StoryMagic Big Bird repair

Believe it or not, my first talking toy was not a Teddy Ruxpin- it was a talking Big Bird, Ideal Toy Company's solution to the quickly-spreading Teddy Ruxpin craze. Unfortunately, my Big Bird stopped working when I was about five or six years old, and when we sent him in to have him fixed, they sent me a Tyco one, instead! Apparently, the rights for the toy had been transferred over to Tyco, and instead of fixing the old Big Birds they were shipping out new ones, which was a total rip-off. I never saw another one of these guys until I was 17; I was out at a thrift store and found this very Big Bird shoved up under a set of picture frames! I snatched him up and took him home, only to find that he was broken. School got in the way and he sat on my shelf for years, but now, I've finally had enough time to get him back in working order. =)

A very special thanks goes to Dereck Tombrello for his over-the-email advice, especially since he was the only person out of the several I sent messages to who actually had the decency to respond to me.... You know who you are, bunch of rude people *glare*. Again, Dereck, thank you! Your advice was very helpful!

Also, if anyone has questions on the repair or on Big Bird in general, feel free to leave a comment or send me a private message!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• 1986
• ideal
• toy
• company
• storymagic
• story
• magic
• talking
• big
• bird
• bigbird
• cookie
• monster
• oscar
• the
• grouch
• teddy
• ruxpin
• grubby
• worlds
• of
• wonder
• wow
• w.o.w.
• tyco
• sesame
• street
• sesamestreet

[coondogtheman1234]

I'd be curious to know what would happen if you put a regular music tape in BB. I played one of the tapes in a normal stereo once and there was audio from one side and a pulsing noise in the other.

[blueoctopede]

@coondogtheman1234 youtube.com/watch?v=FMWKfiCPEp­w =)

[jtsoundtech]

P. S. Would you happen to know if there is any way to clean the fur? My Big Bird's "feathers" have become sort of clumped together and not soft and fluffy like it used to be. No idea why. Thanks.

[blueoctopede]

@jtsoundtech Try spraying him lightly with some carpet cleaner and brush the fur down while it's still damp, then vacuum it when it dries- that should get a lot of the clumps out.

[Twilight101cp]

If his face is permanatly attatched, how'dyou get he fur stuff off and things?

[blueoctopede]

@Twilight101cp I didn't. It just came off as one big piece with eyes and mouth still connected.

[Pupepepets]

I love Big Bird! wacthing this makes me happy

[Nuggetlover96]

i must say, big bird's internal organs are much less complex then teddie's XD

[bpmagruder]

Deathtrap?

[Lachlant1984]

Disneysongtape uploaded the whole Big Bird's Day On The farm tape and I've just seen the video, I believe I have heard this cassette before, that is once when I was at World 4 Kids in 1993 I was looking at the Tyco Big Bird and the tape was up to the point where "Good Morning Mr Sun was playing, so now I know what that first song in this video is, even though I didn't recognise it when you first uploaded this video, I think the reason for that is because Big Bird's volume is so low at that point

[woolridge48]

is there any way to clean up battery terminals. I have one but 1 of batts exploded in let some film on metal. other than that he should totally work.

[monkey4182]

@blueoctopede I have a Tyco StoryMagic Big Bird, and the tapes sound very sluggish and almost drunk when they're played. Do you know how I could speed this up to normal again please?

[coondogtheman1234]

@blueoctopede

NM I got it it's big bird sings journey.