Debating on selling my Tascam 388 and I'm torn...

I just want to test the waters... if you guys who have had or currently have a Tascam 388 and you simply don't use it much (in my case it hasn't been used in at least a year, probably 2), would you be comfortable selling it to make some money or do you think you'd instantly regret it?

I'm not necessarily in a financial bind, and definitely not in dire straits at the moment but I do have stuff I'm just not using and I feel like it's getting wasted sitting unused, and freeing up a chunk of change right now wouldn't be a bad idea the way things are going.

The downside to it, is knowing as soon as I let it go I'm going to wish I didn't. Maybe. I let go of a Tascam 38 for almost nothing because I was just done dealing with its problems and that I do not regret. It never worked the way I wanted it to. The 388 on the other hand works great (last time I fired it up) and I paid next to nothing for it when I got it 10 years ago.

Maybe I'm just having a mid-life crisis and shifted gears a little. I don't know. What do you guys think? I don't have to sell, so I don't have to let it go cheap , and the market value on these is stupid right now.
 
Well, you did ask !
Sell it.
If you're not using it and you know you're never going to use it again, then no matter what glories it has brought you in the past, sell it. There may well be someone out there that could get oodles of use out of it. You don't intend to. Even if you instantly regret it, so what ? You're not going to use it again either way are you ? And if you keep it it'll just sit around gathering dust, useless, unused and not even looking pretty. And it'll just take up unnecessary room.
Sell it !
 
I agree with Grim in that, if you don't plan on ever using it again, then you should sell it.

But you didn't really say that. You simply said you haven't used it in a year or two.

Why is that?

Do you think you ever would use it again? If not, why not?
 
This is just my two cents.

Back in the 80s I bought a 4 track cassette recorder.

In the 90s I bought a 4 track digital recorder to a very strange disc. I think this had midi attached.

Later in the 90s I bought the Korg D1500 or 1600.

When I got my G5 Mac (the first model) I got Pro Tools.

Each machine rendered the one before it obsolete. I still own all of them. Many are just lying there collecting dust. One of the reasons I haven't sold or given them away is I'M TOO LAZY. The other reason is, I used each one a lot. There are songs on my Korg that I don't even remember. I can only imagine what's on my other machines. That's the big reason I haven't moved any of my recorders.

All these machines were essential before computer DAWs came around. Is your Tascam easier to use than many DAWs? Yes. Are you competent enough to do what you did on the Tascam on a DAW? That's up to you. The person that taught me to play uses a Tascam and we can still record together. If you can record to your computer DAW (if you have one) then there really is no reason to keep your Tascam. Unless your computer is somewhere you can't record at, and it can't easily be moved.

If you decide to sell it, MAKE SURE you have every track and song somewhere so they're not lost forever. If you decide to keep it, record and make music. As we get older we stop and lose the drive. Because many think they're going to be stars with riches. When that doesn't happen, their equipment gathers dust. I never expected that. I write and record because it's FUN.

That's my two cents.
 
if you don't plan on ever using it again, then you should sell it. But you didn't really say that. You simply said you haven't used it in a year or two.
If a person is considering selling, it's generally because they aren't thinking of using that item again.
I felt it in Whiny's waters ! ;)

If you decide to sell it, MAKE SURE you have every track and song somewhere so they're not lost forever
^^^^^^^This.
There are a load of tracks {about 40 songs} that I used to have on cassette that I recorded on my Tascam 488 but once the songs from those tracks were mixed, I re-used the tapes and recorded other tracks from new songs on them. I did actually regret not keeping them for a bit because I would have remixed some of them or reused the drum tracks or other instrument tracks for new songs. With the new recordings, I made sure I kept the tracks, eventually transferring them to my Akai DAW and I still have them, even though they'll probably never be used again once the song is mixed.
But they might !

Sell it !
 
The regret sometimes comes from realizing all the things you ‘ could’’ have or ‘should’ have done with it. Things you aren’t doing now. (For whatever reason)
So....... do those things. Or not, and sell it and don’t look back.

What’s the old saying? Use it or lose it.
 
Yeah...what he said ^^^...and add do that...it's not so much about "now", but your plans for the future. Sitting on it for a couple of years, but definitely seeing it put to use again down the road...is OK. Just clinging to it for the sake of yesteryear nostalgia...maybe it's time to let it go.

You have to soul-search a bit, and be honest with yourself and your life situation.

If you do decide to sell it...post back in this thread for awhile, because there may be someone here who will want it...that way you'll know where it's going if that makes you feel any better.
 
These are good replies; thanks guys. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t trying to give off the vibe that I was never planning to use it again but, the reality is that I’m in such a different place right now with life that hanging on to equipment for nostalgia’s sake is just silly. I love analog recording and the sound of analog recording, but even as easy as it is to roll out the 388 and plug in some mics and record, I still have a mental block about actually just doing it. And yes, I have a DAW and several computers to work from if I choose so there is no issue there.

But it sounds like you all agree it makes more sense to move on and cash in / let someone else actually get some use out of it.
 
I love analog recording and the sound of analog recording, but even as easy as it is to roll out the 388 and plug in some mics and record, I still have a mental block about actually just doing it. And yes, I have a DAW and several computers to work from if I choose so there is no issue there.

OK...so you're saying the mental block has to do with using the analog tape gear...but you're not experiencing that with DAW use or all recording in general, now and into the future...?

If that is so...then clear out the stuff gathering dust...it will probably feel liberating once you cut those ties...but the memories will always be there. :)
I've thought many time about my early 4-track days and how much simple fun I had writing songs and recording them...and I held on to my 4-track through several years of no use, and then even for a couple of years after I got a 16-track...all because of the memories. :D
When I sold it...I kissed it goodbye and never thought about the actual deck anymore...but I still have those memories of using it.
 
seems unanimous....sell it

sitting around the rubber rots, the caps dry out, it dies and rots and becomes worthless....right now you might be able to sell it.
 
the reality is that I’m in such a different place right now with life
Which is why you should sell the machine. The funny thing is that it may be that that actually motivates you to start up again. Yeah, that sounds backwards, I know. I did it with a bike a few years back. I wasn't using it so I sold it. Within less than 2 years, I bought another one and have been on it consistently since 2011. Selling it led to me realizing that actually, it had been a good thing to have and other than when I'm about to make a turn or approach a hazard, I've never looked back. :facepalm:
I still have a mental block about actually just doing it. And yes, I have a DAW and several computers to work from if I choose so there is no issue there.
On the other hand..........

Now, that's what I find interesting. I take what you're saying to be that you have a mental block when it comes to recording in general, not just analog tape in particular.
If that's the case, then that's what needs to be addressed. Do you not record at all anymore ? Let's face it, it happens. And this is where intent, and I mean actual serious intent, not futuristic fantasy on the shelf type intent, is crucial. Is the block you speak of just a long time habit of not practicing the craft of writing, recording and mixing ? Or has it become an unwillingness to do those things ? Or something else ?
I was on a serious roll from the summer of 2009 right up to the Easter of 2013. I and friends had recorded so much stuff. Then in 2013 I decided to sort out my music collection among other things and over 5 years passed in which I didn't do any recording or mixing. But always in the back of my mind was the intention to get on with it because there were just too many songs I'd recorded that needed to be completed. To cut a long oft-told story short, at the end of summer 2018 I forced myself to get down to mixing and bit by bit, I was getting pieces done and then I got back into recording and since then I've been pretty much back to it. During part of that time {particularly 2016, 17 and part of 18} I did wonder if I'd shot it, if I'd ever be able to get back to it or even be willing to but as I said earlier, that intent was always there.
Is yours ?
If not, sell it !
 
There's a recurring phase I go through with each purge of unused goods..

Usually, It's something that's been collecting dust for several years. I think I should pass it on to someone who will make use of it; move it out to free up space; just sell it for the money. All good reasons.

I instantly fall back to a 'but what if.. ' stance where I just know as soon as it's gone I'll suddenly discover a need for it. That's a pretty strong tug to overcome, and once I do it's a relief and I rarely regret the move.

In 2009, I slowly liquidated about $15K of music gear.. most of it one piece at a time, and went through the separation anxiety with each piece. Most of the gear I'm not wishing I had back, but I do mourn the $6K guitar collection as they would come in handy now.
 
I have been on a real purge binge the last few years. Sold half my guitars and basses, electronics I no longer used, and removed/tossed junk from the house/garage. I still have more to go, lots more in the garage. My theory is: If I haven't used it in a year, it is a candidate and I'll decide. If I haven't used it in 2 years, it's pretty much gone.

For me, removing the clutter in the house, garage or studio is removing clutter in my head.

Speaking of which, anyone want some tires?? $100 for the set.
 
what to do, what to do???

I just want to test the waters... if you guys who have had or currently have a Tascam 388 and you simply don't use it much (in my case it hasn't been used in at least a year, probably 2), would you be comfortable selling it to make some money or do you think you'd instantly regret it?

I'm not necessarily in a financial bind, and definitely not in dire straits at the moment but I do have stuff I'm just not using and I feel like it's getting wasted sitting unused, and freeing up a chunk of change right now wouldn't be a bad idea the way things are going.

The downside to it, is knowing as soon as I let it go I'm going to wish I didn't. Maybe. I let go of a Tascam 38 for almost nothing because I was just done dealing with its problems and that I do not regret. It never worked the way I wanted it to. The 388 on the other hand works great (last time I fired it up) and I paid next to nothing for it when I got it 10 years ago.

Maybe I'm just having a mid-life crisis and shifted gears a little. I don't know. What do you guys think? I don't have to sell, so I don't have to let it go cheap , and the market value on these is stupid right now.

My 2Cents: transfer all the tracks from any tapes you have and sell it. Getting those tracks or having access is what you will regret.
 
My theory is: If I haven't used it in a year, it is a candidate and I'll decide. If I haven't used it in 2 years, it's pretty much gone. For me, removing the clutter in the house, garage or studio is removing clutter in my head.

This.

This is exactly what my friend told me the other day when I asked him if I should sell it. It was almost word for word.

Now, that's what I find interesting. I take what you're saying to be that you have a mental block when it comes to recording in general, not just analog tape in particular.
If that's the case, then that's what needs to be addressed. Do you not record at all anymore ? Let's face it, it happens. And this is where intent, and I mean actual serious intent, not futuristic fantasy on the shelf type intent, is crucial. Is the block you speak of just a long time habit of not practicing the craft of writing, recording and mixing ? Or has it become an unwillingness to do those things ? Or something else ?

You're right, I do have a mental block for recording in general. Even playing isn't as enjoyable as it once was. But then again, I do go through lulls in the warmer months because it's just a drag to be in the basement, and it's too hot outside so I get weather depressed. Then in the winter I get depressed because it's dark at 4:30... I guess my problem is depression, huh? lol!

But for real, I do tinker around all the time but just not motivated to set up gear and record it. I was in such a lull a couple years ago that I decided to set up a little studio desk in my sun room upstairs so I could at least get some daylight. I got a little Novation keyboard controller and started playing around more in Logic and using the built-in synthesizers and instruments to build tracks, and it was a lot more productive. But. I would get halfway through recording something and realize I could go to the complete other end of the spectrum and produce a top-quality, million-dollar sound with some plug-ins and a midi controller... and that didn't seem right either. On the other hand, I did record 2 full albums back in 2005 and 2006 at home on an old G4 Quicksilver desktop in Cubase Studio with real instruments and both came out great. It was the writing and the arrangement. Not the equipment. Analog tape was the only thing I could use way back in the day, but we're talking cassettes. And anything I record on the 388 is going to have a 'sound'. I don't consider it to be the 'Tascam Sound' but it sounds thinner and kinda low-fi. So it's kind of a novelty. I don't think I care about that novelty anymore.
 
If I haven't used it in a year, it is a candidate and I'll decide. If I haven't used it in 2 years, it's pretty much gone.

For me...it's more about the overall usage value of a piece, and where does it or could it fit into the big picture...and not just because something has been sitting unused past a certain deadline.

That's why I ask...what is the long-term goal, what is the big picture...?...because if you see some potential usage, keeping a piece of gear you already own...vs...having to buy it again...is much more cost effective.

I've got some stuff I haven't used in several years...but I won't let it go. Other times, I've turned over gear within a few months if I found it just wasn't going to fill my need on any level, and I wanted something else in place of it.
 
As I read your post, your implied message rings to this old 76-year-old fellow as clear as a bell: DON'T SELL YOUR TASCAM 388!!! If I read you correctly, the current market value is such that you'd operationally pretty much give it away. You said that you don't have to sell it, and you don't need the money. It worked fine the last time you operated it, and it is likely to continue to work if you fired it up again (though it might not hurt to fire it up for an hour or so to "shake out the cobwebs" in it). My dad had a wise saying that he often passed to me if I was deciding whether to part with a given piece of equipment: "Son, you know it doesn't eat anything, so there is no hurry."
I'm no psychologist, so I want to tread carefully on the following material. You said something very important when you said that you'd probably regret parting with the 388, particularly if you nearly gave it away because of its low market value. You probably embedded a "self-fulfilling prophesy" of sorts when you posted that statement. So, since it works fine as far as you know; you don't need the money; the market value of the piece is quite low; you said that you might regret parting with it the moment you concluded the transaction; Therefore, the conclusion seems quite obvious to me as I said above: DON'T SELL IT!!!
 
So, since it works fine as far as you know; you don't need the money; the market value of the piece is quite low; you said that you might regret parting with it the moment you concluded the transaction; Therefore, the conclusion seems quite obvious to me as I said above: DON'T SELL IT!!!

That's my point...it doesn't cost anything to keep it...but having to buy it back or something similar will probably cost more later than whatever you sell it for now...and you end up getting something that belongedo someone else, so you don't know how well it was handled, etc.

If it's a question of getting rid if it so you don't have look at it...because every time you do, you feel frustrated that you are no being creative and doing something with it...then it's not the gear that is the problem, so selling it may not solve things...and it may even be something to regret.
That said...sometimes people cling to stuff (and even people) that they have mentally let go a long time ago...so again, the problem isn't the things you are clinging to...but your reasons why.

Think about it some more...
 
My theory is: If I haven't used it in a year, it is a candidate and I'll decide. If I haven't used it in 2 years, it's pretty much gone
I guess I'm a minimalist in that I only have what I need or know I'll use. I consider the few things I have as more than enough variety for what is essentially a hobby. But I have to say, yours is a pretty refreshing outlook. I'm not that ruthless but then, having the bare bones, I have no need to be. There might be an item I haven't used for 7 or 8 years but I consider it as part of my arsenal and I know it will be used one day.
For me, removing the clutter in the house, garage or studio is removing clutter in my head
Yeah, ^^^^^ this. Sometimes I'll look at someone's e-mail inbox and see like 600 e-mails there and just laugh wryly. I clear my inbox and junk mail box daily or every couple of days. There's never anything in it. I'm the same with letters, clothes, anything really, that I have no specific use for. I used to say to my wife when she would go through a de-clutter and ask me if I think she should keep a particular item, if you can't tell me exactly what you intend to do with that item, then sell it or give it away or chuck it but don't keep it or it will clutter up valuable space. And I've noticed that a number of people I've known for years that have cluttered spaces have cluttered minds.
 
I guess I'm a minimalist in that I only have what I need or know I'll use. I consider the few things I have as more than enough variety for what is essentially a hobby. But I have to say, yours is a pretty refreshing outlook. I'm not that ruthless but then, having the bare bones, I have no need to be. There might be an item I haven't used for 7 or 8 years but I consider it as part of my arsenal and I know it will be used one day.

My problem is having too many projects going at one time and never finishing any of them. My 3-car garage fills up with all these half-baked ideas waiting for completion. (I can still get the wife's car in there, so I'm not in deep trouble.!! -yet.)

We are migrating to a mode where we want to be more minimalist. Right now, we have a 3000 sqft house and when I retire in 5 or 6 years, we are going to move to a 45ft boat and/or a 2 bedroom beach condo. So, we are looking at everything with a new mindset, deciding what stays and what doesn't. My guitar building hobby will not be staying. Writing and recording songs will.

I don't consider myself a hoarder, but I have collected a lot of stuff over the years. One of my epiphanies about letting things sit around too long is "horizontal surfaces". The more horizontal surfaces you have, the more space you have to set things down. Once you set them down, they are there to stay. Minimize the horizontal surfaces and you'll minimize the non-necessities. If only I could practice what I preach.
:rolleyes:

This has probably meandered off topic, but the therapy is doing me some good. :)
 
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