Starting out with analog

[pbas2000]

Howdy -
I'm looking to pickup an old fostex or tascam multitracker but reluctant to buy anything on ebay or craigslist for fear it will be a total pile. Can anyone recommend a source for refurbished tape multitrackers that are verified to be functional? Also, any advice as to particular models which seem to have lasted better than others would be much appreciated. Really, any insights at all would be great!
Thanks!

 

[miroslav]

You'll get better responses in the Analog Recording & Mixing forums....maybe the mods can move the thread there.
You might also give people a general idea what part of the country you are in...if there's any local sources that might get mentioned.

That said...eBay and CL are probably the best/biggest sources for vintage gear, especially for old pro-sumer gear. Don't be so concerned about using them. Just spend some time talking with the sellers, and compare to what others are buying.paying etc.
I've purchased a ton of gear through eBay....no real complaints for all but maybe a couple of transactions that didn't go perfectly...but I've never got beat on anything. Worst case was a return/refund.

Anyway....what's your budget...?... and be a bit more specific about the type of deck you are after, or at least the types you would consider.

 

[mdainsd]

1) budget
2) how many tracks are you thinking?
3) Your technician/technical knowledge
4) Pro or consumer deck?


And as Miro above stated, your location is important. Im lucky enough that I live within easy driving distance of LA/Hollywood Burbank etc. i bought all of my tape machines from studios where they were more than happy to demo them, before I carted them off.