famous beagle
Well-known member
So, as some of you know, I went through hell and back finally getting together a fully functional R2R rig in a Fostex 80 recorder and a Yamaha RM804 mixer. Having a R2R rig has been a dream of mine for nearly 20 years --- I shit you not. And it's finally happened.
So ... of course, what happens then? Well, two days ago (not more than a month since I got my R2R rig up and running), my old college friend, to whom I haven't spoken in over 10 years, emails me out of the blue and says, "I'm moving, and I don't have room for it. Do you want my Tascam 388? Come get it, and it's yours free."
Ha! So ... I'm now in possession of a Tascam 388, which was the first R2R I wanted and the one I've wanted more than any other for as long as I can remember.
The bad news: it obviously took a fall at some point because one of the side panels is broken right near the front. The chassis has been bent a bit because of this. That's not a huge deal because I already have a nice piece of wood that will be perfect for making new panels. And I'm pretty sure I can bend back the chassis close to the way it was.
I fired it up when I got home, and all of the VU lamps work, as do all of the lights, which was great. However, the transport was totally dead. When I opened up the back, it was just as I'd hoped/expected: the belt was stretched out and had fallen off the capstan drive. So I have a new one on the way now.
This weekend perhaps I'll find the time to run signal through it and test the mixer and inputs/outputs/etc. Ted (my friend) told me that everything worked when he last used it, but he admits that he probably hadn't turned it on in over 10 years. That gives me some hope that perhaps a new belt will put it back in commission.
The pictures show how it looked when I got it home. It already looks a lot better after I cleaned it up (all that tape residue on the arm rest is gone, the chassis and knobs/faders are clean, etc.). I'll post pictures again when I get the new side panels installed. Also, the heads look to be in very good condition, which is good news.
Anyway .... assuming that the 388 is back in commission after the belt replacement (which is no guarantee, obviously), I'm trying to decide which system to go with. I was wondering if anyone had experience with both of these decks (Fostex 80 and the 388) and could compare the sound quality. I love Tascam stuff, but the 388 runs at 7.5 ips while the Fostex runs at 15. I know this isn't the only indicator of sound quality, but it does make me wonder a bit if the 80 would have the edge at all.
The 388 wins hands down (IMO) for coolness and vibe---not to mention the fact that the mixer is a bit more full-featured than the RM804 I'm using with the Fostex, especially in terms of EQ.
I've thought about keeping both rigs, but I don't have room to have both systems set up in my studio. And it just kind of bugs to me have gear stuffed in a closet somewhere not getting any use. My wife thinks I should keep them both just so I'd have a back up, seeing as how it took me soooo long to get a system up and running. And she probably has a point.
I guess I'd just like to hear some people weigh in on it.
It just cracks me up ... the timing of this whole thing!
So ... of course, what happens then? Well, two days ago (not more than a month since I got my R2R rig up and running), my old college friend, to whom I haven't spoken in over 10 years, emails me out of the blue and says, "I'm moving, and I don't have room for it. Do you want my Tascam 388? Come get it, and it's yours free."
Ha! So ... I'm now in possession of a Tascam 388, which was the first R2R I wanted and the one I've wanted more than any other for as long as I can remember.
The bad news: it obviously took a fall at some point because one of the side panels is broken right near the front. The chassis has been bent a bit because of this. That's not a huge deal because I already have a nice piece of wood that will be perfect for making new panels. And I'm pretty sure I can bend back the chassis close to the way it was.
I fired it up when I got home, and all of the VU lamps work, as do all of the lights, which was great. However, the transport was totally dead. When I opened up the back, it was just as I'd hoped/expected: the belt was stretched out and had fallen off the capstan drive. So I have a new one on the way now.
This weekend perhaps I'll find the time to run signal through it and test the mixer and inputs/outputs/etc. Ted (my friend) told me that everything worked when he last used it, but he admits that he probably hadn't turned it on in over 10 years. That gives me some hope that perhaps a new belt will put it back in commission.
The pictures show how it looked when I got it home. It already looks a lot better after I cleaned it up (all that tape residue on the arm rest is gone, the chassis and knobs/faders are clean, etc.). I'll post pictures again when I get the new side panels installed. Also, the heads look to be in very good condition, which is good news.
Anyway .... assuming that the 388 is back in commission after the belt replacement (which is no guarantee, obviously), I'm trying to decide which system to go with. I was wondering if anyone had experience with both of these decks (Fostex 80 and the 388) and could compare the sound quality. I love Tascam stuff, but the 388 runs at 7.5 ips while the Fostex runs at 15. I know this isn't the only indicator of sound quality, but it does make me wonder a bit if the 80 would have the edge at all.
The 388 wins hands down (IMO) for coolness and vibe---not to mention the fact that the mixer is a bit more full-featured than the RM804 I'm using with the Fostex, especially in terms of EQ.
I've thought about keeping both rigs, but I don't have room to have both systems set up in my studio. And it just kind of bugs to me have gear stuffed in a closet somewhere not getting any use. My wife thinks I should keep them both just so I'd have a back up, seeing as how it took me soooo long to get a system up and running. And she probably has a point.
I guess I'd just like to hear some people weigh in on it.
It just cracks me up ... the timing of this whole thing!