just got my first 388

  • Thread starter Thread starter stratcat2000
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stratcat2000

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ok, just picked up an old 388 and i need a few questions answered before i go head first into it.

firstly, is it a good idea to get the heads aligned etc? i had a tech here in england look at it, replace a belt and generally clean it up. apparantly it's all working fine but i don't think he aligned the heads.

i'm not techinically minded. just a musician wanting good analog recordings!
if anyone could offer some words of advice for a novice, go right ahead!

i do play professionally for a living. i'm a blues/rock guitarist with my 4th album on the way. funnily enough it was my first digital recording and it sounds amazing BUT.............. i want to get into the 388.

thanks in advance.
 
well you shold at least demagnatize it and see how it sounds
 
I wouldn't have the heads demagnetized, unless you actually take it into a shop to have the recorder calibrated and aligned.

Your first order of business should be to record some music! If it sounds good, on all the tracks, then there's really no need to mess with it.

Do you have the manual to your new 388? If you don't, say so, and I'll reply back with a few quick pointers about analog recording.

-MD
 
I have a 388 and would be happy to walk you through the basic set up procedure for recording :)
 
themaddog said:
I wouldn't have the heads demagnetized, unless you actually take it into a shop to have the recorder calibrated and aligned.

Your first order of business should be to record some music! If it sounds good, on all the tracks, then there's really no need to mess with it.

Do you have the manual to your new 388? If you don't, say so, and I'll reply back with a few quick pointers about analog recording.

-MD
Click to expand...

Why not demag the heads at home? What does that have to do with calibration and getting it aligned? Just asking because maybe I'm missing something. I'm still learning the tech side of this stuff even though I owned a 388 for years!

I'm all for hooking her up and laying some music down, but just because it sounds good as is doesn't mean it can't sound better with proper set-up, if in fact it needs a tune up at all.
 
I don't think it's a good idea for someone to demag the heads by him or herself without having been shown how to do it properly. A tune up might be good idea, but if a recording already sounds great, is it worth it to drop a couple hundred (or more) in maintenance to make it sound only slightly better?

-MD
 
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