8-Track Work?
8-Track Repair
Finding 8-track Tapes!
There are still a lot of "bargain" 8-track tapes out there! You can find them at many garage sales and flea markets fairly cheap.
If you're just getting started, you might want to check with all of your friends and family members as many of them probably have boxes of them sitting in the garage or attic. If so, they would more than likely give them to you just to get rid of them.
Then there is always eBay! You'll find some great buys just by scrolling down to our eBay auctions. We only show auctions that are about to end but if you click on any one of them, you'll be able to find every 8-track that is listed on eBay.
There's also a link in "Favorite Links" where you can search for and buy your favorite 8-track tapes. I've never ordered from them but figured I should include their link.
Here's a link where you can post classifieds for buying or selling 8-tracks: 8trackheaven-ads
If you're just getting started, you might want to check with all of your friends and family members as many of them probably have boxes of them sitting in the garage or attic. If so, they would more than likely give them to you just to get rid of them.
Then there is always eBay! You'll find some great buys just by scrolling down to our eBay auctions. We only show auctions that are about to end but if you click on any one of them, you'll be able to find every 8-track that is listed on eBay.
There's also a link in "Favorite Links" where you can search for and buy your favorite 8-track tapes. I've never ordered from them but figured I should include their link.
Here's a link where you can post classifieds for buying or selling 8-tracks: 8trackheaven-ads
Eight-Track Tape Auctions
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Eight-Track on Amazon
The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape
Amazon Price: $13.98 (as of 03/18/2010) 
The 8-Track Tape Repair Guide
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 03/18/2010)
Kraco Eight Track Auto Stereo Tape Player Owners Manual, Model No KS-400.
Amazon Price: (as of 03/18/2010)
For Sale! My Extras
As time permits, I'll be listing some of my extra 8-tracks here.
As far as reliability goes, you can check my feedback on eBay. I have over 700 positive feed-backs and no negatives. I'm tired of paying eBay both on eBay and again through Paypal, so I'll be trying to sell through my Squidoo sites.
I don't have the time or ambition to try to find out the values of these tapes so I'll be charging a straight $10 ea. plus the shipping costs. Maybe you'll find some good values! Maybe not! Contact Me!
Conditions vary as these are used (vintage) tapes! While I do play them to make sure that they are working, the labels vary from excellent to poor so ask questions about the tapes that you are interested in. And please remember, an 8-track that is working fine can stick and unwind at any time. I've had plenty of experience with this!
Tapes For Sale:
Three Dog Night Golden Greats P8-3664 1979 Pickwick
More American Graffiti MCAT2-11006 1979 MCA
High Energy TV2628 1979 KTEL
Neil Diamond Gold 8/3084 1972 Record Club of America
The Beatles 1967-1970 Part 1 1973 Apple Records
The Beatles 1967-1970 Part 2 1973 Apple Records
Rolling Stones Greatest Hits Vol. II 1977 TeeVee Records
Statler Brothers Bed of Roses MC861317 Mercury
American Graffiti 41 Hits MCAT2-8001 MCA
Saturday Night Fever 8T-2-4001 1977 RSO
Red Foxx Matinee Idol (label half gone, back-side)
More tapes listed later!
As far as reliability goes, you can check my feedback on eBay. I have over 700 positive feed-backs and no negatives. I'm tired of paying eBay both on eBay and again through Paypal, so I'll be trying to sell through my Squidoo sites.
I don't have the time or ambition to try to find out the values of these tapes so I'll be charging a straight $10 ea. plus the shipping costs. Maybe you'll find some good values! Maybe not! Contact Me!
Conditions vary as these are used (vintage) tapes! While I do play them to make sure that they are working, the labels vary from excellent to poor so ask questions about the tapes that you are interested in. And please remember, an 8-track that is working fine can stick and unwind at any time. I've had plenty of experience with this!
Tapes For Sale:
Three Dog Night Golden Greats P8-3664 1979 Pickwick
More American Graffiti MCAT2-11006 1979 MCA
High Energy TV2628 1979 KTEL
Neil Diamond Gold 8/3084 1972 Record Club of America
The Beatles 1967-1970 Part 1 1973 Apple Records
The Beatles 1967-1970 Part 2 1973 Apple Records
Rolling Stones Greatest Hits Vol. II 1977 TeeVee Records
Statler Brothers Bed of Roses MC861317 Mercury
American Graffiti 41 Hits MCAT2-8001 MCA
Saturday Night Fever 8T-2-4001 1977 RSO
Red Foxx Matinee Idol (label half gone, back-side)
More tapes listed later!
Favorite Links
- The Last Days of the 8-Track Tape
- The story of the 8-track ended with both a bang and a whimper. The major record labels announced their decision to stop supporting the 8-track format between 1981 and 1983. However, some continued to issue top-10 pop albums for some time.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Eight-Tracks
- Compiled by Malcolm Riviera with excellent assistance from Abigail Lavine, Our Lady of the 8-Tracks (abbot@pobox.com), Eric Wilson (ewilson@nr.infi.net) and Ronald Bensley (RBensley@gnn.com) and many others.
- Eight-Track On Wikipedia
- Stereo 8, commonly known as the eight-track cartridge, eight-track tape, or eight-track, is a magnetic tape sound recording technology, popular from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s.
- 8-TRACK SHACK
- 8-track-shack.com is the best place to buy top music artists on 8-Track Tape across all music genres: rock, pop, R&B, rap, jazz, reggae, blues, classical music, country music, easy listening, big band music, new age, heavy metal, gospel music, folk music, Christmas music or children's music.
- A History of The Eight Track Tape
- A great article on the makings of the 8-track tape player!
Guestbook
Tell us about your 8-track collection and be sure to "rate us" by clicking on the stars at the top-right side of this page.
submit
by JerryB
I enjoy collecting! It doesn't really seem to matter what it is, if it's old I'll hang on to it. So, most of my lenses are about collecting.
I also...
(more)Explore related pages
Subliminal Music And Images - Everyone has heard of subliminal messages that pop out in commercials and poster...
Subliminal Software - Everyone has heard of subliminal messages that pop out in commercials and poster...
Custom Subliminal Cds- Everyone has heard of subliminal messages that pop out in commercials and poster...
The Stray Cats Rock- Back in the 1980's The Stray Cats rocked with songs like Rock This Town, Stray C...
The Cassette Collector- Recorded music on cassette tapes had their hayday between the early 1970s and la...
tampa noise music
- This lens is about some of the shows and sounds I get to see and hear in the Tam...
