Tascam 38, issues that can be resolved?

  • Thread starter Thread starter WhinyLittleRunt
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As jjones pointed out, you wanna use isopropyl alcohol, at least 91% (not "rubbing" alcohol tho), cotton swabs and my favorite - make up remover pads. :D Make certain all of the goo is gone from every area that the belt rode on. Needs to be spotless. Double check that none of the rubber is clogging up any area of the motor or anywhere else. The rubber solenoids (as per jjones) just clean it well with cotton swabs and alcohol. It's crowded in there but make sure the plunger is completely clean. You can just pull the rubber washers off. You may need to do all of the solenoids in there (3?). I didn't find a need to replace these but YMMV. ;) Any chance of posting a few good pics of the guides? It may be possible to rotate these. $275 local pick up - not bad. :)
 
I hope the manual helps you out. Don't forget to post a few songs in the analog forum when you have it up and running.
 
let me know

Let me know if you need some 38 parts. I have a 38 here ive been meaning to part out for a long time. If i recall correctly, all the meter lights work on mine. Also, the heads are in great shape, and one of the motors is new from Tascam.
 
Tascam has those solenoid coshions (or at least they did awhile ago) for about $0.50 each. Sometimes there are adjustments that get made with the solenoid bottomed and so there is some importance for the cushion being there. Bottom line: yup get the gooey ones out of there or they'll be a headache messing up the solenoid action.

Also, as I stated earlier about the meter lamps, if one is working we can assume the power rail is A-OK and that would be the only global problem you can have there. My hunch is that you've just got a host of dead lamps. Also, sometimes, depending on the nature of the power rail, the lamps are wired in series in pairs so if one goes its partner doesn't work even though the second lamp is still good.

The guides should be rotatable.
 
I've got 5 meter bulbs out on mine, just haven't gotten around to replacing them yet. Tascam wants about $45 for the whole set of 8 bulbs. I forgot who, probably Cory, pointed me to another place where they were about $1 or so a piece. The factory ones are frosted, the ones I bought are not, so if that is an issue (hey, most of the time I'm finicky like that), you've got your option.
 
I am facing another problem though now, after trying to see if the 8 inputs would route sound and work the VU meter, which 6 out of the 8 do; 5's VU meter doesn't work but passes signal, and 8 is completely silent...

I'll have it apart again to do the belt change. The belt only wraps around the capstan motor and that other wheel on the left, right? (I don't know what it's called and I just spent time reading the exploded view to learn!)

I ordered the bulbs from parts express, hopefully that's all it is. I've seen it happen though where it actually is blown lights or LEDs so I'm confident!

Let me know if you need some 38 parts. I have a 38 here ive been meaning to part out for a long time.
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Yeah, a new head cover! Happen to have an entire assembly with emblem? One of the plastic clips inside is weak/busted more after messing with it and the emblem is missing...
 
Blue Jinn said:
Omni-2. Nice. I have it's cousin the Quadra, kindof a combination of Omni-2 and Solus. I have the SM if you need one.
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Heh, nice - don't see too many of those around! Is it as cool as it looks?

We have an Octave Cat in the studio; supposedly a copy of an Odyssey but since the second vco has been dead for a while I've never gotten the chance to dive into it and see for myself.

I have the service manual for the Omni - complete with illegible schematics and IC pinouts! I went through and did the re-cap also...
 
WhinyLittleRunt said:
I am facing another problem though now, after trying to see if the 8 inputs would route sound and work the VU meter, which 6 out of the 8 do; 5's VU meter doesn't work but passes signal, and 8 is completely silent...
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I have two 30s series decks (34, 38) that had what may be similar problems to yours, so my impression is that its common enough. In my case they seemed to be solder joints in the motherboard that must have gone off or 'cold' over time or corrosion. I was able to fix both of mine just by cleaning up and 'waking them from the dead'. You'll want to get in there and test all the connections with a multimeter I guess. I posted some picks on a thread here regarding opening things up and testing:https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=294772

and my original thread about my experience with the anomalous signal passing / VU metering situation:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=294413https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=294413

hope this helps.;)
 
I have deoxit at the shop where I work, so I will be bringing the unit over there when I get the belt and the solenoid gaskets in from Tascam, and do a big cleanup and inspection of the motherboard and connections.

I don't like to use liberal amounts of deoxit though, just a small amount in the problem area is good enough. Works wonders on crappy pots!
 
WhinyLittleRunt said:
Heh, nice - don't see too many of those around! Is it as cool as it looks?

We have an Octave Cat in the studio; supposedly a copy of an Odyssey but since the second vco has been dead for a while I've never gotten the chance to dive into it and see for myself.

I have the service manual for the Omni - complete with illegible schematics and IC pinouts! I went through and did the re-cap also...
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The Omni string sounds are just one of those phenomenally cool sounds that make all the headaches of owning an ARP worth it. I had a broken Odyssey once that I basically gave away when I left S. Cal int eh early 90s. I wish I'd never done that. It was the Odyssey II not the orange faced one. Also, have an Avatar that is now, dead, my initial ts indicates PSU which would be an easy fix.

The Quadra is pretty damn cool. The bass synth is worthless, but the strings and the poly are as rich as the Omni, but the main thing is this really thick phaser. I had the Avatar slaved to it too, which gave me essentially a five octave Odyssey.
 
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Am I sight compromised or is the 38 not in that listing?

DAH you just stated you don't have it in .pdf!

That is an impressive listing though.

Thank you for the offer as well.

I know that 11 X 17 is a challenge but when it prints out from a .pdf it's clean.
 
GCalo said:
Am I sight compromised or is the 38 not in that listing?

DAH you just stated you don't have it in .pdf!

That is an impressive listing though.

Thank you for the offer as well.

I know that 11 X 17 is a challenge but when it prints out from a .pdf it's clean.
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I just had that that site in my bookmarks, I stumbled across that looking for a SM for either the Avatar or something else I can't remember. It is impressive.

I don't see the 38 in that listing. I've been meaning to get one from Teac parts.
 
Stupid question...

Could I presumably use the inputs and direct outputs of my Firepod recording interface with the Tascam 38?

If not can someone throw out some good, inexpensive options for mixers that will work with this thing and not specifically the M-30 (which I can't find anywhere). I have a Mackie VLZ mixer that clearly only has 4 direct outputs, but I'll have to re-patch things constantly to listen/record and I know that will get old very quick. What are you guys using?
 
How good are you at repairing stuff? This may be your ticket then, if you don't mind the drive:
http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/msg/1852491185.html

If you could get this thing going and wanna take a chance, $25 can get you one hell of a nice mixer. It's actually the predecessor to the M-35, which by itself is pretty rare and more featured than the M-30.

Other options out-there (on the cheap) are the fantastic M-300(B) series mixers (seriously underrated), along with the M-200 series. There are others but those are nice ones that come to mind.
 
WhinyLittleRunt said:
Stupid question...

Could I presumably use the inputs and direct outputs of my Firepod recording interface with the Tascam 38?

If not can someone throw out some good, inexpensive options for mixers that will work with this thing and not specifically the M-30 (which I can't find anywhere). I have a Mackie VLZ mixer that clearly only has 4 direct outputs, but I'll have to re-patch things constantly to listen/record and I know that will get old very quick. What are you guys using?
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For a long time i used a teac 5, 8 inputs 4 buss out, but also has direct outs if you have to record 8 tracks at once. I have also used the cue out as an effect send of sorts, it othewise only has one effect ("echo") send. (I still have it connected to a 22-4 presently)

I'd look for a later model Teac/Tascam, they are a notch up from other brands and generally have very flexible connections. A lot of Teac/Tascam boards can be had for under $200 or so. As indicated above, teh 300 and 200 series are very nice. A 312 would be a good option too, as you'd have more returns. FWIW, the Fostex model 80 8 track is designed with a four buss board in mind, as the 1-4 inputs are normalled to tracks 5-8 as well.


Depending on your price point, an 8 buss board may not qualify as "inexpensive." With your Mackie you should only have to repatch to record if you use the buss outs, and with 16 inputs and 4 aux sends you may not even have to on playback.
 
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Alright, time for the happy ending :eek:

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This all came together between yesterday and today. I was eagerly awaiting my overnighted package consisting of a capstan belt and a solenoid gasket (which Teac decided to screw up shipping on and send it back to themselves, in which I very strongly suggested to them that they now overnight my package because they promised me "by the end of the week"), and on a whim last night I took the advise of DuddyGuy after he posted a local-to-me listing of an M-308 in my other thread about the Teac 5. I ran up there after work, picked it up and brought it home. The thing is in pretty much mint shape, and I'm really glad I grabbed this.

This morning I got up at the crack of dawn and took the 38 apart and installed the new belt, replaced the gasket around the braking solenoid (that was pretty annoying BTW, the gasket doesn't stick to anything so I glued it to the c-clip just so it wouldn't interfere with the solenoid pin, which was also pretty gummed up from old gasket goo). There is still the other solenoid at the top that has a nasty gasket so I will have to fix that one eventually too. I then blew a fuse while pulling a vu meter out enough to have access to it (stupid me left the machine on). Replaced the fuse, got the one VU bulb working again. I then replaced all the VU bulbs (courtesy of Parts Express, thanks GCalo!) and tested good. I also went underneath and reseated the 8th card, but haven't tested it yet (it wasn't passing signal). I apparently lost the little plastic washer from inside the pinch roller because it wasn't spinning free when I tightened the cap. I made a temporary one out of thin plastic just to get by. I then cleaned the pinch roller with CaiKleen RBR (by Caig) which rejuvenates the rubber. I cleaned the heads thoroughly, demagnetized all the metal parts including the heads, rotated the right tape guide, and turned it all back on.

I have an old tape which came with the unit, and I decided to give it a shot and see if anything played on it. Sure enough, there were tracks on it and I was able to hear two of them (don't have enough cables yet) through the M-308 so it does work! The tape is nasty so I don't plan to keep messing around with it. I bought a new reel of RMG 911 for when I'm ready to try some of my own recording. I tried to run an instrument through the M-308 into track 1 of the 38 and record it, and I got VU activity, but it would not play back. I either have it wired wrong for playback (into tape-inputs on the rear of 308) or I have the mode on the 38 wrong. All I know is it plays in sync mode, nothing in Input mode, and what sounds like a smtpe time code or something in repro mode...? Still have to mess around, but I'm super excited!
 
Very nice going. Everything looks great.

Hope it goes well.

Mixer looks pretty neat.

The VU bulbs from P.E. are great. When the package first arrived I did not think anything was in there because the bulbs are so small! They work though, and they are a bargain!
 
What could be suspect if I cannot record? I get signal on the VU meter... I have the mixer patched with the outs of the 38 to the tape ins, the recorded signal is going from channel direct out to input on the 38. Armed the track, hit record/pause then play and when I rewind my stuff I cannot hear it...

EDIT: Interesting - you can't have the instrument patched into the mixer line in to hear the mix? Or do you have to then route the tape outputs back to the channels and not use the :tape in" section? Cuz I can hear my sound VERY low on the track I recorded on which means something worked...
 
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You are visually seeing signal on the vu meter of the board AND the 38? or just the board?
 
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