It’s always a good time to buy an 8-track tape player. It was true in 1970 and it’s still true now. Vintage players and recorders of all types are available from online sellers. Many 8-track tape players for sale have been refurbished to some degree or another, so you can rest reasonably assured that you’re getting a player that will last a long time. Others are sold as-is, which is a great opportunity for tinkerers to work on a vintage 8-track tape player and get it back to showroom condition. (And then there are those diamonds in the rough that still work fine without any work needed. Some of that 1970s craftsmanship was pretty advanced!)
See also: 8-track tapes: Vintage cartridge format for music lovers
8-Track Tape Player Types
Before buying an 8-track tape player you need to know what kind you’re looking for. Broadly, you should choose from these basic categories:
- Home 8-track tape player: This is a readily available and basic type. It plays 8-track tapes, and that’s it. It may be a component that plugs into an amplifier (which in where the speakers too go), or it may be a tape player to which you can attach speakers directly. Many of these players do both, take speakers or plug into a component system. This player is a good choice if you just want to play 8-track tapes but don’t want to take up much room. Then again some are bigger and include FM/AM radio, a cassette player, and/or even a turntable. The more stuff is added on, the greater likelihood that speakers will plug in directly to the machine and you won’t need any amplifier.
- Home 8-track tape player/recorder: One average a little bigger, these units can record onto 8-track tapes as well as play them. Great for making your own 8-track mix tapes, or even creating fantasy issues of album that were never available on 8-track cartridge. Player/recorders are good for 8-track fanatics that are more creative and more deeply rooted in the world of vintage audio tape formats. (Note that if you aren’t in this category yet, you may be soon. 8-tracks aren’t just a hobby, they’re an obsession for many!)
- Home quadraphonic 8-track tape player: Rarer, these units will be able to play regular stereo 8-tracks as well as quadraphonic (4-channel) tapes. These will generally need speakers (four of ’em!) connected directly and placed around your groovy hifi room wherever they sound best. A quad 8-track tape player will usually be more expensive but many are very well-made and still feel sturdy and operate flawlessly. You’ll need quad 8-track tapes to play on it of course.
- Home 4-track/8-track tape player: Getting into a very rare area now, these briefly-available units could play 4-track cartridges as well as 8-track cartridges. If you find one of these you are very, very lucky. And very, very cool, obviously.
- 8-track tape player for car: Fairly ubiquitous in online marketplaces, 8-track players for cars were very widespread in the 1970s. Great units can still be found for sale that work great, and come in many of the same varieties as home units (quad, 4-track/8-track hybrids, etc). Note that while hooking these up to older cars is relatively easy, it can be tricker in a modern car. (Which is to say, a fun project for a weekend.) Also remember that car 8-track players came in different sizes. If you’re planning on installing one of these, in any car, you may have to get creative to make it fit. You could pretty easily engineer one of these to play in a home setting as well if you dig the automotive theme indoors.
- Portable 8-track tape player: Many of the players that have proven durable in the consciousness of pop culture are portable ones. They inspire a devotion more emotional than technical. These include classic models, such as the Welltronic “space helmet” players and the Panasonic “TNT plunger”. Portable 8-track tape players can be relatively easy to find, but also a little higher-priced due to demand. The best will be in their original packaging. And the best TNT players won’t have a broken handle!
- Car 8-track cassette adapters: If you do have a car 8-track tape player, you might want one of these handy devices that allow you to play cassettes through any 8-track player. Our 8-track cassette adapters section is here.
8-track tape/cassette vintage adapters
8-Track Tape Player Buying Tips
Old 8-track tape players are, well, old. Even ones that still work fine today could conceivably start malfunctioning at any time. Sellers generally won’t offer any guarantee and you can understand why. But if you wanted something that worked smoothly and effortlessly, you wouldn’t be into 8-track tapes at all. The quirkiness of each 8-track tape player is part of the fun. You may have to buy and try a few players before you settle on the one that becomes your reliable and long-term unit.
If you really want to be immersed in the original spirit of your 8-track tape player, look for sales that include the original packaging and manuals. Remember also that if you need a part – a replacement belt, maybe – many sellers list these parts separately and so even a dead player can often be revived without too much trouble.
More: Reel-to-reel vintage players and recording units
The best players – Pioneers in particular have proven durable, but others are equally valued by 8-track tape enthusiasts – will of course be more expensive. This is especially true if they’ve been well-cared for, stored carefully, and come with their original box and paperwork. Because of the variable quality of 8-track tape players from the 1970s, the extra cost is usually worth it if you find a quality player that works.
Like other vintage collectibles categories, the 8-track tape player for sale listings online change often. New offers are constantly added and old ones are removed as music lovers scoop up the best players. Have fun looking for the perfect player for your needs. And be proud of yourself that you’re keeping the dream of the endless loop alive!
