A magnetic head including a plurality of head element units provided along
a width direction with respect to a magnetic tape. Each head element unit
is provided with at least one recording element for recording a data
signal on the magnetic tape and at least one reproducing element for
reproducing a data signal from the magnetic tape. In each head element
unit, an AC erase head for performing AC erase on a data track of the
magnetic tape is positioned upstream in a tape travel direction with
respect to the recording element.