8mm Forum: A "new" GS 1200

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Posted by Joerg Niggemann (Member # 611) on June 19, 2006, 02:30 PM:

I couldn't resist: Bought a GS1200 from ebay which is stated to be "new" and unused! The seller said that the first owner died a few weeks after he got the projector. Then it slept for 25 years in its original packing. I hope this is true and really feel like a child waiting for christmas to come...

Joerg

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on June 19, 2006, 07:11 PM:

But beware! The soul of the previous owner is now inhabiting that metal monster, waiting, just waiting for the right moment to strike.....or not. I feel a screenplay coming on.....

Doug

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on June 19, 2006, 10:50 PM:

Wow... that is the second one this year! [Eek!]

Posted by Joerg Niggemann (Member # 611) on June 20, 2006, 03:59 AM:

Doug, I'll report any strange things going on here if I'm still able to... [Eek!]

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on June 20, 2006, 04:17 AM:

Sounds like a nice find. [Smile]

When you get it I would leave it running for a couple of hours as the belts will have become "set"after 25yrs of no use. I would start the machine up in 18fps mode to start with and then if it starts it doesnt make too much noise increse the speed to 24fps.

It might be a good idea to have a spare main drive belt to hand as this is the one which can become very hard with time and make a lot of noise. You can get these belts to go back to their natural shape by placing them in boiling water.

Any noises from the amp or lack of sound from either track will probably be down to dirty record switches. If this is the case then just put the machine in anad out of record mode a dozen times or so as this action will help to clean any tarnish off the switch contacts.

Nice find. Kev.

Posted by Joerg Niggemann (Member # 611) on June 20, 2006, 06:47 AM:

Kevin, thanks for your tips.
"Unfortunately", I'm on holiday for the next 2 weeks BUT: The seller didn't offer shipping. So I decided to pick it up near Hamburg tomorrow on my way to the baltic sea. I'm sure that there will be an 8mm print in my case for testing [Wink]

Joerg

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on June 20, 2006, 07:08 AM:

Sounds like a good plan to me [Wink]

Kev.

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on June 20, 2006, 07:25 AM:

Darn, the suspense is killing me...

Great to know that another GS1200 will go to a good home.

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on June 20, 2006, 05:03 PM:

JMT, I think there will be a lot more machines coming on the market like this. It seems to me that poeple are having clearouts and finding more machines tucked away in cupboards which havent seen the light of day for years.
Not wanting to be morbid but as the older generation dies away the machines are now getting sold.

Back in the late 70's, early 80's if you went to the BFCC you would see that the membership was made up of people in their 50's to 60's and I think that is still the case today. That puts the guys from the heyday of super8 now in their 80/90's and I think the reason why there are now so many of thes machine popping up all over the place.
If you visit the German ebay site the are so many projectors for sale that you can almost pick any make and model you want to.

This is another thought as well....from looking at the listings and numbers on the German eBay site would it be correct to say that the takeup of super8 was the strongest in Germany? and I wonder why? Ebay Germany is where I have seen the most GS's for sale and is where I bought my Xenon from a few years ago.

Kev. [Smile]

Posted by Joerg Niggemann (Member # 611) on June 27, 2006, 09:11 PM:

I'm back with the projector and - it is really new! No sign that a film ever passed that gate. It also seems that the machine was stored under perfect conditions over the years, clean and dry. And the best thing: I switched it on and it immediately worked: Clear picture and sound. No problems with switches or potentiometers. Perfect recordings. The belts (main and reel arms) will have to be replaced, but that's all. I'm really HAPPY.

Joerg

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on June 29, 2006, 05:06 PM:

you lucky man joerg.well done and enjoy.andy.

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