LONG SHOT..... Anyone Know Stemco Multitrack Recorders from the '60s?

[dbbubba]

I am building a 1" 8-track deck using a transport built from an Ampex AG-351 and Ampex AG-440B electronics.

I have discovered that the transport was built by a company called STEMCO that built un-licensed, knock-off, one-off multitrack recoders in the late '60s and possibly early '70s.
I have found a twin to my transport on eBay where there is a fully intact STEMCO machine.
I have also found references to a few STEMCO machines in a few studios in the Chicago area in the late '60s.

I realize that most of this would be before a lot of Gearslutz people were even born, but there has to be SOME info out there.
I have drawn blanks on many other websites, so I am looking everywhere I can for info.

[dbbubba]

OK, well.... no one responded but there was another thread about Stemco machines.

Stemco was company out of Menlo Park, CA that made knock-off and one-off Ampex type decks in the '60s.
They made several different decks and according to Ron Newdoll who owns Accurate Sound who made the same type decks in that time period, Stemco probably made about 400 transports and maybe 1000 electronics sets.

Most of these manufacturers made the decks from surplus Ampex decks like AG-350 transports.
Several started out making Ampex 351 type knock offs and then started making AG-440 type electronics.

I owned a converted Ampex AG-300 / AG-440B 1" 8-track in the late '70s and it was a VERY good transport.
It was probably made by Accurate Sound according to Mr. Newdoll.

The Stemco 1" 8-track that I am currently building into a proper 8-tack with Ampex Ag-440 electronics is a well built machine.
Some of the parts are from Ampex machines, too.
Other parts were sourced from the same suppliers that Ampex used or machined by Stemco.
The only real difference between it and an actual Ampex is that some of the aluminum metal work is better finished and "classier" looking on the Ampex deck.
The differences are mostly only cosmetic.

Ampex was a bit more advanced because they had things like a boost amplifier for the supply and take-up reel motors and an improved torque system as well.

Here's a pic of my Stemco 1" 8-track with a single channel of Ampex AG-352VU repro only electronics for testing.