I'm the lucky owner of...

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jjones1700

jjones1700

Learning, always learning
...a 388! I found one locally and got all excited about it. For a day or so I almost talked myself out of it. I bit the bullet and went by to look at the unit early this morning. I had never seen one in person, so this thing looked huge to me.:p The exterior looked to be in pretty good shape, with very minor blemishes. I went to operate the transport, and it seemed very sluggish and seemed to be going in the wrong direction with everything. I was thinking this was going to be some work, but at least everything moved. Stupidly, I didn't take a good look at the heads. Don't gasp too much, more about those in a minute. I talk the good man down a ways on the already reasonable price, and we load it up in my truck (have no fear, not in the bed of the truck.)

I get it home and the wife helps me carry it in. I get it set up on the coffee table and start to troubleshoot. I was trying to figure out the transport and wondering if the tape had SSS. After tinkering for a minute, I come to my senses and realize that the tape had been threaded across the top of the capstan and running around the wrong side of the pinch roller! I quickly swap the orientation and try everything again. Works perfectly! So I finally get the tape rewound and start to take a close at the heads and transport path. VERY little wear on this one! I can barely see some wear on the guides. This thing is awesome!

I'll post up some pics tomorrow. I'll be getting in some "quality" time with this thing this evening.

Before I forget, Cory, what is the huge white connector for in the back, next to the remote plug???
 
EXCELLENT!!! Good for you Brother!
I love it when I come across a great gear score like that myself!
I've been wanting a 388 myself for a loooong time now.
Let us know how it sounds. Can't wait to see the pics!
I have a story similar to that one,..only it was an SRE-555 chorus echo
that some guy from N.Y. brought to a local music store for a trade on a Les Paul and the guys in the music store must've not known too much about analog tape echos,..because they priced it for $399.00 and this machine was in pristine condition. Usually an SRE-555 would sell for anywhere around $600.00 to $1000.
I already own several tape echos, as I am an analog fanatic. Now I have 2 SRE-555's:D along with several other units 150's,201's,301's, & 501's.
I just happened to be in the right place at the right time!:D
Gave them 2 cymbals (zildjian a customs) and $100.00!!! on a trade for the SRE-555! One of the best scores ever!
and it had a box of 10 original RT-1L tapes to go with it!!! (a $300.00 value itself )
 
That's awesome, man! Congrats - new gear is always great. G.A.S.... :eek:
 
...or to an external autolocator like the AQ-65.

Congrats, Johnny. Glad it worked out. So what was the final price?

Come with a manual?
 
Thanks guys!

Final $ was 150, and no it didn't come with a manual. I'll have to dig one up somewhere to figure out some of the extra ins/outs on the back that I'm not familiar with. I'm thrown off by the 8 buss ins. My M2516 had the typical buss outs, but buss in is new to me.

Hey Vessel, sounds like you've quite the collection going on there! Don't worry though, I had to wait a while for a 388 to pop up locally, but it was worth it. One will show up around you at some point!

Tim, you're saying this thing can sync to another machine? That seems kind of odd, to me anyway. I guess I think of this as an oversized portastudio.:D You know, now that I think about it, I did see a "dbx Defeat" switch on the back for channel 8. Makes sense now. I figured this would be a stand alone type of machine. It's even cooler that it's not though!
 
A few photos

I got the thinking about it, and most of everyone here has seen one before...LOL
 

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Thanks Steve!

I think this was moved around and stored more than it was ever used. One of the cooling fins is bent at the very bottom corner and looks like it was up against something at one point, and some of the wood paneling is a little dinged up on the edges. All of the faders and knobs move nice and smoothly, without any static or noise. I've noticed that the master buss faders (the orange ones) seem to be a little more resistant to move, but it's that way from bottom to top in the travel, so I'm not sure if that's by design or not.

I might make custom solid wood panels at some point, using the original ones for a template. Other than those minor things, and the fact I need to pull the knobs off and do a good cleaning of the face, it's in pretty spotless shape. The lid for the deck is in great shape. In short, I lucked out!:D
 
Okay, one minor fault with the 388: no phantom power.

...so I have to get some external phantom power units if I need/want to use 'em.;)
 
jjones1700 said:
Thanks guys!

I'm thrown off by the 8 buss ins. My M2516 had the typical buss outs, but buss in is new to me.

Tim, you're saying this thing can sync to another machine? That seems kind of odd, to me anyway. I guess I think of this as an oversized portastudio.:D You know, now that I think about it, I did see a "dbx Defeat" switch on the back for channel 8. Makes sense now. I figured this would be a stand alone type of machine. It's even cooler that it's not though!
Click to expand...

The mixer on the 388 is pretty sophisticated. I’d like to have the mixer by itself. It’s an 8X8X2 configuration so the 8-buss in is for adding an 8-buss external submixer to expand inputs. Better mixers have a Buss/PGM in section. It’s a hassle when they don’t. I had to add them myself on my M-208.

SMPTE sync capabilities are great too. By late 80’s the 388 was popular for building soundtracks for video, and that’s what Tascam had in mind for the most part. So you would typically see the 388 synced with some type of VTR. Our local cable TV studio had just such a setup with two Panasonic ¾” VTRs. You could also sync to another ATR, but IMO it’s a hassle. I would rather plan carefully and bounce tracks (no more than one bounce usually) than I would have to manage two different audiotapes for a project.

:)
 
The other thing the buss ins do is allow direct access to each tape track from an external source. You can dump 8 tracks from another deck OR use an external mixer's buss outs and the 388 tape section as the recroder. Tascam did a really nice job of including features that allow the mixer and tape deck to function independently with external equipment even though they are integrated into one unit...they don't HAVE to be used only with each other in the event you need to interface one or the other or BOTH with external units.

And Beck is spot on about the sync stuff...Tascam targeted the video sweetening market with the 388 and being able to slave to a VTR is a key factor in that arena...and you get the fringe benefit of (like I mentioned before) being able to use an external autolocator with the 388...the 388 has an onboard 2-point autolocator, but you can pair it with an AQ-65 for 99 points.

The BUSS MASTER faders are a bit tighter because there are 4 wiper sets per fader (groups 1, 3, 5 and 7 on the left, 2, 4, 6 and 8 on the right)...hat's been my experience anyway. Mine improved after I disassembled and cleaned them.

Johnny, the heads look good. normal to light wear, lots of life IMO, and $150 is a STEAL!!! Congratulations...that is phenomenal. I paid $125 for my parts 388...:eek:
 
Yup, $150 is def a steal and your 388 looks to be indeed a lower use machine. I remember I got mine for $500 and still thought I had a good deal. Those things were prohibitively expensive back in the day so to get 'em for 1/10th the price is phenomenal (yours more like 1/30th ;) ). All bought local so it's all good. :)
 
sweetbeats said:
The other thing the buss ins do is allow direct access to each tape track from an external source. You can dump 8 tracks from another deck OR use an external mixer's buss outs and the 388 tape section as the recroder. Tascam did a really nice job of including features that allow the mixer and tape deck to function independently with external equipment even though they are integrated into one unit...they don't HAVE to be used only with each other in the event you need to interface one or the other or BOTH with external units.

And Beck is spot on about the sync stuff...Tascam targeted the video sweetening market with the 388 and being able to slave to a VTR is a key factor in that arena...and you get the fringe benefit of (like I mentioned before) being able to use an external autolocator with the 388...the 388 has an onboard 2-point autolocator, but you can pair it with an AQ-65 for 99 points.

The BUSS MASTER faders are a bit tighter because there are 4 wiper sets per fader (groups 1, 3, 5 and 7 on the left, 2, 4, 6 and 8 on the right)...hat's been my experience anyway. Mine improved after I disassembled and cleaned them.

Johnny, the heads look good. normal to light wear, lots of life IMO, and $150 is a STEAL!!! Congratulations...that is phenomenal. I paid $125 for my parts 388...:eek:
Click to expand...

cjacek said:
Yup, $150 is def a steal and your 388 looks to be indeed a lower use machine. I remember I got mine for $500 and still thought I had a good deal. Those things were prohibitively expensive back in the day so to get 'em for 1/10th the price is phenomenal (yours more like 1/30th ;) ). All bought local so it's all good. :)
Click to expand...

Oh wow. That leaves alot of options open if I can run my buss outs from my M2516 into the 388, if I need that many inputs and not have to patch the crap out of something.

I think I'm in love.:D
 
there is a lot of music waiting for you inside this box.

and for the price of a stompbox!

Enjoy.
 
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A Reel Person said:
are officially a gearslut!:eek:;)
Click to expand...

DAVE! Where the hell have you been??

Ok, so I am a bit of a gear slut. I've got a Tascam 32 to pick up in the next day or two and I can safely call it quits. Well, that is unless a M520 comes up locally for a steal of a price.:p After the 32, I'll have everything I need. Multitrack recording and good mix down unit. I'm ecstatic with the equipment I have. If I ever get really good at either recording and/or playing instruments, I might jump into the 1" or 2" tape territory, but that is a long way off.

;)
 
I finally got to sit down with the guitar and piddle around with the 388. Holy crap is this thing quiet!!:eek: I went back to listen to the tracks, and the dbx totally kicks ass on this unit!

This may have been one of the best investments I've made yet.:D
 
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