Teac A3340s recording

darthweasel

New member
hopefully right forum here for this question

back in the late 80s, maybe early 90s my Dad and his group recorded a tape. Recently we found what we believe are the masters sitting on an old TEAC A3340s that no longer functions. I would love to get them remastered and updated but am having a terrible time figuring out how to do that.

My initial thought was going to a recording studio but Beaverton, OR does not seem to have anything but "modern" stuff so I have been unable to find anybody with the proper equipment. Any thoughts/guidance appreciated.
 
well - I suppose it depends on how handy you are and if you have any equipment? If you don't then you'll almost certainly find people able to do it for you here, or other places. The Teac is a solid machine. A non-working one will normally be really simple stuff - belts mainly, but if stored badly, then possible some basic electronic component replacements - a few bit age badly in the heat/cold/damp. It will be the tape that is the critical element. I'd not try to do much with it for the moment until you track down somebody who can help locally.
 
Yes, the tape. See if there are any makers names and type numbers on the backing but disturb it as little as possible until you have the information and check back here first. I do not but someone here will know if it is a type that will need "baking" a specific heat treament that cures "sticky tape syndrome".

However, that process and the subsequent copying off of the music is not likely to be cheap.

Dave.
 
How much tape are you talking about...?...how many reels?

My Otari stereo mixdown deck has the additional 4-track playback head...so it could play back older 4-track tapes.
One of the reasons I got it was that back in the day, I too had a 1/4" 4-track, like the 3340....long gone now, but I still have those old tapes...so with the Otari, I can play them and transfer them if I ever wanted to.

If you're talking about a reel or two...I wouldn't mind making the basic transfer for you if you can't find anyone closer (I'm in NY).
I just don't' want to get transferring boxes of tapes or having to figure out what's what, etc...just a straight transfer, as it falls.

So if you have a bunch of tapes...find someone with a basic Otari 5050 1/4" deck that has the optional 4-track PB head...or buy one on eBay. There's always a bunch of Otari 5050 decks up for sale.
Of course...if the original 3340 was setup in any particular way or had any kind of noise reduction during tracking...then you might not get the best transfer on a different machine...if that is very important.

Oh...I also wouldn't want to be responsible for the tape itself, considering it's that old. I can certainly bake it (I have the equipment)...but there is always some risk, not to mention shipping, etc.
If you can find someone local...had carry it...be there when it's put on the machine, etc...you will feel more secure about it.

You can also send it to a place like this that does nothing but tape transfer for a fee:

https://www.sonicraft.com/
 
it would not let me quote as I have not posted enough but I read all the replies, appreciate them and plan to try the sonicraft link

I will use this link thank you. It was an hour and change or so and it is one of those things where its value to me exceeds any real monetary value. My late Mom, a man named Greg who had a huge influence on my life both sang on it and have passed on since then...it is one of "those" projects for me to restore stuff that will really only matter to a few people but to us it means everything.
 
it would not let me quote as I have not posted enough but I read all the replies, appreciate them and plan to try the sonicraft link

I will use this link thank you. It was an hour and change or so and it is one of those things where its value to me exceeds any real monetary value. My late Mom, a man named Greg who had a huge influence on my life both sang on it and have passed on since then...it is one of "those" projects for me to restore stuff that will really only matter to a few people but to us it means everything.

I think with Sonicraft...you have the best shot at both getting it transferred and not getting it destroyed. They would know how to handle the tape and take whatever measures to make it playable, at least long enough to do a good transfer.
Just get on the phone with them...explain thing, give them as much info about the type/quality of the tape...and they will take it from there.
Good luck.
 
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