Think this thing is worth getting?

I tried doing some research with the part numbers he lists, but couldn't really find anything other than the model number CL-10 which i think is just the heads.
 
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Full track mono is going to be pretty limiting unless you just want to record voice in very high quality.

Kind of a shame and waste to only use it as a microphone pre-amp.

Cheers! :)
 
That's a mono Ampex 440 and that is a smokin' deal! Grab it fast before someone else does. If I were in Chicago and I wouldn't be posting this, I'd be emailing the guy to arrange a pickup for today !

That is one of the finest tape machines of all time, DO NOT chop it up to make a Mic pre. All you have to do is buy the plug-in transformer Ampex made (I got one for about $35 on eBay), and it's a mic pre. The mic pre is fine but nothing special.

Looks like it's missing the reel hold-downs, but you can pick those up on eBay too.

It's a great mono mix deck.
 
Bguzaldo said:
Heading over there at 4! Can I use 7" reels to test it? It's all I have at the moment...
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Yes, make sure the tape is good (i.e., not Ampex 456, etc.)

Make sure the reel selecter switches are set to small.

DO NOT press stop while fast-fowarding or rewinding. You have to shuttle FF & RW back & forth until it almost comes to a complete stop, THEN press stop. This requires a little skill and is very important -- the tape will go flying across the room or get twisted up if you don't.

You don't NEED the reel hold-downs them to test it out, but you will want to pick up a couple on eBay. But you will want to be extra careful when fast-winding without the reel hold-downs.

Hopefully the guy selling it is familiar enough with it to go through these things with you in person.
 
Cool
I would have grabbed that if it was local
I like mono a lot but you might find it too limiting
If you do, please don't hack it up for preamp
Enjoy
 
Bguzaldo said:
Got it! And didnt break my tape testig it out! It does work perfectly, cant wait to mess around with this.
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Congratulations! It'll do you good. I've mixed several albums and a 7" record on a mono 440. Mono is great! And if you decide to get rid of it, please send me a private email as a know a really talented guy in Chicago who might want it. And yes, there is no sense in hacking it into a preamp ... it already is one with that plug-in transformer. And it's not any better as a preamp than something like a $25 Shure M67. Additionally, if you just want a preamp, you can get 440 channels super cheap anyway. A full working machine is a little harder to come by.
 
Its working great, i just printed a ruff mix to it with no problems at all. Ill post a track and some pics when i get a proper mix done.
 
sweetbeats said:
No. Those adapters assume you have spring-loaded tridents on the reel tables and you do not on the 440. You need the kind that have a clamping collet in the center so the slide on and clamp to the center post like the VIF adapters or otherwise lock to the post like the vintage Ampex type, like these: Ampex Reel - Reel * Hold-Down * Set 200 300 350 351 * Nice Condition * | eBay
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Awesome, thank you! I was thinking of getting a 10.5" plastic trident reel from us recording media, they're only 12 bucks, but I think I'd rather have the metal reels.
 
They are the correct ones. These were used all the way from the beginning even on up through ATR-100 series.
 
sweetbeats said:
They are the correct ones. These were used all the way from the beginning even on up through ATR-100 series.
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oops! ah, somehow your earlier post was missing when I posted that!

Yeh, I wasn't sure if they are exactly the right ones based on the picture.

PS - these also work on the Scully 280 (the Scully ones that came with my deck are a strange design that turned to goo in the middle), and maybe some other old studio decks as well.
 
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