Abstract: A pinch roller drive mechanism and circuit for operating the pinch roller drive mechanism for an open reel type tape recorder utilizing a dual capstan system. Both the pause plunger and play plunger are actuated at the start of a playback or recording operation which swing pinch rollers into positions in abutment with corresponding capstans. To accomplish this, a play arm is slidably mounted and moved by an actuating rod of a play plunger. Coupling arms extend from one end of the play arm to a pair of pinch roller units upon which the pinch rollers are rotatably mounted. An actuating rod from the pause plunger rotates a pause arm which has one end in abutment with a pin rigidly coupled to a central portion of the play arm. A predetermined period of time after the play plunger is initially actuated, the pause plunger is released. The coupling arms each have a guide rod at the end thereof for pressing a loaded magnetic tape into a position in abutment with an erasing head.