A composite magnetic head having a recording/playback head and an erasing head combined in one unit through a nonmagnetic material is constructed such that at least one of two core halves constituting the erasing head adjacent to the recording and reproducing head is made of single crystal ferrite, a plane (100) of the single crystal ferrite is substantially parallel to a principal magnetic path-forming plane, and an angle .theta. between an orientation existing in the plane (100) and an operating gap (magnetic gap)-forming plane is in the range of 10.degree.-40.degree. or 80.degree.-120.degree.. The composite magnetic head thus constructed can be made to have a reduced distance between magnetic gaps of both heads so as to be suited for being attached to the compact high-density recording and reproducing apparatus while eliminating crosstalk.