MORE Tascam 388 (lights)

[Jillchaw]

One of the meter lights is out in my 388. How do i go about fixing it? Does the part have to be ordered from tascam? Thanks for any help.

[jpmorris]

Originally Posted by Jillchaw

One of the meter lights is out in my 388. How do i go about fixing it? Does the part have to be ordered from tascam? Thanks for any help.

Well since it's probably just the light bulb that's failed, you might be able to find a compatible part, but yeah, get one from Tascam or their distributors. When I replaced a bulb on my '32, they didn't have the proper fuse-type lights, I ended up with a wired one, although you can just wrap the leads around the terminals or something to make it work.

Probably the worst bit is going to be opening the machine up - I'm not sure how easy it is to access the meters internally.

[Herm]

I would say unless you really really need that bulb dont start taking your rig apart to replace it. Its no picknick. You will have to pull atleast 2 cards out of your 388 and take 3 screws out of the meter frame to get them out.
They come out 4 at a time.
Then you will have to cut the tape on the meter and unsolder the bulb and then solder the new bulb in.
The problem with taking out the boards you will need to replace the bulbs is some of these are getting to the age that they dont want to come out real easy and can be a real problem to put back in with out damaging the pins they sit on and the connectors they push down on.
I have had one apart and would just live with it.
To replace a little light bulb can end up costing you the use of your rig for good.
If its working ok dont mess with it.

[Jillchaw]

OK thanks for the advice. I guess its not worth it at this point.

[shedshrine]

Just a thought. What about running a very short string of those tiny Christmas, er, holiday lights, clear or frosted, and attaching them behind the base of the vu meters . You could run them so there is a socket behind each vu, and put bulbs in as the original ones blow.

The backlit ones may look a little funky next to the meters that still have bulbs burning inside the vu box brightness-wise, but would make the previously dark ones easier to read. Just attach the leads to the power supply in some way, right?

Or it's just a firehazard. Nevermind..