424 mkII

[Peck]

I just bought a 424 mkII on ebay and I got it in the mail... it looks like it's in really good condition, but after I recorded my first track I played it back and it was like all wobbly up and down sounding... flutter, wow? those terms sound familiar. I don't know if that's what this is called...

What can I do to fix this? Does it just need to be cleaned or did I buy a POS? I'm sure it's something I can fix. I was thinking I should just start by buying a tape cleaner that cleans while it runs. That was my first thought, but maybe you experienced guys can suggest something. Thanks.

 

[Vagodeoz]

wobbly and down sounding? humm... hard to help you with those terms.
however I know that you have to demagnetize the heads or your recordings start losing highs, maybe your needs a nice demagnetization and/or cleaning? I would do those anyway if I bought it used.

 

[jjones1700]

First off, congrats on the 424 mkII. I have one and love it!

Does the rubber roller inside the cassette compartment have a bunch of brown residue/dust on it? If so, that is a pretty good clue that it needs a good cleaning. Even if it looks clean, go ahead and clean it anyway. Preventative maintenance. The heads and/or the capstan/pinch roller could be dirty. Dirty heads won't record or playback properly. A dirty transport could cause slippage or worse, eat the tape.

There is a remote chance that the belt could be slipping, but that's an inspection further down the road.

Not knowing the amount of usage that machine has had, I (or pretty much anyone else) can't give you a simple answer. A good cleaning is step #1. You would be amazed at what headaches dirty transports/heads can cause.

 

[Peck]

warbling

Well, if you record vocals it sounds like you're gargling with water or warbling. Those are the best things I can think of when trying to describe it. Anyway, I'll try the basic cleaning stuff and see if it fixes it. This board is great... thanks for the quick replies. Nice to be back on here.

 

[Peck]

oh yeah and i'll check the roller for brown residue... thanks man

 

[analog aaron]

Also, I've heard many of the guys on here say NOT to use one of those cassette type cleaners in your 4 track. Regular boomboxes, home stereo decks, car.....fine. But do not use in your 4 track. You know the one that basically looks like a cassette, don't use it! It might be a little too harsh for the heads. I've heard of problems occuring after using those on a multitracker. Use lint-free cotton swabs and head cleaner or instead of head cleaner, 99% alcohol. That"s what head cleaner is anyways. Also , you'll need a demagnetizer to demag the heads. That's pretty much it. Those are 3 things are necessary for maintaining your machine! Cheers.
A

 

[Peck]

thanks analog aaron. Very good tip, bc I was going to use the tape cleaner thing. Glad I didn't.

 

[andyhix]

I have a feeling that you problems may still be there after the cleaning, In which case the belt is probably the culprit. On mine, when I slowly started having more significany timing/pitch probs (similar to what you describe) I ordered a new belt from tascam (or some place that sells their parts - don't remember which) and about 45 tiny screws later, a few beers, and a decent amount of cussing, I got it back together and it's back to like-new. Inevitably, I ended up with 3 screws that I have no idea where they were supposed to go. Oh well.

That said, clean it good first, and see if that helps. Maybe you'll be lucky. Cleaning is something you should get in the habit of anyway.

 

[jjones1700]

There is a remote chance that the belt could be slipping, but that's an inspection further down the road.

I have a feeling that you problems may still be there after the cleaning, In which case the belt is probably the culprit.

Damn "10 characters" message.

 

[Peck]

can i use a compressed air can on the inside of the tape deck? or does that mess something up? all i want to do is fkkkk record some music. I'm discovering that analog can be a real bitch. but I'm determined to figure this out. I'm just pissed cause the guy on Ebay said it had "less than 10 hrs. recording time" .... everyone probably says that on there. I just want a machine that isn't f**** up. I'm sick of playing repair man with this equipment.

the machine looks like it has no recording time on it, but it sounds like shit when i record on it. very very very frustrated.

 

[Peck]

alright, i'm very excited. i upgraded to Type II, cleaned the heads... and it's night and day... the recordings sound pretty good now. I think the tape was the main problem... i guess it does make a big difference like Beck said. thanks

 

[Peck]

thanks to everyone else who responded. I really appreciate it. this is a great discussion board.

 

[analog aaron]

can i use a compressed air can on the inside of the tape deck? or does that mess something up? .

Yeah, I think so. I do it all the time. I just wouldn't put the can right up on the heads. Or don't spray the air so long that moisture comes out...
A

 

[andyhix]

Cool! I'm glad I was wrong. Taking the machine apart to change a belt is both very simple and a pain in the ass. That is it's a pain in the ass while are doing it, but very simple when you think back upon it.

And remember to keep cleaning the heads - every session or two. You'll figure out how often to do it based on how dirty your Q tips are each time you do it.

[Note - someone will probably say not to use regular Q-tips, but rather use the expensive audio swabs. I won't argue it, but I will say that I've always used regular Qtips without ever having a problem.]

 

[Peck]

thanks andy

 

[jjones1700]

Cool! I'm glad I was wrong. Taking the machine apart to change a belt is both very simple and a pain in the ass. That is it's a pain in the ass while are doing it, but very simple when you think back upon it.

And remember to keep cleaning the heads - every session or two. You'll figure out how often to do it based on how dirty your Q tips are each time you do it.

[Note - someone will probably say not to use regular Q-tips, but rather use the expensive audio swabs. I won't argue it, but I will say that I've always used regular Qtips without ever having a problem.]

I use regular Qtips.........the ones with the paper stick, not the plastic ones. I've heard multiple times not to use the plastic ones..........why that is I have never got an answer to.

 

[jjones1700]

all i want to do is fkkkk record some music. I'm discovering that analog can be a real bitch. but I'm determined to figure this out. I'm just pissed cause the guy on Ebay said it had "less than 10 hrs. recording time" .... everyone probably says that on there. I just want a machine that isn't f**** up. I'm sick of playing repair man with this equipment.

the machine looks like it has no recording time on it, but it sounds like shit when i record on it. very very very frustrated.

Congrats on solving the problem. Some people have honest intentions and are telling the truth when they say low hours..............however,..........they forget the fact that rubber goes bad over time and belts dry-rot, and/or pinch rollers gum up or dry out and harden. And yes, analog can be a pain in the ass if you don't keep up with maintenance, as with anything in life with moving parts. The sound from analog is so worth it if you don't have to dump a fortune into the equipment.