Tascam 48 needs help.

R

Rufer

New member
Hi,
I had a Tascam 48 arrive today in seemingly good condition. I note this because I had a 38 that didn't survive the shipment a couple of months ago--(coming to another thread soon).

Anyway, while it seemed to arrive safe and sound through shipping, it's not working. Whether this was known by the seller, that remains to be seen.

The supply side will not spin. It will not turn when I try to thread the tape. It will not run when I play or rewind--although I can feel a vibration inside that hub. When I manually twist that side there is great resistance and grinding (not necessarily an awful grind but I guess it's a grind).

Any ideas?

Also and perhaps secondly, none of the vU's are lit when I fire it up but I don't think they're burnt out. When I power off they all flash once and fade out.

Maybe they're inter-related, maybe separate. who knows? Thanks.
 
While I have no clue as to what specifically might be wrong with your machine or have a possible fix, I can almost guarantee you that, just as your 38, this one was wrecked during shipping as well. Open it up, check carefully for damage and cracked PCB boards inside. This really pisses me off 'cause perfectly good machines get wrecked by the actions of ignorant, idiot sellers who can't pack to save their lives. Shipping damage is epidemic like and don't no body tell you otherwise.:mad: Sorry that I don't have a working solution to your problem but maybe I do and that is to never, ever buy anything similar which needs to be shipped. Look at local deals.
 
Hey Cjacek,
Thanks for getting back to me. It's funny you should respond. I actually followed the shipping instructions that you laid out in that other thread. I sent it to the seller and the link to the 'reel pro sound guys' shipping instructions you (or perhaps someone else in your thread) included.

Anyway, the seller did a rather very good job in following that. I'd say 90% as good as what was laid out there. I was impressed.

Anyway, perhaps something was jossled loose--I'll take a look.
 
Rufer said:
perhaps something was jossled loose--I'll take a look.
Click to expand...

Yes, open the unit up and carefully check if something came loose, connectors or maybe (worse case) a PCB got cracked?:confused:

Sometimes the best of packing can't save a 90lb recorder from repeated 6 foot drops and must be crated (and freighted) instead.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Let us know what you find inside of the recorder.:confused:
 
are the reel hubs on the 48 attached like the 38s? could it be that the thumb screw that holds the hub to the motor shaft simply needs tightened?

or maybe its simply a bad motor?? a PITA probably, but not a major repair.
 
I do believe the hub is tight to the motor shaft. Opening the back I can turn the hub and see the other side of the motor shaft move.

Maybe it is a dead motor. The seller tells me the tested all of the motors before offering for sale and again before shipping. I have no reason not to believe them and actually I do.

I don't see any obvious damage upon opening it up. I've tried pushing everything in that I have easy access to and thus far, it's to no avail.

Maybe I'll suck it up and take it to a shop. It looks great and I so bad want it to work.

Has anyone had any luck with local Tascam repair?
 
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Rufer said:
Has anyone had any luck with local Tascam repair?
Click to expand...

Do you have a trustworty, competent tech in your area who's familiar with analog machines? Do you have the 48 service manual? If you do, take it to the tech, pay him an estimation fee (if applicable) and you'll know what the issue is. The 48 is a very good machine and it'd be a shame to let it go to scrap.

Hey, here's an idea.. Call your local TV / radio station and a recording studio or two and ask who their tech is and who they'd recommend. Explain your situation.
 
I dont know. If you say the outside is in perfect condition. And the guy actually packed it 90% as well as you recommended I'd tend to think you got butt-packed on a dead machine.
If the case is mint and has no cracks and the shafts seems strait then I dont see how it could have all those problems from shipping. I could be wrong. But based on what youre telling us, I think you got taken.:(
What condition was the shipping box in when you got it?
 
poopchute said:
If the case is mint and has no cracks and the shafts seems strait then I dont see how it could have all those problems from shipping.
Click to expand...

I recall my last eBay purchase, the TASCAM 22-2, last year, which got damaged. There was virtually no disturbance to the outer case but the insides were all f'd up, with several cracked PCB's. I later examined the packaging and the did some 'ol detective work and came to the conclusion that it is quite easy to damage the insides of a recorder without apparent external damage. I now nod my head every time a buyer claims problems such as my own and yet looks only at external damage. I've researched this stuff quite a bit and I'm certain many people mistake a machine's ill workings to a seller selling one off like that rather than to internal damage cause by poor packing / and rough handling. At the same time, you may be right, that the seller (knowingly) sold a dead machine. All variables must be considered but I would like to see the packaging first. I've seen too many dead or not properly working machines, due to bad shipping, to not explore that aspect first.

To Rufer: Can you provide some info and maybe several photos of the packing material, to give a better understanding how it was shipped?
 
After having this happen to me recently I would advise to pick up recorders, even if you had the original box & packaging I think this sort of problem would occur? These machines would have been picked up by dealers from distributors or sent by careful trusted contract couriers when new. Big difference to later sending them by domestic uncaring courier companies & their many staff with bad attitudes!

My Studer A807 arrived & would not work, seller is a well trusted guy, only when I looked inside did I see the damage to the lower circuit boards, it looked fine from the outside. A closer look at the box then revealed scratches & dents / holes.

I wonder how many of these great machines are being wrecked on a daily basis, what a sad end for working machines!
 
I'm in contact with a repair facility, so I hope to get this fixed. I'll plunk down the money to do so because the 48 does seem to be a fantastic machine and cosmetically in good condition.

I really have no reason to believe the seller sold me a dead machine. He wants to start an insurance claim but I don't think I'm going to go that route. I've already got the destroyed 38 awaiting UPS insurance. That has very obvious damage, I've got pictures of the box when it arrived, and it was packed by UPS so I'm optimistically confident I'll get the money back.

With this one, I'm not so sure. The box was FedExed, arrived in seemingly great shape without any obvious damage as a result of shipping. I'd hate to give up the machine, maybe or maybe not get it back and if I do maybe it will be structurally damaged this time. Also, I don't think FedEx would take responsibility--if in fact they are. So I'm not going the insurance route for this one.

Anyway, I did take pictures of the entire unpacking process as I was so impressed with the condition of the 48's box shipped by FedEx than by the 38 box shipped by UPS. I was going to point out how superior FedEx was. Might be a little rash to do so now but hey check out the packaging:

http://homepage.mac.com/mr.rufe/48Packaging/PhotoAlbum6.html
 
Youre gonna have a HARD time doing an insurance claim with the box in apparanetly mint condition anyway. Now that I see the box I solidify my vote that you were shipped a dead machine.
"If" the box was banged up then I could see the unit getting dinged up internally even if the outside of the machine was fine.
Remember Im only 1 person with an opinion. I might be wrong. But I truely believe that you got shipped a bunk machine.:(
 
Hi Rufer,

I would check the fuses first. According to the manual when you open up the back panel (fuse assembly at the top of unit) the last two fuses on the left are for the reel motors. Check those. If they are good, then I would check that you are getting power to the motor. It's a DC motor so make sure your meter is set to check DC, not AC. If you have power to the motor, and the motor does not spin, then I would say the motor is bad.

Here is the parts information on that motor according to the manual.
Parts No. - 5370002701
Description - DC Motor, Reel (1/2")
Common Models - 38

So according to this manual, the 38 shares the same motor. Maybe one of the more knowledgable members on this board could confirm that for you. If that is the case then I guess it's possible that you could swap out a motor with that 38 you said you bought.
 
poopchute said:
Youre gonna have a HARD time doing an insurance claim with the box in apparanetly mint condition anyway. Now that I see the box I solidify my vote that you were shipped a dead machine.
.:(
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I agree that filing an insurance claim is not worth the time or the effort. You may be right about being shipped a dead machine. Who knows though. Not much I could do about it anyway.

funkytonk said:
Hi Rufer,

I would check the fuses first. According to the manual when you open up the back panel (fuse assembly at the top of unit) the last two fuses on the left are for the reel motors. Check those. If they are good, then I would check that you are getting power to the motor. It's a DC motor so make sure your meter is set to check DC, not AC. If you have power to the motor, and the motor does not spin, then I would say the motor is bad.

.
Click to expand...
This is good stuff. Thanks very much.

I will check the fuses. I do believe that the motor is getting power. When I press play or rewind, I can feel a hum inside the hub.
 
First thing I would do is take the front cover off and check to see if the brake has slipped and needs adjusting. and then take the back cover off and check that all connections and circuit boards are inplace.
Pull them out a smidge and push them back in to make sure they are making good contact.
I have had two 38,s show up with the circuit boards loose from vibrations in shipping. Also had a 22-4 show up with a tight reel from the brake slipping the same way.
Last month though I did have a 38 show up from a guy that lives in the world of stupid. One layer of newspaper in a box. With another box taped to the outside of that box. That was his idea of double boxing :rolleyes:
Anyway The back cover is toast and I did get some of my money back but it doesnt matter much cause the heads are shot.
Oh Well thats the way it goes. Once in a while a great deal comes along and then once in while not so much.
 
I had a mixing board sent to me from Canada. Every possible screw that could have come loose inside did. I had about 50 channel card screws rolling around inside it. It's amazing it survived anyway seeing as they sent it in a box wrapped in a layer of bubble wrap! :mad: DUH!

I think sfer way of shipping something like that, if you're going to do it, s pay the next day or quickest rate possible.
 
I'd do as Herm suggests about checking the machine more thoroughly. I still say the problems are due to shipping the machine. A box doesn't have to be obviously banged up in order for the machines innards to be toast. Believe me I know. You drop a box like this straight down, on one of the flat surfaces and the box will still look good, but now you've snapped or cracked or pushed out the electronics (and machanical parts) inside of the recorder, as the result of the impact.

Trancedental got it 100% right when he advised to pick up recorders locally and even the original box & packaging would not help as these vintage units were never meant to be shipped the "typical" way but rather on pallets and / or using trusted / specialized contract couriers.

I further agree with trancedental and share his anger that "many of these great machines are being wrecked on a daily basis". This is NOT an exaggeration and it's both the sellers' and also the buyers' fault to engage in the unfortunate tango of machine destruction.

Rufer sent some great picts of the packing job and, it seemingly looks good but upon further detailed inspection, it might reveal serious limitations in the packing. Bubble wrap was never meant to support a 90lb machine being dropped from 6 feet up. You calculate the crushing forces and it's unbelievable that they survive at all. Loose peanuts are also not a good idea. Remember that the 30 series (your 38) is made of much lesser quality exterior material than the 48 and thus the latter will not show obvious external damage. I still say the 48 was damaged (internally) from shipping. Again, do as Herm suggests. He's right on.

I'm going to go on record again by saying local pickup is best and if you must ship, the only safe(r) way it to have the recorder boxed up and strapped to a pallet and sent freight. That way, only a forklift will be handling it. Much, much safer way to go. Problem with typical packing is that it's so easy to screw up. There isn't a lot of margin for error and it's all so very precise. It's best to have it palletized.
 
I was actually thinking of ways it would be possible to damage package contents without any visible markinngs of the outside of the box but Cjacek beat me to it!

Maybe making a "mini pallet" type wooden frame at the top & bottom inside the outer box might be a useful idea to use, it could be strong enough IF the package was kept vertical during shipping? Or maybe just pack all four sides as well in the above way?

I actually sent a 70lb+ Vox AC30 with Celestion Blues to Hungary from London recently! I used many layers of bubblewap inbetween pieces of hard 1/4" plyboard, inside 3 boxes with folded cardboard filling up any caps. Took a while to pack up!

It got there in one piece & the buyer is playing it turned up full blast last I heard!
 
Make sure the hub brakes are releasing completely when put into Play or any motion.

Sounds to me like maybe the brakes are not releasing on the left, and/or that the hub set screw has loosened from the left motor shaft. I'd check both. It doesn't sound too serious, so hang in there!:eek:;)
 
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