Should I go analog, reel to reel, TEAC 3340?

[adrianhouse]

Hi everyone,

New to forum. I'm a musician (I have CFS so don't have much energy) who wants to record a demo at home. I'm contemplating bying a TEAC 3340 multitrack deck. I've read most of Craig Anderton's book "Home Recording for Musicians" (before I unfortunately lost it) so I know a little bit. What I'm wondering is, is this going to be a big pain to learn how to use? And what about maintenance, parts, tapes, etc. I know for sure that I like analog way better than digital, but I'm more of a musician and I don't want to lose too much time in messing with a machine, maybe. Maybe it's worth it though? Any thoughts/ experiences you might share would be greatly appreciated. Maybe an easy middle ground would be to get a cassette multitrack instead.
Cheers,
Adrian

 

[jjones1700]

Maybe an easy middle ground would be to get a cassette multitrack instead.
Cheers,
Adrian

Welcome to the board! In my humble opinion, a cassette multitrack would be a good first choice. Granted, reel to reel sounds absolutely phenomenal, but the cost of tape, parts, and maintenance (or labor, if you are doing it yourself) are higher.

Just my .02. As usual, I'll step aside and let the pros field this one.

 

[The Ghost of FM]

When you're dealing with good quality analog, you do have to get your hands a bit dirty and dig into the world of understanding what you have, how it works and how to keep it working at peak efficiency.

for the most part, a properly running machine will be pretty easy and very intuitive to operate but you will eventually get caught up in the minutia of it all if you're going to stick with it for any length of time and the more you're willing to learn, the more you'll get out of your efforts. That applies to all aspects of recording too...learning how to Mic things appropriately, learning about levels, signal paths, processing and mixing are all part of the art.

I used to have a 3340S after owning a cassette Portastudio and the difference in sound quality was night and day! I couldn't help but get drawn into learning all I could about all the aspects of recording and bettering my skills all along the way.

You willingness to learn and grow is the bigger concern.

Cheers!

 

[Torin Krell]

Hi Adrian! The Teac 3340(S) was a great reel to reel in its day, as it was probably the very first affordable 4 track 4 channel recorders to offer true multitrack recording ability (although this ability was added after its initial release). However, given your maintenance concerns you might be better off with a "newer" unit like its successor the Teac/TASCAM 3440 or other even newer TASCAM reel to reel products such as the 34B. If you are looking for an easy to use integrated system, portastudios as you may suspect, are a great choice. Portastudios such as the TASCAM 424, 424II, 424III, 464, 246 or the only reel to reel built into a portastudio format - the well regarded TASCAM 388 will IMHO serve you best. There are several other options including other manufacturers but I believe these units offer the best balance of versatility, ease of use, reliability, serviceability, sound quality and value.
Welcome to the Forum!
Cheers,
Torin

 

[evm1024]

good advice from all

I'll second the vote (should you go for a r2r) for a "newer" one than the 3340. 3440 are real nice but appear to be selling for a premium right now. The 34B is a super machine as well as edges the 3440 out in terms of spare parts. Most parts for the 30 series (32,34,38) are interchangeable.

I've owned the 3340, 3440 and 34b (currently have a 34b so I guess that is my vote) and serviced/repaired/calibrated them all.

Regards, Ethan

 

[themaddog]

Another good first machine for you may be the Tascam 22-4. I have the 2 track version (22-2) and think it's a great machine.

Sorry to hear your suffer from CFS. I had chronic fatigue for years, but it ended up being triggered by a gluten-allergy. Just my two cents of knowledge on the nutritional side of things.

Best wishes,
-MD

 

[Hi_Flyer]

I would rather go digital than go to cassette, although drums tracked to cassette might be cool... I would say if you wanna go analog, make the jump to open reel.

Yeah, you will spend time messing with the machine. Basic operation is simple, but learning how to maintain/troubleshoot/fix and all that can get $$$. That is, unless you wanna pay somebody else to do it. You might get lucky and get a good deck, but it seems like there are LOTS of decks out there with "issues", so beware...

As has already been mentioned, there are a bunch of options (other than a 3340) for multi-track reel to reels. eight track formats are very affordable these days too. what is your budget? have you priced multitrack reel to reels in the last 10 years?

Unfortunately, the price of tape has NOT gone down.

 

[adrianhouse]

Thanks!

Hi all,

Wow, thanks for all the great advice! What is a "portastudio"? Is that the deck and mixer in one unit? I'm definitely on a low budget. Are reel to reel machines even made anymore? I thought not. Right now what I can find on EBay is the Teac 3340s (current bid $50), Teac/Tascam 40-4 (for $100 now), and the Tascam TSR-8 ($40 now). I think I only need a 4 track, though - mostly power pop is my thing. May ask another question or two tomorrow.

Thanks again,

Adrian

 

[cjacek]

Adrian, do yourself a big favor and look for something local, that you can see, test and pick up. Don't screw around with having something shipped.

Where about r u located?

 

[adrianhouse]

Hi,

Not much chance of getting sth. locally - I'm in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. I already checked the buy and sell and there's nothing. Any ideas for a reliable place to buy tape decks on the net???

 

[adrianhouse]

3340?

Seems to be some variance of opinion on the 3340. I have to decide today whether to get that or not, and there don't seem to be too many other options. If I were to try for the TSR-8, would the quality of a single track be the same as with the 3340? Thanks.

 

[Hi_Flyer]

Right now what I can find on EBay is the Teac 3340s (current bid $50), Teac/Tascam 40-4 (for $100 now), and the Tascam TSR-8 ($40 now).

Are these ebay auctions? I would think that the selling prices are gonna go a bit higher in the end...

With reel to reel, there are lots of other costs involved. do you have a mixer? cabling? then there is the cost of tape itself, and a de-magger...

yeah, the TSR8 should be about the same as the 3340 in terms of sound quality. 3340 is 1/4" I believe, and the TSR8 is 1/2". 1/2" tape is like $80/reel though, 1/4" is cheaper. If you are on a budget and you think you really only need 4 tracks, stick to that format, it will be cheaper in the long run.

you can try craigslist (do they have that for Canadian cities). put up a want ad for cities that within driving range... how far are you from a major city? good advice from cjacek on buying locally, definitely look around before buying something on ebay and taking a chance on shipping...

 

[adrianhouse]

Hi,

This is just so I can post a URL

 

[adrianhouse]

Are these ebay auctions? I would think that the selling prices are gonna go a bit higher in the end...

Hi,
Yeah, here's the 3340:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1446&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab=Watching

It looks in great shape, though he's never recorded with it. There's no power chord too - is that hard to replace?

No, I have none of that other stuff, i.e. demagger etc. And I guess I'd need an extra deck for mixing down, too, right? Maybe it's all worth it though. Is there any point in recording on r2r and then mixing down digitally?

I'm in the middle of nowhere, so it's order or nothing for me. Question is, bid or not bid on this... Again, if anyone knows of a reliable place to buy r2r stuff online, please let me know. Thanks a lot,

Adrian

 

[evm1024]

3340 power cord

The power cord for a 3340 can be made from a specific appliance extension cord. (Don't know which cord you will need to look and match the prongs)

Once you get the one with the right prongs you can cut off some of the plastic to make the plug fit into the opening on the 3340.

I did this on a 3340 that I owned a few years ago.

-Regards

 

[Hi_Flyer]

No, I have none of that other stuff, i.e. demagger etc. And I guess I'd need an extra deck for mixing down, too, right? Maybe it's all worth it though. Is there any point in recording on r2r and then mixing down digitally?

sure, you can mix to a computer. I think analog qualities are retained even if you mix down to a digital format (though some may argue this)...

If you are in a remote location then ebay is probably your best bet. but tell that seller to pack it securely and get insurance on the shipping in case it gets damaged. make sure the seller is willing to accept full responsiblity for the deck getting to you in one piece, even if that means you gotta cough up a few extra bucks for packing material or something. browse through the archives on this board, there are TONS of stories of guys getting smashed decks.

4 track reel to reels pop up all the time on ebay, so even if this one slips by, don't sweat it, another will come along soon.

 

[cjacek]

Hi,

Not much chance of getting sth. locally - I'm in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. I already checked the buy and sell and there's nothing. Any ideas for a reliable place to buy tape decks on the net???

Yup, you're f**ked as far as your location and gear is concearned. That's like almost at the end of the world.

Seriously, there IS a place and probably the only one I'd recommend to actually have something shipped. It cost a bit more but the recorders are serviced and packed in a most competent way. The premium is worth it. Contact Rolf:
http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/vintagetx/

The good news is that Rolf sells a lot of TEAC 3340 and 3440 machines, which are really good sounding and well built 4 trackers, a brilliant introduction to analog. He can even include a basic but good mixer.

 

[cjacek]

Adrian, another recommendation would be to contact local recording studios, radio stations and the like and ask if they have tape recorders they wish to get rid of (that you would then buy).

 

[adrianhouse]

Recording

Hi guys,

Thanks again for the replies. I didn't get that 3340 deck after all ; I was all poised with my $120 bid (current bid was $75), and placed it with about 12 seconds left, thinking I was being clever and feeling cocky. Then came the real (no pun intended) snipers and before I knew it the thing had gone for $165! Live and learn - at least I know how much they go for. As highflyer said, they come up a lot.

Thanks for the suggestions, cj. I saw that website before and thought the prices were high, but maybe it's worth it, seeing as they obviously do such a good job on restoration. Great idea about contacting local stations and studios. Mom also suggested I place a want ad in the paper. Thanks again,

Adrian (deck-less for now, but learning a lot which is good!)

 

[Vintage Texas]

Adrain,
if you starting out and have a small budget, Tascam 22-4 is a basic good sounding machine and some new parts can still be bought from Teac.
7 inch reel-size with 7-1/2 + 15 speed.


The 3340 S can be needed some attention as it was made in the early 70's, issues with worn out heads and defective play/rec amp + the regular maintenance with belts and pinch-roller.

3440 has a great sound and newer, built like a tank.

44 (older style ) similar to 3440 but usually need some work to make it right.

As Ghost and Chacek mention the reel to reel has a better sound but be careful what you buy, checking Craig's list or local radio stations first is a better option then buying maybe a defect non-working deck from that auction spot.

I don't ship decks to Canada anymore, otherwise I could help you.
But if have some questions about a certain deck or features feel free to pick my brain