Tascam 38 not recording?

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Rocket Boy

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I just got a Tascam 38 that I was told was basically used once, then wrapped in plastic and sat in storage for many years. It looks cosmetically brand new. My only problem so far, is that I can't seem to record anything. I'm really hoping this is my fault somehow - although the operation of the machine seems pretty straight forward.

I put it in sync mode, I can hear my signal... I then press the function button for the track which then lites up... I press pause & record which lite up as well... after recording I put it into repro mode and I get no signal either on the meters or through the audio. What gives? Is there something I'm missing? I'm using Quantegy Gp9 tape.
 
Assuming everything is connected properly and there's nothing wrong with cables.
Does the VU meter for the selected channel show any input?
Is there any output on playback in the Sync mode? You don't have to go to Repro all the time.
Have you tried recording to all channells in the Input mode and then going to Sync or Repro and checking every channel for output?
 
There is activity on the meters when recording, and I know the cables are ok because the outputs are going through my mixer as I record - so I can hear them. No difference in repro or sync.
 
Hi Rocket Boy. I am really confused by this sentence:


I put it in sync mode, I can hear my signal...

-so far so good

then press the function button for the track which then lites up...

-wait a minute right here. you should have had the function button pressed already to be able to hear anything. how did you hear anything without the button pressed.

I press pause & record which lite up as well...

-once again, you should have already been in record mode to hear anything!

after recording I put it into repro mode and I get no signal either on the meters or through the audio.

-did your machine come with the manual?
 
Yes, it did. Which I read. Let me rephrase this in the exact order I do it in...

1) enter sync
2) function select the track i want to record onto - at this point I can hear the signal, and see activity on the meters.
3) press pause & record which both lite up.
4) press play, at which point the function light for the track turns solid and the reels start turning. The record light is also solid.

Then, either in sync or repro mode when playing back I do not hear any signal. It doesnt matter if the function select button is on or off at this point. I also dont see any activity on the meters.

It seems pretty straight forward - but is there something I could be missing?
 
Rocket Boy said:
Could I be using the wrong tape?
Click to expand...

#1 - Yes, you are using the wrong tape. Use 456. You should at least get SOME signal however bad it may sound (bias not set right for GP9)
#2 - Make sure all relays "click" when you select the track to record. If the relays are sticking (doubtfull ALL are bad) or the enable signal is missing, the track will not record.

#3. Verify your playback head is working. Use a reviously recorded tape OR a weak magnetic force (like a soldering iron) Bring it close to the playback head (with the deck in the play mode) You should hear a "hum". If all is well here, then you must use a O-scope with a schematic to verify the master bias oscillator is working OK. The oscillator is responsible for introducing AC bias to "excite" the signal that gets printed to tape. I am suspicious because of no recording on ALL tracks that the relay signal or bias oscillator may be bad.
#4- Suspect any and all electrolytic caps. Stored long enough, some might be shorted, leaky etc. Some machines use an electro cap for filtering or timing digital signals (like the relay circuits) and if they short, the signal is stuck low (or high) depending on the design. The worst case for electro failure is stored unpowered for too long.

You should get a manual for further probing.

Good Luck

Added Note: Make sure you threaded the tape right and you are not recording on the WRONG SIDE.

This DOES happen.
 
Okay. I tried playing back a previously recorded tape and that seemed to work fine. The shiny side of the tape is pointing up towards the heads. I thought when I turned it up really high I could hear a little bit of what I had recorded - so maybe I just need to get some 456 and try that.
 
Rocket Boy said:
Okay. I tried playing back a previously recorded tape and that seemed to work fine. The shiny side of the tape is pointing up towards the heads. I thought when I turned it up really high I could hear a little bit of what I had recorded - so maybe I just need to get some 456 and try that.
Click to expand...

The bias amplifiers in that deck are waay too weak for GP9 then. It happens. 456 should clear it up.
 
hooked in 456, no change... but i can hear what was recorded on it before years ago.
 
Rocket Boy said:
hooked in 456, no change... but i can hear what was recorded on it before years ago.
Click to expand...

So, you are looking at the recording circuit then. You need a manual and an O-scope. All in my above post.
 
Rocket Boy said:
The shiny side of the tape is pointing up towards the heads.
Click to expand...

Which shiny side is touching the heads ? The black or brown side ? It should be the brown.
 
Check and make sure your tape lifters are going all the way up and allowing the tape to make good contact with the heads. They can hang up
 
Last edited:
Something else to check…

When you lift the head cover there is also a Record/Sync head shield you have to flip down. The Record/Sync head is the middle of the 3 heads. If you fail to lift the head cover and release the shield while threading the tape, the tape won’t make contact with the record head.
 
This sounds like the tape is being threaded wrong by the user and is inadvertently being played/recorded on the backing side of the tape.

Result; no recording is being made as there is no oxide on the backing side of the tape.

Cheers! :)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
This sounds like the tape is being threaded wrong by the user and is inadvertently being played/recorded on the backing side of the tape.
Click to expand...

Precisely my thought too.
 
had a problem like this with my tascam34 it was a relay issue, although the tape upside down would also cause problems.
 
The Ghost of FM said:
This sounds like the tape is being threaded wrong by the user and is inadvertently being played/recorded on the backing side of the tape.

Result; no recording is being made as there is no oxide on the backing side of the tape.

Cheers! :)
Click to expand...

He wouldn't have heard the old recording on that 456 if it was upside down.
 
This has made me get my manual out and read some things and after alot of recording on the 38 I noticed that they mention to use the sync head for most functions.
Now I have always used the repro head for mixing and such so my question is have I been doing it wrong all this time or does it really matter?
 
Herm said:
This has made me get my manual out and read some things and after alot of recording on the 38 I noticed that they mention to use the sync head for most functions.
Now I have always used the repro head for mixing and such so my question is have I been doing it wrong all this time or does it really matter?
Click to expand...

I haven't done any research on that, but I can hear small difference in sound between the Sync and Repro modes. Not sure why though. There's mode lows in Sync mode, but hardly noticeable.
 
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