Because we understand how precious these recordings are to their owners, every precaution is taken to ensure their safe transfer and return. Even with those precautions, there can be unforeseen problems.

What could go wrong?
Well, beyond losing a wire in the mail, there is always the possibility that a wire will break either during playback or more commonly during rewind causing the wire to tangle. This is usually caused by a loose knot or a kink catching on the wire as it passes. Because it's difficult to know when or if a knot or kink is present, we can not predict whether this will happen to your wire. Sometimes the wire loosens causing it to become tangled even during playback. Because of the diameter of recording wire it is very difficult to untangle it. Though every effort is made to recover as much of the tangled wire as possible, there are times when the damage is beyond repair.

What precautions do you take?
First, there is a visual inspection. This doesn't always give us a clue to potential problems. It does let us know whether the wire was last rewound evenly on the spool or if it seems loose. In these cases, the wire is manually (by hand) wound and rewound before playing. If all "appears" fine, the wire is played back through our system into the studio computer. Sometimes this is done a second time if the wire was wound out of sync with the winding action of the head.

Is there anything I can do to prevent these things?
Yes! Loose wire often means tangled wire. Wire can easily become loose during shipping. The best thing you can do is to secure the end of the wire or string leader to the outside of the spool with a piece of tape. If your spool has a plastic or paper leader, wrap a rubber band around it before shipping. Securing the wire will keep it tightly wound during shipping. Be sure you tape to the non-label side otherwise the tape may take some of the label with it when removed.

I can tell by looking at it that my wire is tangled. Can it still be transferred?
Please do send the wire to us anyway. Though there are no guarantees, there is a chance it can be untangled. The one exception is a wire that is no longer on the spool. Don't send it if is one big pile of wire. We do charge $12 for untangling. If it takes more than an hour though, expect $5 per hour after that.
The wire pictured which was in very bad shape took us 25 1/2 hours to untangle.

What happens after it's transferred to the computer?
Gain adjustments are made, in some cases, hiss and hum are reduced, track IDs are placed and then the CD is made.

Can I get the finished recording on cassette instead of CD?
Due to quality issues, we only provide the finished recording on CD. If you don't own a CD player, we recommend you have a friend make a cassette copy for you. Do remember these are your family heirlooms. CD will last longer than cassette tape and can not be accidentally erased.

Can I get extra CD copies?
Of course. However, we do recommend that you not order extras until you've had a chance to listen to the original CD first. Often what has been written on the box or what someone told you would be on the wire is not. Re-recording on a wire can happen and that information may be wrong. Just give us a call to order copies. We will have them out to you in no time.

Will you edit out sections for me?
We can do any editing you'd like. Standard hourly studio rates apply.

How do I get the wire to you?
Secure the wire on the spool as recommended above and pack it well. Do not use a padded envelope for wires. The weight of the spools will easily rip a padded envelope open. It's best to ship in a box. You can ship it to us using your favorite shipping company. We recommend U.S. Priority Mail with a Delivery Confirmation or Signature Confirmation receipt. All return shipments are made via Priority Mail unless otherwise specified.

How much is my old wire recorder worth?
A similar question appeared in Leslie Hindman's "What's it Worth" column in the May 21, 2000 Chicago Tribune. In this case, the recorder in question was an early Webster-Chicago model and was appraised at $60, $80 with the original microphone.

Do you repair wire recorders?
No, we don't. But Darren Hoffman rebuilds wire recorders and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can contact him at amcmatador@aol.com.

Can you transfer GE and Pierce wires?
The answer is yes, however... The players we use are the more common post-1950 variety. Because of this, the spools that fit on our machines are much smaller than those used by GE and Pierce. In these cases, the wire must be moved to the smaller spools for playback. Once that is done, the recording is easily transferred to CD. Unfortunately, we have no way at this time to return the wire to its original spool.

There are flat rates or set-up fees for all transfers to CD. Restoration and Transfer rates are based on the length of the actual recording. There are additional rates for untangling wire and tape "baking". Return shipping is based on actual weight via US Priority Mail. A 50% deposit or a credit card number is required for us to start the work. We accept Check, Money Order and all major credit cards. The credit form must accompany all credit card orders. Please print out the form, fill it in completely and mail it along with your recordings.