Tascam 38- 8-Track Recorder/Reproducer

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Angelo Rubino

New member
New to recording. Trying to learn CUBASE VST24 3.6 demo-Very Frustrating. Recording seems to stall than proceed.
Anyways, Found used Tascam 38(8-Track Recorder/Reproducer) in Music Store. Says it was used by a radio station as a backup(for commercials) for their digital equipment. Says its 5-6 years old and heads are good. Can I use this to record my Guitar (clean with effects etc.)and Mic...He wants $800 American (1,200 my canadian dollars). Am I going over board? I want something easy to use and reasonably faithful reproduction of my guitar going through my amp. Would like to try making a song from the bits and pieces of original music I have been bouncing off my bedroom walls for years. Does anyone out there own one? Any info or advice appreciated. Willing to give away my first born for help. Thank You in advance.

[This message has been edited by Angelo Rubino (edited 10-17-1999).]
 
If you're new to recording and don't know anything about head conditions and don't really want to spend 800 bucks, go for a brand new Tascam 4 or 8 track. They're cheaper and getting cheaper all the time thanx to the digital thing getting so big. I've got a 488 MKII 8 track and I love that machine. It's got a good onboard mixer you can use on your pc applications too. Check em out, you'll make great recordings and with the money you save you can get some other cool stuff you'll really want and need later...gibs
 
I agree with gibs. Tape heads are so easily neglected....even in a professional studio or radio station. Get a new machine and then you will only have yourself to blame if the heads are not maintained.

Also: The Tascam 38 was an ok machine, but the TSR 8 is far better. You could find a used one of those for the same price....

Sincerely;

Dom Franco


[This message has been edited by Dom Franco (edited 10-19-1999).]
 
Totally agree with these guys. Buying a dinosaur you know nothing about at top dollar is not a good way to start a recording career. For that money you could get a dynamite minidisc multitrack or a Tascam 488 MKII. Just get something decent and by the time you've recorded a few things you'll get the hang of Cubase or n-track or something and you can decide between analog and digital...
 
Thanks for all the advice.
I bow to your expertise, and it is alot of cash for an unknown quantity. It's just that when I saw it I got so excited, I lost my head. Thank God I didn't lose my wallet. By the way I am having second thoughts about digital. Cubase 3.6 demo wouldn't stream properly for me/cakewalk guitar studio demo I couldn't even begin to record with, but my Cool Edit Pro worked like a charm last night. Layed down 3 tracks, and it went well. All I have to do now is get the real version so I can save. Thanks for all the advice. I sure am glad I stumbled upon this site.
 
I'll reply to a thread from 1999.

The 38 is ALRIGHT but not enough. I wanted something older, something more odd and full of character. So I traded the 38 for a 1977 Teac 80-8 which turned out to have miles better sound quality and more punch. Only the 70 series could punch harder. Too old? I dont think so!
 
What to expect?

I decided to buy a tape-recorder a couple weeks ago and have been looking all over the place trying to find out wich one that will suit me best. It's not that easy to find anything with more than 4 tracks here in Sweden but I really need at least 8. Finally, yesterday I did get a great offer on a Tascam 38 for about $400. Is there anyone around here that can tell me if that is a good deal or not? It´s in pretty good shape too! I´ve also been looking on several Teac 80-8's but they seems to be a bit too heavy. Witch one is to prefer when recording electronic music, you know, a lot of analog drummashines and synths? Maybe I should wait for a TSR-8 to show up, I don't know. They are more expensive aren't they? And not that common in Sweden!
 
el'dahid said:
I decided to buy a tape-recorder a couple weeks ago and have been looking all over the place trying to find out wich one that will suit me best. It's not that easy to find anything with more than 4 tracks here in Sweden but I really need at least 8. Finally, yesterday I did get a great offer on a Tascam 38 for about $400. Is there anyone around here that can tell me if that is a good deal or not? It´s in pretty good shape too! I´ve also been looking on several Teac 80-8's but they seems to be a bit too heavy. Witch one is to prefer when recording electronic music, you know, a lot of analog drummashines and synths? Maybe I should wait for a TSR-8 to show up, I don't know. They are more expensive aren't they? And not that common in Sweden!
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They're ALL excellent recorders and provided they're all similarily priced (plus/minus a hundred or so), go with the one which is in better condition. PrePal lists the 38's average price at $407 USD and dropping. I think it is a very good price for a good condition TASCAM 38, especially that they are harder to come by in your part of the world. If it's in decent condition, grab it. Hey, why not grab the 80-8 as well, if the price/condition are right. The TEAC 80-8 is heavy but it is probably better built than the others and, some would argue, more robust sounding. However, I'd just pick one (or both) and be happy and remember that how you record is more important than the rather small difference between recorders. Btw, why do you require more than 8 tracks ?

~Daniel
 
Thanks for your advice!

I think I will go for the 38!

I meant, I need at least an 8-track recorder (as far as I know that's the next step up from 8) 4 tracks is not enough becouse I´m in need for 5,6 or maybe 8. For myself it would probably be enough with 4 but I also want to record two bands that I know. I've been using a computer before but since I borrowed my brothers taperecorder, it felt stupid to go on like that... Kind of an analog frek, I guess!
 
Herm said:
Beck! where we up a little late last night?

Check the post dates on this thread ;)
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I'm up late every night -- blue blood you know. :D It will eventually progress to fatal insomnia and I will die of it when I'm 106 (I would have lived to 117, but I ate too much junk food, although I used to exercise regularly). But I will outlive everyone here, and I'll miss you guys a lot. Good genes... blessing or curse? Next Oprah.

(By the way I want to take this opportunity to say hello to my descendants who are reading this archive 150 years from now on a genealogy forum. Even though I said hello 150 years ago it seems like I’m saying hello now since you just read it… and you’ll probably say to the person standing next to you “Great Grandfather says hello” and they will say, “Hello Great Grandfather.”) :)

I was up late enough to be pondering time travel and how the forum can demonstrate the concept. Was a thread? Is a thread? Is a thread yet to be? And what is "a point in time"? This thread now spans 6 years -- Resurrected to relevance by the click of a mouse. Is a 6-year span a point? It all depends on the perspective of the individual... or does it? If a thread is started in the forest and no one is there to read it... ?

I thought about it for a while and decided it only confirmed what I already knew "Man is appointed to die only once and then comes judgment" --Hebrews 9:27. There is no going back (or forward).

The original thread starter has probably decided and is reaping the benefits and suffering the consequences of his decision whatever it was. Even if he decided not to decide he still decided… "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." -- Rush.

What does this mean? Make damn sure you get the right recording equipment this time around because we won't get a chance to do this again. It’s only been 6 years, so he can probably recover, depending on how old he is, if he’s still alive. But some decisions, like covering most of your body with tattoos… now that… if you change your mind, the only thing you can change is your mind… Geeez! What were they thinking? :p

Anyway, Oprah is about to start, so...
 

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jpmorris said:
Remember, kids, drugs can really mess you up!
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Good point JP. Yes indeed... that's what I've been saying. I don't even drink. If you want to have a clear mind when you're 100 stay away from those substances... look what straight, clean living has done for me. ;)

By the way my apologies to everyone as I forgot to enable my Beck-to-Earth translation plug-in. Ah... here it is. My previous post reads as follows:

"How 'bout them Cubs!" :D

Thank God for Systran, eh? :D
 
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Tascam 38 and Yamaha RM804

i got a Tascam 38 from the mid 80s which is in MINT condition literally. No wear at all whatsoever. Original manual. it even has the fuckin box and styrofoam it came with. Also came with a mid 80s analog yamaha mixer called the RM804. It looks alot like one of those old tascam m-35's or something. Anyway, i got all of this shit for 300 bucks. The console and the mixer. I just ordered some tape for it which is on its way but the only thing im confused about is why when i press play the empty reel goes REALLY fast. like as fast as rewind or fast forward. is this normal or what? some help would be good.
 
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