Tascam 38 Problems with playback and recording

[ed_thebear]

Hi,
I have just purchased a Tascam 38 which looks great but, is currently not working properly. It hasn't arrived here yet, but this is the problem with it as described by the seller:- 'Meters light, and all channels except ch2 display input on the VU's and work on the sync head, however I can"t get any channels to record. There was some audio on another tape I played back, but it was muffled and of low level, though showed fine on the meters.'
Does anybody have any idea of just what I have let myself in for here! I mean is it the heads or something else? I hope someone can help me as being a Tascam reel to reel I just couldn't resist it at £150.00 ($236.00) and there is no possibility of me being able to afford buying one without some problem to solve on it. They are just to expensive to buy in tact here in the UK!
Ed:

 

[Steenamaroo]

What kind of condition is it in?
A good general clean never goes a miss before ripping stuff apart.

Take a look at the heads and the tape path. Make sure there's no crud and if there is clean it up with alcohol and cotton swabs or something like it.
Check the head wear too. You can find good picture examples online to see what they should look like.

Get some contact cleaner and spray a jack and rca plug. Work that in and out of your inputs and outputs.

Give all the pots a turn too while it's playing. You might hear some crackling. Even if you don't (on the non working channels) get some contact cleaner on the go with them too.

I'm not sure if it has mic/micpad/line switches for each channel like the a3440, but they were terrible on my a3440.
They'd completely kill the input signal until I worked them back and forth a good few times.
Again, if you can get at them cleaner never does any harm.

If you're getting no input on a channel try both mic and line. If you're getting no output on a channel try both headphone and line.
That can help narrow down the fault.

I imagine if a fuse was blown you'd have a global fault, but check them all anyway.

If you're keen open it up and take a look. I'm pretty sure those models have separate cards for each channel of audio.
Take em out, give the connectors a little clean and reseat them.


I had to go through about ten reel players for my aunt recently and almost all of the faults where down to something silly like that.


*edit. Also., I had a machine where the little brake pads were worn down and it wasn't putting enough tension on the tape.
There was an immediately obvious improvement when i touched the supply reel so that might be worth a try.

 

[ed_thebear]

Thank you very much, what a great way to start! I will certainly try all that you have suggested. The machine is said to be in almost perfect cosmetic condition and it certainly looks it from the photo's.
Ed

 

[Steenamaroo]

No probs. If it's anything more complicated than that I don't really have the experience, but there are plenty of seasoned analog veterans around here to help.

You might get more replies in the analog section too btw.

That'll get ya started anyway.

Good luck.