scully 280 and 280b

[loosegravel]

I found a local pickup only Scully 280b 1/4" 2 track around where I live. I was looking for the first silverface one and happened across this. It still works and for 100 bucks I cant see a reason not to get it. People have said that you can mod it to make it more like the 280 with some sort of "raysistor" or "alectronics" mod ( I have no idea). Any help on this mod or the deck in general would be great.

[takeout]

I found a local pickup only Scully 280b 1/4" 2 track around where I live. I was looking for the first silverface one and happened across this. It still works and for 100 bucks I cant see a reason not to get it. People have said that you can mod it to make it more like the 280 with some sort of "raysistor" or "alectronics" mod ( I have no idea). Any help on this mod or the deck in general would be great.

I don't know about those mods, but I have a boatload of spare parts. PM me if you need anything.

[djimbe]

I have both models. The 280 is a 1/2" 4 track, and the 280b is a 1/4" 2 track. The 280b is from around 1978 and is much easier to align, especially the EQ and bias settings. Some of the 280b's had a vari-speed as a sorta factory based aftermarket addition. Mine does, and as a result runs from 3 3/4 to 30ips based on how you configure the power supply. the EQ cards are different based on the speed, and the machine sounds much better when using the correct card. Also, I'm told that the bias master cards (in the drawer on the extreme right) had a way of crapping out on these decks. I in fact have a bad one, but I bought some spare electronics a while back so I have a working version too.

While the preamps in the 280 do sound cool, getting it calibrated properly to use for recording is a right PITA. Once it warms up and stabilizes I think the 280 sounds better, or at least different, than the 280b. I just did some testing of them both side by side after recapping the PS on the 280. The big machine gives a wider stereo field, but one with less depth. More depth, less width, and a darker sound is what I heard on the 1/4". Relapped heads on the 1/4" and oldies on the 1/2" probably has something to do with it.

I've seen them on the 'bay with "Alltronics Mod" referenced, but I don't know what that is. I do happen to have at least one original spare manual for the 280 and also for the 280b, so PM me if you have a need...

[loosegravel]

I mailed primal gear and asked them what the hell and "alectronics mod" was, since they were boasting it and heard back thusly:

"It is an upgrade of the componets(caps, resistors and
ic's) that are in the unit. I hope this helps.
Thanks,
Duncan"

Safe to say "not really". I wish they could be a lil less vague. I just wanna know if the thing is worth 100 bucks. Should I spring for it? My gut says yes but my tech says no! what am I to do?

[bigtoe]

hey henry and all-

not sure if this is what it is but...

alactronics is a shop up in MA. they did my 1176's up and i can't believe how much better they sound to me. i wish they did everything in my rack. if you search rap you'll see fletcher propping em and if you hit the web you'll see a lot of the chicago guys have their 1176's done up by em. i think bob weston used to work there.

i'd go for it or smell it out futher. some serious shit.

if you want to find out what it is - get the serial number and give em a call. see if they let you know. they do all sorts of stuff. kinda a top end place.

www.alactronics.com

Later-
Mike

[djimbe]

I just wanna know if the thing is worth 100 bucks. Should I spring for it? My gut says yes but my tech says no!

Ask yourself what you are going to do with it. If you want to roll pristine master tapes to take to your local mastering engineer, you might wanna keep looking. It'll make a fine master tape if it's in top shape and kept that way, but for what machines are going for these days, you could likely find something at least as good for not much more. If you just want a 2 track to run a mix to prior to hitting a DAW or a Masterlink or something, then it's not too bad a machine. Also ask yourself how much you really wanna spend getting it ready. A head relap at JRF will be almost $300, an MRL will be $70, if an input card or the bias master is shot you'll have to find them on the 'bay (or from Takeout...), and if you want the super electronics mod, that's more money still.
I got both of my Scullys from the same guy at the same time for a "bargain" price. I put more into getting the 1/4" running than the pair cost initially. They work for what I want them to do, so I don't complain. I don't use them close to every week, let alone every day, so they're not wearing out/breaking on a regular basis, and when they do I'm not dead in the water. They're toys for me...cool ones, and ones I make use of in a variety of ways, but toys nonetheless. Do you have $100 you can blow on a toy, or do you need a real workhorse tool of a deck?

[tylerbcrawford]

Ask yourself what you are going to do with it. If you want to roll pristine master tapes to take to your local mastering engineer, you might wanna keep looking. It'll make a fine master tape if it's in top shape and kept that way, but for what machines are going for these days, you could likely find something at least as good for not much more.

What would you recommend for a tape deck?

[djimbe]

What would you recommend for a tape deck?

I'm not knowledgable enough on all the mastering type decks out there to give you a useful answer. Lotsa threads here to search on that topic, and answers from people who know way more than me on the subject. There's much better out there than the Scully 280b, that's for sure. Again, it depends on what you want a 2 track for. If you're just working for yourself and want to bounce to tape, then the Scully would be fine. I like the sound of mine, it does work, and pretty well. If you're running a full on studio, where the 2 track gets used constantly, then look for something more like an Ampex, or a Studer, one of the nicer Otari's or TASCAM's. More reliable, and easier to find some support for than an oddball like the Scully...