Vintage Sony TC-500 Stereo Tapecorder Reel-to-Reel Tape Recorder, Vietnam Vet. For Sale

Submitted for your approval is a treasure: a Sony TC-500 Stereo Tapecorder, once the possession of a Captain R.J. Kattar, who served in Vietnam.  Or, as it is written on the unit, \"Viet Nam\", in the style of the UN and, indeed, the Vietnamese themselves.  (I\'m not sure when the two words got smooshed together in common usage, but it\'s correct for a period inscription.  Oh, the stories this unit could tell!  Did Captain Kattar bring it with him from Stateside, all fifty-five and one-quarter pounds of it?  Did he acquire it in-country, or on leave in Japan?  How many times did it play back \"We Gotta Get Out of this Place\" by The Animals?  Did a copy of \"What the Captain Means\" ever pass over its heads?  (well, OK, probably not, since that piece probably dates to \'66)  Anywho, the unit seems to be in good order; we\'ve tested it to the best of our capacities, but the only appropriate tape I could come up with was recorded on only one track.  Nonetheless, I was able to pass the tape, by hand, over the other side of the heads, and got good output from the right channel as well.  The tape noise coming through the right channel also confirms that both channels of the tape section work.  Both sides of the amplifier and both speakers are in good order, this was easy to test because the TC-500 is not just an open-reel tape recorder, but also, essentially, an entire stereo system in and of itself.  It has an auxiliary input which was easily connected to the test PC and proved that the audio section works beautifully.  The dial lights illuminate.  The tape counter DOES NOT work; these are, in my experience, usually driven by their own, tiny little belt, and are almost always the first thing to fail because of the tininess of the belt.  The unit works at both speeds and the V.U. meters respond.  We did NOT test record functionality because we don\'t have any blank tapes.  Moreover, we don\'t even have a take-up reel, so testing was performed with tape spilling out all over the place.  That said, the take-up spindle turns with strength and should work just fine.  Various pieces of trim are missing, like the silver cap on the righthand knob, and some trim on the handle.  One of the zippers on the little bags that hold the speaker wires has come off its track.  There is no AC cord included; we had to use a \"Man Killer Cheater Cord\".  It looks like a standard figure-eight cord should fit, but it doesn\'t .  All in all, for having literally been through the war, it\'s in quite good order.  We hope this piece of history will find a good home with you!