Recording cassette gear for a beginner

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Hello,

I have been lurking for a while now, you guys have got a great forum.

I have been playing guitar for a few years now, starting playing drums about 2-3 months ago and I am looking to start recording. I have digital equipment and lots of software programs but I am much more interested in recording with cassette tape.

I'd basically like some recommendations on equipment for a beginner. I will be recording by myself, just playing guitar/vocals/ drums trying to be creative. So some questions I would like to ask:

What type of cassette recorder?


A mixer?


Microphones?

I honestly do not know how much I should shell out for this stuff, for the recorder I was thinking 500-600 max (I saw some tascam recorders around that price). If you have any entry level recommendations or reviews for equipment that would be fantastic.

Sorry if I have missed a previous thread which outlines alot of this (or if most post is incorrect somehow, I am a beginner so be kind ). If there is already one just put me in the right direction and I will head over.

Thanks in advance.

[Matt C.]

I'd get a Tascam 424. I think a 414 would be okay too, but if i remember correctly the 424 has a more flexible EQ section (3 bands, sweepable mids) which is very helpful. if you need 8 tracks, i guess go with the Tascam 488. quality will suffer from squeezing 8 tracks onto a cassette but whatever.

I think you should be able to get either of these for way, way under your budget.

[jgimbel]

I'd get a Tascam 424. I think a 414 would be okay too, but if i remember correctly the 424 has a more flexible EQ section (3 bands, sweepable mids) which is very helpful. if you need 8 tracks, i guess go with the Tascam 488. quality will suffer from squeezing 8 tracks onto a cassette but whatever.

I think you should be able to get either of these for way, way under your budget.

+1. I've got a 464 that I love. The sweepable mids are really nice, very flexible. Those machines are really great for creativity. I also LOVE what they do to drums. They're obviously not the most high end gear but there's something magical with that EQ - it's kind of like what folks say about really nice guitar amps, where you can turn the EQ knobs up and down and it'll never sound terrible, just different tones. I just ran four bonus tracks for an album done here to the 464 to add some thickness, distortion (I ran the tracks to it pretty hot) and to bring up the high end without too much digital crispness. It was perfect, and while I've got some nice coloring plugins and quality EQ plugins, nothing I've got on the computer could do that kind of magic in that way.

PS - I got my 464 for $50 on Craigslist - the guy thought one channel was on broken, but it was just set to the sync setting - flipped it back and got my channel back.

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Thanks guys, very helpful. I spent alot of time on the forum search engine and found alot of these questions already answered.

The tascam's you guys have mentioned have been discontinued, is this a bad thing? I know I can get one from ebay/craiglist but is it worth investing in more current models?

Does this forum have a buyer's guide? I do not want to be a sucker

[Matt C.]

I don't know what, if any, models of cassette multitracks are still in production, but if there are any, I wouldn't bother with them. get one used. it should cost you about $100. i'd look on craigslist first and try to test it out before buying.

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Again, a bit of my own research answered my own question. I really am lazy -_-

Thanks for your help guys, if I find one I will post a link and you can have a look at it to see if its worth the price.

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So I was looking around for tascam cassette recorders...not too many around. I should mention I am from Australia so it means I cannot purchase alot of the recorders listed by Americans and such.

How does this one look?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VTG-Tascam-M ... 602wt_1037

It will cost me about $200 as it is from America but I do not see many around others around. Thanks again for your help.

[E.Bennett]

just pay attention to power requirements when purchasing tape machines intended for North America.

[;ivlunsdystf]

i have that same rig that you found on ebay. i use it quite a bit. i have had a 414 before, and a 488. the 424 is my favorite in terms of features and general usability.

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So I got a great deal on a Tascam 424 MKIII but I was not able to get a PSU...

I have found two websites that sell them:

http://tascam.com/store/ps-p424mk3/

Looks good but unfortunately tascam doesn't want to ship to Australia.

Audio depot also sell them for double the price and a huge amount of shipping, I am looking at $120 bucks for a psu if I buy through them...

Is anybody here able to help me out? I would be grateful if you could ship me one or maybe recommend another website that sells the same psu. I am aware of the voltage difference in this country as well so that will not be an issue.