That's a very tough call, my friend.
What you have to think about, is if 4 tracks will be enough to produce your arrangements.
HINT: 4-tracks is almost never enough, therefore a number of track bouncing and track-packing schemes have been devised. I've used both. Track bouncing is always the most risky, and usually the least satisfying, unless you're ONLY bouncing minor parts behind major parts,... then track bouncing seems to work, in moderation. I'd never do a "full-collapse" bounce technique to 4-track, anymore, because that almost always destroys the sound quality, in the process. "Track-Packing" is just a buzzword for getting as much on each track as possible, such as, a BG-vocal paired up with that bass track,... a tambourine or percussion paired with the vocal track, etc, etc, in a live-to-tape fashion. Like,... getting all your friends playing simultaneously and recording all these parts to one track. THAT's "packing the tracks".
IF you're thinking you'll want more than 4, & up to 8 tracks on your primary arrangements, then the 488mkII would be advised over the 244. The plain truth about the 488mkII, is that it alleviates the need to bounce as often as you'd be inclined to bounce on the 244.
That being said, the 244 and 488 std or mkII are FINE examples of cassette Portastudios, which at today's low-bid prices would BOTH be fine to have.
I have both.
Some of my productions sit well and are as happy on 4-track as they ever will be. I've used bounce techniques of all sorts, which has formed my opinions, detailed above, about bouncing. I'll use bouncing very sparingly on a 4-track, and almost always to bounce a minor part behind a more important part. I like to use the "track-packing" techniques more, overall, whenever possible, and this usually achieves better results for me,... but YMMV.
The 244 and 488 [std/mkII] are great machines, with the 244 possibly having the esthetically better and more highly peaked technical features,... like real VU meters, TWO headphone jacks, TWO-BAND SWEEPABLE EQ and Overload LEDs. These are features that were dropped on later Portastudio models,... but don't ask me why.
If deciding between the 488 Std and MkII, always go for the MKII, as it has some significant improvements over the 488-Std, such as 2-XLR Inputs w/Phantom Power, 3-Band EQ with MID-SWEEPABLE [on the 488Std & mkII], AND 4-MIC Preamps, total,... as the 488-Std has only 2-Mic Preamps, NO Phantom Power, and NO XLR Inputs.
Another key difference, is that the 244 will record either 4-Inputs to a L/R-2-Buss matrix, recording 2-tracks simultaneously in Buss mode, OR, it will record 4-Inputs Directly to 4-Tracks, simultaneously, but it wipes and/or records all 4-tracks simultaneously, which is an idea you should remember when using 4-Direct-simul recording mode. This is somewhat different from the 424's type of SWITCHABLE Direct-mode recording, where you can put ANY of 4 tracks on Direct mode, without affecting the other tracks.
In contrast, the 488mkII will record up to 12-Inputs, matrixed to a 4-Buss scheme, and records up to 4-tracks simultaneously, with NO Direct-mode recording, at all. This does, however, leave the other 4- tape tracks open for overdubs.
Therefore, with these key differences in contrast,... the 244 and 488 [std/mkII] BOTH function as a 4-track recorder in a single pass, with the 488 giving you the luxury of 4 additional tape tracks, available without bouncing.
That's a very tough decision, but if your budgeted properly, and you hit some strategic bids, then there's nothing that says you can't have BOTH.
PS: For an 8-Simul-to-8-Tracks recording scheme, you'd need a minimum of a Tascam 688 Portastudio, a Tascam 238 Syncaset with additional external mixer required, OR the fabulous Tascam 388 Studio 8,... the 1/4" reel Portastudio. Shop those items on Ebay, too, if you're not familiar with what I'm talking about. If you can get with the heft and weight of the 388, it's well worth the purchase dollar, and will give you a much higher production value than any cassette Portastudio. ALL these additional items may be had for relatively the same amount as the 488mkII, bid price, depending on the day.
PS#2: As testimonial, I have the 244, 488Std, 488mkII, 238 AND the 388, but I've never owned the 688, as yet TBA.
GOOD LUCK.
