cleaning my 488mkII (or 424), etc.

[TonyB]

hey, everyone. just got a used 488mkII, and i'm curious about what my fellow users employ to clean the machine. i'm having a hell of a time finding rubber cleaner, and i'm not sure if i should buy the foam q-tips or the wood-handled regular ones at radio shack...

i noticed that tascam sells their own cleaning kit. is this something i should get?

also, is demagnetizing REALLY necessary?

oh, and another also: a tascam tech support guy on the phone told me that maxell tapes are no good in the 488--something to do with their construction. what kind of tapes do you guys use? phone support man told me that TDK is best.

i suppose users of the 424 can help me just as much as users of the 488 can, as the 488 is only four more channels of the same thing.

so...fire away. many thanks for your suggestions.

tony

[chipper]

Yo, Tony B;
As an owner of a 488 MkII, I'd suggest using isopropyl alcohol for cleaning using regular Q-tips (making sure to lightly squeeze the excess out). As for tape brand to use, I use Sony 90 minute "CD It"'s, though I don't understand why the Maxells wouldn't work (I think that was that person's opinion, not Tascam's). As for your question about demagnetizing, yes, it is necessary. Y'see, the head builds up a charge which, if left unchecked, will greatly affect the sound quality of your recordings. I would suggest you get a wand-type unit with a hard plastic cover over the rod that does the work, as touching your heads with a bare-metal type would be bad. I hope this has been of help to you.

chipper

[gibs]

I use Maxell 60 min. high bias....never had a problem with my mkII...and you'll have to de-mag eventually...it will sneak up on you, although it takes a lot of hours to become necessary....the de-magger has instructions, follow 'em...don't touch the heads or make wild motions.....the Tascam cleaning kit is good....gibs

[TonyB]

thanks, guys.

one thing, though--what about the rubber cleaner aspect?

tony

[Hot Rocks]

You should be able to get the rubber cleaner at guitar center or musicians friend.I would buy the tascam cleaning kit.around 10.00 and it will last you

[Coda - Co]

I have a mkII and use the tascam cleaning kit ,it came with the head cleaner and rubber cleaner -- 10 15 bucks it's lasted 3 years -- good deal