Tascam Porta 02 MK II

[mactomacco]

First post here, so apologies if I've done something wrong, I've been scouring the internet for a few days now and can't figure out the cause/solution for the following problem;

I recently bought a Tascam Porta 02 MK II off eBay and while the seller didn't respond to my questions about the functionality of the thing, I just hoped for the best and bought it.

Now, the issue is that nothing records (or plays?) on tracks 1 and 3, the Line 1 input is picking up signal (the fader light indicators do light up when I speak into the mic), so I'm wondering whether there's an issue with the playback capabilities, the tapes I'm using (couldn't tell you what they are, recording over old-ass tapes I found in a charity shop with tape over the holes at the top) or am I just really stupid and there's a simple problem that I can't seem to understand?

I can record stuff onto tracks 2 and 4 and it's all great but I just can't figure out what the issue is.

Thanks in advance

 

[Level Anything]

Try cleaning the heads in the tape well with 91% isopropyl alcohol and a q-tip.

 

[mactomacco]

Try cleaning the heads in the tape well with 91% isopropyl alcohol and a q-tip.

Cleaned it thoroughly, bought new tapes and tested them and still the same result.

Something that I noticed is that when I turn the volume knobs for tracks 1 and 3 there seems to be no hum or anything (when I'm playing the tape back) whilst it is present on tracks 2 and 4.

Also when I record on tracks 2 and 4 and flip the tape over the recording doesn't play backwards on tracks 1 and 3 (read somewhere on here that that's a way to check whether the tracks are working, not sure as to whether this is true or not though)

Is it more likely that there's something wrong with the head then?

 

[sweetbeats]

Not likely the head. I suspect something is wrong with the amplifier the gets signal to and from tracks 1&3