Nick Kincaid: [sounds like a fictive person from MURDER SHE WROTE!]
You should be able to roust Tascam on the net and get a manual from them. I have also seen some manuals, page for page, on the net for free. [I'm sure Tascam will charge you for a new manual]
When you record a track on your 488 [I used to own two of those] you need to switch the track into CUE mode before you cut another track or overdub. If you don't do this with each finished track, all kinds of AIR will occur to your work. You can tell the CUE mode very easy - the faders do not control volume of a track when it is switched to CUE. Then, when you get ready to mix down all of the tracks, you LEAVE THE CUE MODE and return to playback; now all of the tracks' volume is controlled by the faders and this lets you set the levels and, of course add/negate EQ. The reason I switched to a digital recorder, MD-8, was too many unwanted pops and clicks on the 488 and I hated waiting for the tape to rewind. With the MD-8, it's a push of a button and ZAP, right back to go.
Have fun twiddling the dials,
Green Hornet