Teac 3340 to buy or not?

[thebeard]

Alright, I just left my local used gear shop and they had a Teac 3340 for $39.99. I avoided the impulse buy simple because I know nothing about reel to reels and I'm just about to spend quite a bit of money on something else. I come here for advice.

I purchased a yamaha mt100 II cassette recorder about a year ago to begin learning on and seeing this machine just sitting there all alone made me go, "maybe I'd like to move up" but then I realized I didn't really know if that would be moving up.

My questions are as follows.

Is this a good deal? It seems cheap to me but I don't think the guys there know much about pricing either, sometimes it's really high, sometimes it's really low. Plus there's the fact that it just might not sell in this town.

Is this a good machine to begin reel to reeling on? I realize that if I bought it I would then have to learn about calibration and maintinance, but you guys seem pretty helpful when it comes to that, and I really would like to learn this art at some point.

Would or could (depending on the shape it's in) this machine sound better than the cassette four track I already have? I'm a beginner so sound quality is still all relative to what I have now. I'm not trying to make the cleanest sounding recordings ever and my cassette recordings still sound pretty good to me. I just don't want to buy it and then end up going back to the yamaha after a week.

The guy said that he thought it was in "cool" (his word) condition, but I'm not sure they checked it. What should I look for when I go back in?

Thanks, Sorry for all the questions but I am clueless.

Jesse

[philbo]

You need to take in a tape and play it on the machine, at least.

I have one that still works great, and I use it a lot as an outboard DAW effect (DAW->Rec Head->Play head->new DAW track).

I guarantee it'll sound better than a cassette if it works and is aligned yet.

[Chris_Meck]

if it works, yeah, it'll sound a whole lot better than any cassette-type four track.

IF.

If it doesn't, (and there are likely to be issues right out of the gate) get ready to learn way more tech stuff than you ever intended.

BUT, if you're patient, learn fast, and get some basic test equipment, it'll be a really good experience for you as a tape machine is a tape machine is a tape machine in a lot of ways...meaning that once you start to learn the theory and electronics maintenance you'll be able to transfer the theory to other machines further up the chain. (Lest anyone berate me here, I'm not saying they're all EXACTLY the same, just similar in concept)

You'll want to get a manual for sure; order one from Tascam, it'll be like $15. You'll want to get a voltage meter. You'll want to get an MRL tape. You'll probably want to get handy with a soldering iron as you're going to have to make some cables to go out of your board and end in RCA plugs to go into the machine. (maybe you can scrounge up a patchbay that has RCA's.

All in all, for that cheap, if it fires up and will play a tape, yeah, I'd get it in a heartbeat-but be ready to invest some cash in maintenance equipment and some time in learning to use it.

Chris

[the brill bedroom]

Some of the most fun I've ever had recording was ona Teac reel to reel 4 track. If it works, I think you'll have a great time with it.

[New Orleans Steve]

O.K.
I was going to say -No Way.

This machene is going to be a Lifestyle. Parts??? Reel Pro Service???

BUT If you are prepared and can get the documentation - the right docs. there were several versions of most TEAC TASCAM units, each with different manuals.

Then I saw the price. at 40 bucks!! get it If it plays awsome, If it works reasonably you are in.

Even if it dose not work, You got a parts deck.

Keep in mind, even like a real hub is going to be $50. No official parts -IF you can get them will come cheap.

Steve

www.frenchmenstreetrecords.com

[thebeard]

Game over.

I went in today with the intent to buy. The main reason for not buying it yesterday was fear of death, my wife would kill me if I dragged another piece of gear in the house, even at that price. So this morning she gave me the OK. I went up there and poof, someone had already snatched it up. I still hope it was in great shape just so someone got a deal.

Thanks for the responce, eventually I'll get something a little more professional, I'm keeping my eyes open for future deals. I found out their return policy is 7 days so I've got very little to lose in the future other than my sanity.

Thanks again,

Jesse