Tascam 424: What can go wrong ?

Reilley

Reilley

New member
I mean this: generally speaking,

* if these things look OK and seem to work well, do they last a long time?

* are there things which are problematic?

* are there things which just wear out, like mufflers on Fords?

* if "normal" things wear out of break down, can they be repaired at reasonable cost? You know how it is, some things cost 1/2 the price of the item to fix a little widget.

I'm looking for a little background info before buying a used item, sight unseen.
Thanks for any advice.
 
Well, the 424mkII is still new enough, that you shouldn't have any problem with it,..

given that it's a normal, low use, good condition unit.

The typical things that older Portastudios experience would be the deterioration of the belt and other rubber parts, but that's not likely to occur until after 10 years of service, or more. I wouldn't worry too much about that on a 424mkII, yet anyway.

The other things would be a flakey headphone jack, because this jack gets the most use, but it's still one of those rare things,... & not like it happens all the time.

If the unit was stored and allowed to collect dust, you may experience scratchiness on the pots and faders, but in most cases a good workout of them should clean that up.

The 424mkII is still a new enough unit, that if purchased used and in relatively good condition, should run trouble free for a long time coming.

The units that typically need the belts & rubber parts replaced would be the oldest of the old units, like the 244, 246, Porta-One and 234 Syncaset.;)

Like I said earlier, I have a 424mkII that I purchased new in '97, and another one that I picked up used in 2001, and they're both still running like champs! Of course, they are low use machines, as I have so damn much recording equipment, and I record very little, realistically.;)

Still, I stand by what I said earlier, that a low-use, good-condition 424mkII should run trouble free for many years to come.
 
That brings a question to mind (do I jump on other people's threads or what?)

How the heck do you decide what you want to record on with a collection as big as your, Reel?

I mean, do you have a favorite unit you use most of the time. Or is it, hmm, I think I'll take the 246 for a spin today? No, wait I think I need to fire up the 38. Now, what mixer do I want to plug into?:D
 
You know, it's funny, 'cause it's a bit like you describe!

It depends a little bit on mood, and also how I'm preplanning the scope of the entire project, 4-track, 8-track or whatever. Then, it also depends on which machine is closest and most convenient to use, at the time. There's no set heirarchy or pattern.

Yeah, it's like mix & match, & could well be 'wheel of fortune', fwiw.;)
 
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