Tascam 38 Reel to Reel Recorder Restoration (Part 1) 

WELL DONE on the video man! Just finished up with my Tascam 38. Someone hastily installed the channel card brace at the factory (Since this was the first time we ever opened it up) and discovered hairline fractures through one of the channel cards where we had intermittent metering. Discovered a fracture across 3 traces where the brace goes into the notch. Little solder up and fixed. Continued to remove main interconnect board (NOT FUN!) and re-solder about 600 points with professional soldering station. Just hooked it up and WOW! What a machine indeed!! Works LIKE NEW! If you have intermittent / non-working channels I strongly suggest checking all channel cards at the "notch" area on the top edge. If you hold the boards up to a bright light, you can see the cracks across traces. The bottom interconnect board is VERY DIFFICULT to remove and reinstall, but with careful labeling and position indexing, it is possible.

I really liked your editing and love watching someone figure things out on old R2Rs. I’ve restored several 30s series of Tascams R2R recorders. I just did a 34B where half of the machine’s guts were missing. One huge tip for the OP if he does another, or anyone else for that matter, but when replacing belts on these or working with the capstan or headstock, lay the machine on its back. Remove the four screws and put the flywheel off to the upper left by the left motor table. This way, you are not fighting gravity so much. This also helps when putting back the Teflon washers on all rollers and them appropriately seating. After removing the faceplate, with the machine on its back, I can have the belt replaced (as long as it’s not goo) within minutes. Also, to remove the flywheel, if you look inside of it three holes on the flywheel, there are three screws you can remove. This allows the whole assembly to come out, allowing you to pull the flywheel easy with a pliers. You could also just remove the flywheel itself by losing the set screws on the shaft and using a puller. I was amazed to see the plastic buttons survive the Acetone bath, but you also mentioned isopropyl and water being in the bath? I use Acetone on plastic, outside of an ultrasonic cleaner, things start to melt. Good video throughout. Loved watching it.

I had to do exactly the same as yourself back in 2018... and felt bad when I realised that I should have made a video! Well done... had the same problem of the belt disintegrating into liquid tar, coating lots of parts... such a joy. A few days cleaning it up, a new belt, and it was working great. Fab machine.

Wonderful. I wish I knew electronics and this kind of repair.

Careful with Ampex 456... sticky shed contender # 1☝️

This is an excellent machine, very good and sophisticated mechanically and electronically, I have been very attentive to the entire repair and you have done a wonderful job, now, about TASCAM, why in 1/2" does this brand use a pulley to drive the steering wheel? I cannot understand this, the belts are good in the sense that they transmit less vibrations to the shaft and the tape, but it is a totally unnecessary added factory problem when the correct thing is to mount the shaft in the same motor and you eliminate parts and risks of disasters. Very good video.

This is really useful, thank you! I’m recommissioning my Tascam 58, which has XLR ins & outs and I’m sure they have a lot in common, so this will be very helpful. 🙂

that belt costs $13- i got a Tascam 388 last summer for $35 and it had the same molten drive belt. but my pinch roller was fine....i love this thing

Hi DV, these are great videos, I’ve learned a lot from them. I’ve just bought Tascam 48 which needs a little work but I’m looking forward to the project. Keep the vids coming please.

what do you use to lubricate the parts? what do you use to lubricate the motors specifically?

My tascam 38 heve problem, can you help me. When play tape speed too fast. But when i push variable speed so tape speed normal.

"That is a f****** molten mass of belt", classic.

Hello great video, I have recently aquired a 38 and have a problem with its tape guides being worn. Is it possible to rotate the two guides right below the middle record head? Or would they have to be replaced?

Hi there, appreciate the video. Would you mind sharing what kind of oil did used to lubricate the metal parts and what kind of abrasive paste you used on the capstan spindle?

Greetings, I am looking for the diagram of the Presto PB17F, maybe you can help me. If you know anything about this let me know, I will appreciate it.

Good mashine but the stiff pole strips the tape back turing ones save tape's back

I finally got one of these gems, FWD & RWD work but it drags in Play. Any suggestions?

THANK YOU

Great video buddy, I’m having the same issues with my unit. Where do you get parts from?

hi i gave worked on 8 decks i have fix up tascam 34 38 they are tanks dry solder points on the audio motherboard jumpers links dry up this can run at 7 1/2 there was 4 model made i am still a big fan of the 38

I have 2 TEAC 80-8's. Trying to decide whether or not to restore

Intristing !

hi to all out there i just done w0rking on 6 tascam 38 i have beware of dry solder on the rec button a ground runs in and out button one and the the led's will not come on if there dry solder on record button 1 i have 9 tascam 1/2 decks i pick up over the years my brother has helped me on the money side it's better to print of the parts you are working on as it save your eyes as my eyes are getting old tascam 30 line deck are ace parts are easy to get hold of beware tascam 44 80-8 are very heavy decks i love the 44 very hard to get hold of

Great work! Nice machine, I find it odd to place the fuse bank where they did. In the future I have a Sony R2R to work on, never worked on one before. ~Jack, VEG

Thank you for the video! I’m currently working on one of these and I’m not sure if the tape guide on the right is supposed to spin or not? either it’s not designed to spin or mine is completely locked up, I’m not sure. Any help would be awesome

Hi and thanks for the video:-) Where do recommend ordering belts from?

hi to all don't forget the rubber sparer in side the fry wheel and the power rails to the 15- 15+ to the audio mum board be carefull when doing this had 23- 23+ killed all the audio cards i know the 38 models very well in the EU EXPORT one i had it of 19 years about did don't know till smoke came out of the power rail regs and caps i order new work around parts + - power 3 amp regs no need fof the old set up new set up works alot better

I always wear work gloves when performing electronic repairs

Very nicely done ! Would you mind working on my beaten down 38 ? Jokes aside, how much do you think a revision like this would cost ?

to all TASCAM 38 fans why R803 1.5K RES always burning out i have checked for bad things i re solded the audio mum pcb just in case i have 6 tascam with the same thing going bad all the time i put the same part in again