Tascam serial numbers...anybody know anything about them?

[sweetbeats]

What can I tell from these serial numbers from three identical Tascam units from the 80's?

• 130168
• 250154
• 290289

I seem to recall that the year manufactured can be derived from the serial number but then I'm wondering if the serial numbers aren't "serial" (i.e. sequential during the model run) and whether or not I can assume a lower number means an older unit and conversely a higher number means a newer unit...

I'm trying to figure out which of my three 234's is the oldest, and which is the newest.

 

[technoplayer]

Since no one else has replied, i may chime in...

....SERIAL number, i.e. SEQUENCE number. Unless other evidence refutes, I would presume lower numbers are older units. I am not aware of any date coding in Tascam serial numbers. Not too much you can do with six digits on high production equipment.

Better idea: pop them open and look at the date codes on the chips. Usually will be within a few months of unit production date.

 

[BeatleFred]

Did you check to see if there is a two or three digit sequence of numbers on the right side? Its these digits that indicate the manufacturing date. I found this out when I was curious about my A-3440 which has a serial # in the back, and then a two digit number on the right side on the label which is 03, which stands for 'the 3rd quarter of 1980'. Had it been 93, it would have meant the 3rd quarter of 1979, follow? It also works on my other models, for example, my M-512 is: 70028 43. The right side on this label is the 43, which means the 3rd quarter of 1984. (the 3rd quarter of the year meaning, in the range of July, Aug, or Sept).

However, Ive seen three digits on the s/n label, such as my X-300R and 302 dual deck,
for example, the right side of my 302 deck is 991, which I think means the 1st quarter of 1999.

 

[jjones1700]

Somebody call Jim Finch at Tascam and pose the question to him. He would probably have a more concise answer. I've been curious about my S/N on my machines. So short .

 

[sweetbeats]

Thanks for the replies...

There IS a set of numbers besides the 6-digit serial number but its not a 3-digit suffix but only 2 digits...here they are again with the suffix:

130168 34
250154 43
290289 44

Could I be right that the first digit is the year and the second is the quarter (i.e. could "43" mean 3rd quarter 1984?

It'd be intersting to look at the IC's...I'll have to do that...they're all opened up at the moment so it would be an easy thing to do.

 

[BeatleFred]

Yes, I believe that is correct, and also makes sense, as the left side serial #'s get higher, the right side manufacturing date is later.

 

[sweetbeats]

Cool. Thanks.

I'm sure they didn't make over 100,000 of them per year. That was throwing me too, but I suppose the first three digits may be related to production run and the last three the sequential build number or something.

Now to decide which to use as the main unit to refurb...one logic camp would say use the newest one...another would say use the one that is in the best cosmetic condition...yet another might say use the one that functions the best.

• 130168 34 is the original minty-minty-minty one I bought that was horridly packed and got damaged enroute. Shame on me for trusting the seller.
• 250154 43 is the one I bought locally for $30 recently with RC-71 remote...fully functional except for two meter lamps and one of the mic inputs is dead...some of the pot shafts are bent...otherwise it sounds great and overall is a 6 or 7/10 cosmetically.
• 290289 44 is the second one I bought as a parts deck to try and salvage the first one and make one good unit...6 or 7/10 cosmetically, freaky-freaky when it comes to functionality.

Okay. Stupid to even think too hard about this when I read what I just typed. 250154 43, though not the newest, is the best candidate. I will borrow parts from the other two to address the niggling issues as well as some of the easy cosmetic fixes and be done with it.

Ready phor 4-track phun!

So much fun that you'll even impatiently patch things together so you can play with it when it looks like this!