Last One! Tascam 388 Studio 8 in KC/Midwest area

*Gear*ed towards individuals who are buying/selling - NOT a place for businesses to post their goods for sale.

Moderators: TapeOpLarry, tomb

Post Reply
kslight
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2968
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:40 pm

Last One! Tascam 388 Studio 8 in KC/Midwest area

Post by kslight » Sat Jul 02, 2016 12:08 pm

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Classic analog recorder popular with breakthrough "homebrew" albums from groups like Primus, Beck, The Beastie Boys, and The Black Keys, its famous for providing a cool sound that is somewhere between your 4 track cassettes and a big studio tape deck. If you love the way The White Stripes/Third Man Records/etc sound this unit is a cheap way to get you there. Unlike most reel to reels, this one has a completely self contained mixer (just like your portastudio, but bigger) so there's not a mess of wiring and patch bays just to make a sound, and you have 8 tracks to record to simultaneously if you wish. You can also easily "bounce" and "ping pong" tracks around to squeeze more takes in. Unlike most multitrack reel to reels, this unit uses 1/4" tape at 7.5ips, which you can still buy brand new for like $30, and that gives you 40 minutes of record time...and it can be erased and re-used if you are thrifty... Built in dbx noise reduction keeps the tape hiss down (which is fully optional, if you embrace the noise like me, you don't have to use it and you get a little punchier tone). Also very easy to transfer your tracks into your computer if you want, or your finished mix if you are really committed...

Anyway, I assume if you're looking you know what you are looking at...its a pretty popular deck from 30 years ago, Google will tell you anything you need to know.

I have owned this machine for probably 2-3 years. I bought it with the intention of using it as a "parts" machine because at the time I had 2 other machines. It is in "rougher" shape than the other two, you will note that there are a few burnt out VU meter bulbs, one cracked VU meter plastic, and some other cosmetic blemishes throughout. It is also missing some of the screws. However, it fully works and is 100% complete (minus the missing screws!). I just today put a brand new capstan belt on it (after 30 years they get stretched out and eventually break). I have had this unit in my smoke free home studio the entire time I've owned it, and have only used it a couple times (because I had the other 2 machines). This one would make a great spare machine if you've already got a 388, but it would also make a perfectly serviceable main machine as well as be a good candidate for a light restore job to make it perfect if the lights/lack of screws bug you.

I will give you one plastic take up reel and one reel of tape to get you started. I am willing to deliver within 20 miles of Grandview at no extra cost, but can arrange for longer distances (at your expense) as well as domestic freight shipping (also at your expense...expect to spend at least a few hundred bucks extra but it can be done!).

You are welcome and encouraged to test it out when you buy it, I will give you a quick run through of its operation if you are not familiar. This machine has given me no trouble for as long as I've owned it. However due to the nature of vintage electronics, please make sure it meets your satisfaction as I do not offer refunds.

I do not take Western Union, personal checks, or Nigerian loans. Cash is great, I just made some big purchases so I do not need any trades. Paypal okay if shipping.

***EMAILS WITHOUT PHONE NUMBERS WILL NOT GET ANSWERED, DO NOT ASK IF THIS "ITEM" IS STILL FOR SALE***

I am looking for $900. You will note that most units on fee-bay are listed for $1000+ as "turns on, looks ok, sold as-is" and working models are often advertised for quite a bit more. This one is fully tested and utilized in real world situations, by a professional musician, composer, and engineer. I have owned 3 of them total, I know my way around them and love them, however due to a change in my workload I am letting them go. This is the last one I have for sale.


I am not interested in trades...
Last edited by kslight on Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

kslight
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2968
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:40 pm

Post by kslight » Fri Jul 08, 2016 5:40 am

The 388 in the photograph has sold, however there is a cash-short part of me that could be talked in to selling my fully working and complete but somewhat rough "parts machine" ($900) and my low miles, barely used near mint machine that I was planning to use for my new personal machine ($1600.). I'm a little hesitant to sell so I probably won't actively try to push either machine or post photos unless there is serious buyer interest...they are available but if I give myself too much time with them I may well keep them.

User avatar
markjazzbassist
tinnitus
Posts: 1050
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:33 am
Location: Cleveland

Post by markjazzbassist » Fri Jul 08, 2016 6:56 am

random question, what are you using now instead of the 388?

kslight
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2968
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:40 pm

Post by kslight » Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:27 am

markjazzbassist wrote:random question, what are you using now instead of the 388?
It's not that I'm using anything instead, I literally took the near mint 388 back to my studio from its long stay in Iowa a few weeks ago and got it going again, then put my former "every day" 388 on the market to see if anyone locally wanted it, and I got a lot of people actually.

I have the near mint one that is ready to be put 3 feet higher where the other one sat, so I can hook it into the patch bay and such. But I've been swamped for the last year working on a film and that's now done, now I've been mixing a record that's been in development even longer but was deferred for the film, starting another record, and I'm waiting to start on a video game and another film...so as you can guess, the 388 and my other tape machines (688, 238, 38) I can't see needing for the immediate future. I've still got my trusty computer that I do most work on anyway. There's definitely projects I would like to do on the 388, but then again it's a matter of projecting my schedule for the next couple years and wondering how important it is, despite my obsession with these machines.

kslight
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2968
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:40 pm

Post by kslight » Sat Jul 09, 2016 6:59 pm

Welp, I sold the near mint now I'm just down to the rough one. What's this world coming to?

kslight
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2968
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:40 pm

Post by kslight » Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:51 pm

Last one! These pics are of the actual unit for sale!

j.harv
gettin' sounds
Posts: 119
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 7:47 am
Location: Cambridge,Ont,Canada

Post by j.harv » Wed Jul 27, 2016 3:48 pm

Oh man! Future regrets might be coming your way. ;)

I have a spare under my bed that works just fine. I was thinking about selling it. But I won't let myself.

kslight
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2968
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:40 pm

Post by kslight » Thu Jul 28, 2016 5:45 am

j.harv wrote:Oh man! Future regrets might be coming your way. ;)

I have a spare under my bed that works just fine. I was thinking about selling it. But I won't let myself.
No doubt! My motivation to sell this last one is running pretty low, I've got a big stack of reels and just put a new belt in, I cleaned it up as good as it gets... but haven't been trying too hard to sell it. Who needs money anyway...?

There is maybe some distinct irony, that I turned one of my 388s into a new old 12 core Mac Pro...

User avatar
markjazzbassist
tinnitus
Posts: 1050
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:33 am
Location: Cleveland

Re: Last One! Tascam 388 Studio 8 in KC/Midwest area

Post by markjazzbassist » Wed Aug 30, 2017 7:53 pm

you still have one for sale? i'm in the market again. i'm in cleveland ohio so not terribly far away i guess.

kslight
mixes from purgatory
Posts: 2968
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:40 pm

Re: Last One! Tascam 388 Studio 8 in KC/Midwest area

Post by kslight » Thu Aug 31, 2017 10:03 am

Been sold sorry.

Ironically, I bought another one a few months ago and it's costing a small fortune to be restored. Lol.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 39 guests