Recording to REAL REEL tape - who's down?
4YearGraduate
2,945 Posts
Fam -
I have a bulk buy of really awesome Tascam 48; 1/2 inch 8 track machines that came from light use at the University of Iowa. It will be a pain in thesack but I am planning on putting in the tech work on them and restoring them to NOS level, completely calibrated for Mike Spitz' fantastic ATR tape. I live near Tascam US headquarters and it turns out they have parts warehoused for these fantastic machines. The thing is, I'm not sure how many young project recorders have the means to record to analog tape or the interest.
Just from a curiosity level - if you are currently recording on a laptop or computer, how many of you would be interested in learning how to record to tape? I mean, it's a commitment and it takes skill, knowledge and there is a risk associated with it, but the payoff is massive - especially for drums.
Anyone on the strut interested in a knowledge/user base for something like this or am i in the wrong jacuzzi?
And no, this isn't a sale listing, anything from this stock would not be available for a while...
I have a bulk buy of really awesome Tascam 48; 1/2 inch 8 track machines that came from light use at the University of Iowa. It will be a pain in thesack but I am planning on putting in the tech work on them and restoring them to NOS level, completely calibrated for Mike Spitz' fantastic ATR tape. I live near Tascam US headquarters and it turns out they have parts warehoused for these fantastic machines. The thing is, I'm not sure how many young project recorders have the means to record to analog tape or the interest.
Just from a curiosity level - if you are currently recording on a laptop or computer, how many of you would be interested in learning how to record to tape? I mean, it's a commitment and it takes skill, knowledge and there is a risk associated with it, but the payoff is massive - especially for drums.
Anyone on the strut interested in a knowledge/user base for something like this or am i in the wrong jacuzzi?
And no, this isn't a sale listing, anything from this stock would not be available for a while...
Comments
Also tried to start a forum for people to talk gear (aka Music, you All)... but it never took off.
i know you are not selling now but just to get an idea: how much should i expect to pay for a machine like this? further discussion can be taken to PM
Do I have the finances to actually do it? Sadly, no.
id love to pick up a 4 or 8 track reel to reel now.....hard to come by in my neck of the woods..
the joy of these machines, pro-sumer as they would have it, was that they were meant to be in a non-commercial studio. So, they weren't set up to be recalibrated for a gazillion types of tape that would walk through the door for studio customers. As such, they hold calibration really really well. Mike Spitz at ATR Magnetics is currently manufacturing brand new 1/2" tape which exceeds old tape in so many ways, from tensile strength to noise floor. Plus he is such a solid dude.
the problem wiht used tape machines is they are usually in really questionable condition head wise and i realized i am in a unique position here in LA because i have both parts and the ability to relap the heads at Sprague magnetics. So, even though the machines are working fine, I can actually bring them back to or better than they were the day they were sold for big$$$ for not that much $.
We are talking well under a g. It is just going to take dedication on the part of the recordist. I really want to see a younger generation get into this stuff and get passionate about it, not just stealing pro tools transfers of old reels.
In my "holy shit, I just hit the Powerball!" dreams, I have a full analog studio.
In reality, I have a one-bedroom apartment with an old Pro Tools rig.
But if I could get a good tape machine like what Thes is talking about... :shit_yeah: :bizzo:
well of course! I would choose the studer too. This machine doesn't weigh 800 pounds and have tranny's on every channel like an A-80 though either, an A-80 MKIV is probably one of the best soudning 2"/24's of all time.
Greg Wilson Interview (Part Two, November ???09)
http://www.headsdown.org/?p=495
you should get in touch with Greg. He is the king of reel to reel. http://www.gregwilson.co.uk/
edit: also check this
good skills to teach the youth, i'd like to learn how to edit tape properly.
hmm dj harvey = king, greg = the prince
GOAT = delia derbyshire
Hip-hop.
i just googled her
:next_level:
thanks!
even more incredibly, she retired when synthesisers came into play, saying that it was quote on quote "becoming all a bit too easy". so definitely a proto-strutter. salute to delia.
if you've not seen this youtube of her prepare to be face melted. the first beatmatching dj was... a woman!
the radiophonic workshop is essentially what made me get one of these badboys, heaven on earth for me. i experiment alot with tape in my studio, but the times ive tried reel2reel tape the result has always been a lil bit too smooth (late 70s, studio slick) not enough gangsta (60s, 80s hiphop tapes crunch, d.i.y.). but im mos def down to learn more about this. ive only scratched the surface so far.
This machine right here is like the Cadillac of 1/4 tape machines. Kamal told me that Low End Theory was demoed on it, and I know most of "In The Air Tonight" was recorded using it. It was made at the height of 4-track technology, right before the onset of new digital mediums like ADAT, DAT, etc. Currently they are extremely affordable and fly under the radar, but I can predict that these joints will soar in popularity and sink in availability when folks see how incredible a machine this really is. I really can't emphasize enough how sympathetic and reliable this recorder can be, especially when coupled with an MPC, some hot outboard gear, and a few high-end mics. It behaves very much like an open reel machine, sans the headaches of calibration and maintenance.
I got rid of the KB because it's ultimately pretty useless.
More recently I was in the market for a 4-track tape machine and I ended up settling on the Tascam 464, mainly because it syncs directly to Midi. But man, I would probably trade it for this one if pressed.
Nice. I'm always open to cassette machines that bring a HUGE sound. Reel to Reels are such a bitch to thread and maintain. Cassettes add a level of convenience that I am happier with.
thanks for sharing, i want this.
Gabe Roth, and Miles motivated me to record myself. So, I've recently taught myself how to use Tape for my album. I recorded my whole album on a Tascam 388, all my edits done digitally. Looking back I can't imagine doing all the edits I did with tape alone.
I'd like to see what prices you're asking. I'm building a new studio space, and I honestly can't wait to dive into more tape. I need to get into something bigger and badder then what I'm on now.
I was just reading up on your custom built Console. Sounds like a beast THES. Would love to come check out your setup someday brotha.
- spidey
- Spidey