buying an 388, need help/advice!

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burok

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I'm off on sunday to get an tascam 388'a, I've made up my choice and left the computer way around it after too much hazzles with soundcards etc etc.

Though, I'm a total newbie to analog recording so I'm wondering the following:

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1. what should I check for when I go there on sunday to check it?
I'm not aware how tape heads should look if they're in good condition
and I'm not even aware of how they look like, and where they are on the 388.
something else that should be checked for except for noise sliders/pots and such?

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2. how do I maintain the 388'a in a proper way?
guess: using good tape, cleaning the tape heads and demagnitize ?

a. where do I find good tape and which types should I use? (I know it's supposed to be 1/4"... but that's pretty much all I know) preferably in europe. I heard of tapetape.com ... but that's in the states...

b. cleaning the tape heads, how? using isopropanyl (or whatever it's called)

c. I'm getting a demagnitzer with the 388, how do I use it?
how often should I use it, and what can happen if I don't? (it sounds like it could be dangerous. (it's some TEAC demagnitizer btw.)
-

3.
how do I know which level the machine is tuned for? I heard that you can set the db level to different settings such as +5db or +9db which also affects which type of tape you should use?
 
when I check tapes it says that there are sizes which are:
.25" x 5
.25" x 7
.25" x 10,5

what does these 10,5 etc. mean? and which is the best to use for a 388 ?
 
...I should also probably add that the 388 has not been used for some time since the user that bought it haven't had the time to use it.

but he states that the user he bought it from had it tuned and fixed up. it has been stored under a dust-protecter during the time since then.

maybe this adds some ideas of what I should check for aswell.
 
Check out the picts of a "factory fresh" TASCAM 388 here:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=156353&highlight=tascam+388

If yours looks anything like that one or close to it (especially the ENTIRE tape path) then you have a primo unit.

Check all the mechanical functions like rewind, forward, play and record - if you don't know how then the seller should. If all of these functions are very responsive and engage in a solid manner then all is a go.

Make sure all VU meters light and at the very least move.

Try to find some fresh 1 mil tape, preferably Quantegy 407 and even Maxell UD 35-90 (eBay). However, the seller might have some tape that you may test with.

If possible, ask the seller for a 48 hr "check out" return policy.

READ the manual PRIOR to serious use. If you don't have one, ORDER it from TASCAM UK (if you're in Europe).

Yes, clean with 99 % alcohol and cotton q-tips, going along the tracks and NOT top to bottom. Clean the rubber parts of the tape path with a nice clean lint free rag dampened with some warm water (drain the excess tho). If the rubber parts are really dirty with oxide, get a rubber cleaner such as the one from www.caig.com

Demaging is something I haven't used and all is well but you may find it helpful to CORRECTLY demag on occasion (I'll leave that up to someone else to chime in).

If the 388 was factory set and not biased to another tape type by previous owners, then just get yourself a Quantegy 407 and forget about it. You wanna get the 7" (inch) size tape, 1/4 inch, 1 mil ... That's what the 388 is set up for.

~Daniel
 
burok said:
a. where do I find good tape and which types should I use? (I know it's supposed to be 1/4"... but that's pretty much all I know) preferably in europe. I heard of tapetape.com ... but that's in the states...
Click to expand...

I know Thomann (in europe) sells quantegy tape but I didn't see 407 listed in their catalog.
 
A word on the head demagnetizer, this is an important tool and it's good that you'll have one. I demagnetize the 388 about once a week, or after about 10 hours of use, sometimes more if I'm being picky. When residual magnetism builds up on the heads and tape path it can begin to erase the high frequencies on your tape. Hopefully you'll get a little instruction book with the demagnetizer, if not, the Tascam 388 manual also tells you how to use one. The important things to remember when demagnetizing are:

-turn the 388 off. If it's on while you demagnetize you could seriously damage it.

-keep tapes at a safe distance when using it, so as not to erase them, about 10 feet should be OK.

-turn it on about 6 feet from the 388 and slowly move it closer, I have heard that you should move it in a circular motion as you approach, gradually zeroing in on the head stack. don't touch the tape heads, but get the demagger very close to them and move it up and down a couple times for about 5 seconds, move it along the whole tape path, all the metal parts, you can hear it humming in response to the magnetism. then slowly move away from the 388 again in the same way you approached it, and when you're about 6 feet away again turn off the demagnetizer.

this really pretty simple and you'll get comfortable with it pretty quick, it's a good thing to do. and keep cleaning those heads! enjoy the 388!
 
Got a couple of more questions:

* Does anyone got scans of the manual?
(I've mailed tascam uk, but without success)

* I've checked pictures of the 388, but I never grasped which inputs/outputs it got. I noticed that the line in are tele/phono jacks (unbalanced I suppose) but how about the out channels of the machine? are those RCA with only one cable? almost looks like that anyway. and which more jacks are available?

Want to go to the studio today and get cables because tomorrow morning I'm going on a 8 hour car-trip (back & forth) to get the 388 ;)
 
Eh,...

The Mic inputs are XLRs.
The Line inputs are 1/4" phone jacks.
The Tape Outs are RCA.
The PGM Buss Outs are RCA.
The PGM Buss Ins are RCA.
The Stereo Line outs are either RCA or XLR/bal, switchable.
The Access Snd>Rcv are 1/4" phone jacks.
The Eff-Rtns are 1/4" phone jacks.
The Buss Ins, Eff/Aux (in) are RCA.
The Monitor outs are RCA.
The Eff/Aux-Sends are either RCA or 1/4" phone jacks, switchable.

;)
 
burok said:
Got a couple of more questions:

* Does anyone got scans of the manual?
(I've mailed tascam uk, but without success)

* I've checked pictures of the 388, but I never grasped which inputs/outputs it got. I noticed that the line in are tele/phono jacks (unbalanced I suppose) but how about the out channels of the machine? are those RCA with only one cable? almost looks like that anyway. and which more jacks are available?

Want to go to the studio today and get cables because tomorrow morning I'm going on a 8 hour car-trip (back & forth) to get the 388 ;)
Click to expand...

Are you getting the one that was in Matlock? :)
 
burok said:
* Does anyone got scans of the manual?
(I've mailed tascam uk, but without success)
Click to expand...

You should CALL them instead, with a credit card in hand and/or arrange a local pickup and appropriate payment ...
 
Thanks guys, seems like I need to get RCA cables then - which I don't have. ;)

Mark7 said:
Are you getting the one that was in Matlock? :)
Click to expand...

Matlock? No idea where that is (UK?) - I'm from sweden and the one I'm picking up is in stockholm/sweden. =)
 
burok said:
Matlock? No idea where that is (UK?) - I'm from sweden and the one I'm picking up is in stockholm/sweden. =)
Click to expand...

Shit, I thought that you were in the UK .. :o

Perhaps you should call TASCAM in Sweden then (for the manual).
 
Yeah I'll check with them during the week, thanks for the advice!

note: I'm back now and the 388 is on its place =)
the guy haven't used it at all so it has been in a storage room at his work for a long time, and there was no electricity available so I just had to take his word for that it was working. it looks great though, the heads look really good to me (but I'm not the one to judge, but they seem really clean etc) and the black rubber thingie looks good to me, it's one thin slightly slightly white even stripe where the tape has passed... It doesn't look bad, but what do I know. Haven't had the time to test the faders as I'm sort of scared to start it as the guy recommended that I should demagnitize it the first thing I do before turning it on since it has been put away for so long. Also, I've got some synths (and another mixer) in the near area around the 388.... do I need to worry that the demagnitizer will cause problems on them? (thinking of that maybe the demag would for example erase all my patches or something ;)

also, I got a new 456 quantegy tape which wasn't even opened, the plastic around it was still intact and there's an empty tape-roll on the right "roller" on the machine. how do I load the tape?

give me some advice so I can start checking it out, I don't dare to do anything yet ;)
 
Ok sounds like your on your way to a great Recorder.
First I would go ahead a test the machine with the tape you have But Tascam does not recommend using 456 with the 388 and suggests using a 1.0 mill tape instead of the 1.5 that 456 is.
Anyway did you get a manual with it? If not let us know and some of us with 388,s can give you a hand on getting the recorder going. Her are some pics of the tape path.
 

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Warning! Warning! This is a picture of a Tascam 388 and it was built when tascam made (Real) recorders. That actualy sounded good. ;)
 

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nopes, no manual :(

would be really grateful to get started...

so using that 457 tape is not a good idea?
 
NO. Using 457 is a very GOOD idea. It's 456 that's slightly dodgy. Though you should be able to get away with it.
 
You want to use 457 but not 456. Im not sure how important it is but they do recommend to use the 1.0 mil tape instead of the 1.5
 
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