TASCAM 688 issues

T

tapeman

New member
Hi everyone !

I just purchased a Tascam 688 midistudio cassette multitrack recorder (used) and unpacked it today and played around, I only have beginner knowledge of this sort of signal routing so I mostly stuck to the manual to test everything out and had some trouble getting the machine to engage the tape to record or play for some reason, was wondering if anyone has any idea why this might be the case ?

I put in a 90-minute high bias tape (I know you're supposed to use shorter ones but I was just testing it out !) and tried hitting play and then hitting play & record but both times the tape heads engaged the tape and then immediately disengaged. Fast-forward and Rewind seemed to work. Anyone had any experience with this happening ?

For reference, the tape cover is actually missing off the unit, not sure if this is connected but seems possible ?

Thank you guys so much for any help you can give, I'm very excited to see if I can get this thing running ! Hope everyone is having a good week. : - )
 
Never used a 488, but I have a Tascam 244 which had problems that sound just like yours. I'd suggest getting all new rubber parts: belts and idler tires, or whatever it has. I don't want to speak out of turn, but I think the general rule of thumb around here is that it's a good idea to replace all the rubber parts on a portastudio first thing after you buy it :)

Can't speak to the tape cover, except to say that it's not an issue on the 244.
 
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ah perfect thank you guys so much you rule !!!!!!!!! is there a widely accepted source from which I should be ordering the replacement belt ?thanks a lot for the heads-up, excited to try and get this thing cooking !
 
Tascam's parts department would be the best source as that's a genuine factory part and is not more expensive then many of the scam artists on ebay. Calling them by phone is the best way to contact them and get an instant answer if they have it stock or not. E-mails are usually ignored because they get swamped by them and usually will ignore them. (323) 727-4840 from Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm Pacific Time. If you have the service manual, look up the part number to make the call quicker and have a CC ready too if long distance charges are a concern.

The next best method is to do a quick search on ebay for the part and try to pick a buyer who has a lot of sales, fair shipping charges and a hassle free return policy if something goes wrong with the transaction.



Cheers! :)
 
great ! i'll try and snag one asap. one other thing i noticed is that the machine is a bit noisy when it starts up, wondering if this is normal (its just a low hum) or a possible motor issue ? not as worried about this one but just want to make sure it wont add noise to the recording !

thanks a lot for all the help guys !
 
It may be normal.

Some Tascam Portastudios turn the capstan motor the entire time the unit is turned on. It varies by model.

:spank::eek:;)
 
Tascam 688 has a fan or something that makes a low level din that gets a little louder if it's been on for awhile. I barely notice it until I turn it off. If you need the service manual, hit me up
 
I think the 688 uses the 122 Mk III transport and that gear is going to crack if the unit is not cleaned and new grease applied. I think I worked on one not to long ago.
 
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