Tascam 388 needs repair?

[shadwell157]

Hi Guys....first post here

I bought a Tascam 388 today knowing there was a fault. The right hand side/spool struggles to play but if you push the HOLD button it runs fine. So I think the motor could be okay....but something else is up.

I'm a complete novice on this so any ideas would be cool

Also is there anywhere in the UK I can get this fixed/seviced/set up. I'm in suffolk if that makes any difference.

Cheers

Joe

 

[LUNE]

but if you push the HOLD button it runs fine.

say Joe, I can't find the "HOLD" button on my 388. Is that British English for "Tape Lifter" or "Stop"?

But seriously, what button exactly are you pressing to make it run? You're sure that's a 388? you could post a photo to set our minds at ease...

 

[Brumus]

looking at my 388 notes from the old days, it would seem the most likely culprit given the limited clues would be the transport pcb. the TEAC repair facility in New Jersey would simply replace the pcb. you may be able to source the part from them. it is a transport 'logic' issue most likely, rather than mechanical, since the motor spins fine when an otherwise-dormant surface control is toggled.

great machines, too bad they didnt make them in a 12 or 24 channel version. linking a 300 series mixer side by side just isnt the same...

 

[shadwell157]

say Joe, I can't find the "HOLD" button on my 388. Is that British English for "Tape Lifter" or "Stop"?

Just me being a nonce.
LOAD! not HOLD!

 

[LUNE]

I would also check the tape tension / reel servo adjustment - you can find calibration procedures on the maintenance section of the manual (looks like page "1-9" in my manual.) I could imagine if the tension was too low maybe it would have trouble moving - don't know why it would be different with 'Load' engaged though. you can only do partial calibration without a tentelometer, but maybe what you can do would help. so its working fine with the "load" engaged?

 

[shadwell157]

still troubles

I've been able to make adjustments so FF and RR work. But I still can't tweak it enough for Play to work

 

[sweetbeats]

With tape unloaded, have a helper or otherwise find a way to raise BOTH tension arms all the way up to their stops, hold them there and then press PLAY. Are both reel tables able to spin nice and free?

 

[shadwell157]

With tape unloaded, have a helper or otherwise find a way to raise BOTH tension arms all the way up to their stops, hold them there and then press PLAY. Are both reel tables able to spin nice and free?

Hey

If you mean pushed all the way to the top then no. They cut off spinning just about half way up.

Hmmmmm what are you thinking?

Cheers

 

[GCalo]

---Hmmmmm what are you thinking?---

He's thinking that if he can give you a bum steer you will sell him your 388 for 50 bucks!!!

 

[sweetbeats]

Oh Greg stop it...

shadwell what I'm trying to determine is if the brakes aren't releasing. In PLAY mode the brakes should release fully so that the reel tables can spin free, and in order to test this if you raise the tension arms all the way up and press PLAY then you should be able to manually spin the reel tables and they should be drag-free. That's why it helps to have a helper...one to hold the tension arms all the way up and the other can press PLAY and check the tables. You can also use a gihugic rubber band to hold the tension arms up.

 

[shadwell157]

I will enlist the power of the Gav as my helper tomorrow!

 

[shadwell157]

continuation....

Thanks SB.

I managed to get the tension arms up and spin the spools.

The didnt seem to have much drag....but I've not got much experience in this domain to know better.

With a gentle nudge they go about a quarter turn. I can turn them without much friction holding them back.

Do you think the brakes are on?

The quest continues.

pub time then back to it in the morning!

 

[GCalo]

Boy, don't you just hate when that happens!

 

[sweetbeats]

I think that sounds about right...I'll have to check on my 388...regardless even if your brakes need adjusting and are dragging a little bit that wouldn't be enough to cause the problem you're having...I'll have to ponder.....

 

[sweetbeats]

So...can you describe in detail what happens when you push play? Or better yet do you have a way to shoot video and upload it somewhere so we can see?

 

[GCalo]

---I'll have to ponder.....

Boy aren't we getting esoteric with the wording here!!!

Good thing you have electricity, Cory!!!!

 

[sweetbeats]

So I went out to the shop, plugged in the 388 (OH how I look forward to having that in a place where I can get it setup properly and have some fun with it...*sigh* ), powered it up, lifted the tension arms with my thumbs, put an index finger over and hit PLAY and then extended that same index finger the other way and gave the takeup reel table a swipe and the table rotates about 180~360 degrees or so...same with the supply side. So it sounds like your brakes are relaeasing properly.

So let us know in detail what's happening and we'll go from there.