Mellotronists

Hi All

A couple of questions came to me recently, and being a Virtual Mellotronists (I know, 
lowest of the low) I don't have any practical knowledge, so maybe someone can help.

1)  I'm guessing that when new tape sets are made these days, they're produced from a 
digital recording of the original tape masters, rather than an analog-analog copy.  If so, 
does this have any discernible effect if, say, you were to run them at half-speed, or do a 
Pinderesque "The Voyage" pitch bend?  (Running my samples at half speed, or indeed 
pitch-bending them to any degree produces an audible digital artifact, which just doesn't 
sound "right".  And pitch-bending at half-speed, well... ;) )

2)  To what degree does the Mellotron itself colour the sound coming from the tapes?  In 
other words, if you were to put, say, Chamberlin 3 Violins and Cello voices onto Mellotron 
tapes, and play it back, would it sound like a Chamberlin, or would it be coloured by the 
Tron itself?  (I'm aware that the Tron 3 Violins was copied from the Chamberlin 3 Violins, 
but apparently not very well, hence the characteristic Tron sound for that voice.)

Forgive my ignorance - I'm saving pennies for the real thing...

Thanks in advance,

Owen