Lmst

I have a Tascam 424mkIII multitrack cassette recorder going out for sale to my e-mail list at 6 PM Central! (If you're in the market for a 4-track and you're not already on the list, I encourage you to join at https://recdel.com/list .) #recdel #4track

A top-down view of a blue Tascam 424mkIII multitrack cassette recorder, sitting on a blank, off-white surface.

@potterybyosa I really like that alligator!

@voiceofunreason @potterybyosa I KJed at II for a year or two before it closed, then at the one on Sandy for a bit, meanwhile KJing at III for that entire 7-year duration, until they closed in March 2018.

I have maybe been to karaoke once or twice since then. Dealing with those crowds — the song choice repetition, the rudeness — totally soured it for me. Ah well.

I still have extremely fond memories of early days karaoke, though, especially at the Paragon, and later at Baby Ketten.

@voiceofunreason @potterybyosa Wow — hey Nate! That's definitely the Alibi, based on the look of the booth, the mirror walls, and one of the lamps to the upper left of me. These are cool to see!

As is common with the Tascam 424mkII, there was a very minor crack extending outward from one of the PCB screw holes — in this case it prevented tracks 2 & 3 from recording/playing back consistently. I probed the broken signal paths and installed four jumper wires to correct the problem. #recdel

A close-up of the underside of the R/P PCB of a Tascam 424mkII multitrack cassette recorder, where four jumper wires (red, white, blue and yellow) have been installed to bridge a crack. The location of the crack has been noted with a line from a Sharpie marker.

On the rear of a Tascam 424mkII multitrack cassette recorder is a silver foil sticker for a now-defunct repair shop, Express Music in Spartanburg, SC, where this machine was likely worked on back in the day.

Exciting news for Huntsville punk rockers of a certain age — and the vegan pizza is just a bonus: https://www.al.com/life/2025/04/legendary-alabama-music-bars-long-planned-reboot-has-new-life.html

Marantz didn't make it easy to reach the PMD 740's headphone jacks! These two had broken solder joints, so I had to partially remove a number of layers of PCBs to reach and reflow them. Also, check out the straight-up *mud* that I cleaned out of the faders! #recdel

A view from underneath the R/P PCB of the Marantz PMD 740 multitrack cassette recorder. The PCB, which is bright green, is being partially propped up by a black Maxell cassette tape standing on its side.

A disassembled slide potentiometer fader taken out of a Marantz PMD 740 multitrack cassette recorder for cleaning. The residue and debris that had built up on the track and in the wipers of this fader almost has the consistency of mud.

A close-up view of a disassembled slide potentiometer fader, taken out of a Marantz PMD 740 multitrack cassette recorder for cleaning. The residue and debris that had built up on the track and in the wipers of this fader almost has the consistency of mud.

Abolish ICE.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/05/i-was-a-british-tourist-trying-to-leave-america-then-i-was-detained-shackled-and-sent-to-an-immigration-detention-centre?CMP=share_btn_url

Replaced the broken Clutch Assembly in a Marantz PMD 720. (Left is the old one, right is the new one.) Play didn't work when it arrived, now it does! Also cleaned up some evidence of a previous insect infestation. This machine just needs cleaning and testing before returning to the client. #recdel

On top of a clear ESD plastic bag sits two Clutch Assembly parts which go in Marantz PMD 720 and PMD 740 multitrack cassette recorders. The assembly on the left is missing its spring and bushing; the one on the right is complete.

The removed VU meters from a Marantz PMD 720 multitrack cassette recorder. (The machine itself can be seen in the background.) The metal bar behind the meters has a bunch of debris and residue left over from a insects having previously lived in the machine.

We spent a number of hours today A/B testing a handful of Library of Congress C-1 machines, swapping parts/tires in and out. The goal: to deduce why some have sluggish FF/RW yet others don't. Getting to the bottom of it! Next we'll swap in a NOS capstan motor to gauge improvement. #recdel

Two yellow Library of Congress C-1 cassette players rest on a white table, face down, with their back covers removed. This has exposed various internal PCBs, the motor and the rear of the cassette mechanism, with belts and pulleys visible.

Replacing the capstan motor in a client's Tascam 424mkIII, I noticed the motor wiggling due to hardened rubber grommets. Replaced 'em with still-flexible ones from another machine. Next I'll be 🕵️‍♀️-ing around McMaster-Carr, hoping to stock future replacements. #recdel

An EG-530KD-2B capstan motor, freshly removed from a Tascam 424mkII multitrack cassette recorder, sits on its back on top of a plastic bag, which itself is on top of a Tascam Porta05 machine. There are three black rubber vibration grommets resting on top of it.

@benoitpelletier Thanks for the follow! Just added you to the list.

Got a working record/playback head transplanted into this Tascam 464. Track 1's record level needed slight adjustment after that, but then all tracks were recording at an equal volume. Satisfying to finally get this machine to the 🏁 line. #recdel

A close-up of a record/playback tape head before it was installed in a Tascam 464 multitrack cassette recorder. The head sits on top of a plastic bag, which itself rests on the LCD screen of the 464 unit.

A Tascam 464 multitrack cassette recorder sits on a black rubber workshop floor, with cassettes and cables nearby.

A view from the underside of the erase and record/playback heads, from the tape mechanism of a Tascam 464 multitrack cassette recorder.

Machine #3 was the one from yesterday with fused pinch roller. That one's tested, boxed and ready to return to Brooklyn. Whew!

Close-up of knob caps an buttons in the Monitor section of an Akai MG614 multitrack cassette recorder.

Close-up of some input and output jacks on the top rear of an Akai MG614 multitrack cassette recorder. Some RCA jacks are plugged into the Monitor Out jacks.

Machine #2 had speed issues. Turned out the wires to the head were pinched, not allowing it to make good contact. Fixed now!

More progress today on a trio of Akai MG614 units. Machine #1 had a broken, unfixable door, so I drilled a hole and bent a paperclip into place — see pics! — allowing a spring to attach and the Eject function to work despite the broken plastic. (Details about the other two in the comments). #recdel

A paperclip is bent through and around a Slide Eject black plastic part which has been removed from the tape mechanism of an Akai MG614 multitrack cassette recorder. A gloved hand is holding the part in front of a yellow wall.

A close-up, shadowy side view of the tape mechanism from an Akai MG614. A spring grips the newly installed paperclip attached to the (unseen in his photo) Slide Eject plastic.

A Sunday night with some Akai MG614s. One had its pinch roller arm fused to the shaft by hardened lubricant, which is always a workout to get loose! Thankfully that's done and now I'm addressing idler tire issues on one and a cassette-loading problem on the other. #recdel

Two tape mechanisms from Akai MG614 multitrack cassette recorders have been removed from their respective machines and rest on the floor alongside a cassette tape, some pliers and two screwdrivers. One of the mechanisms is missing its door.

A close-up of the tape mechanism from an Akai MG614 multitrack cassette recorder, with a cassette tape in the background. The reels and idler tire of the mechanism are visible.

The exposed control PCB and part of the frame of an Akai MG614 multitrack cassette recorder is visible due to the faceplate having been removed.

Dealing with a Tascam 464 with low record levels on tracks 3 & 4. After swapping wires around and ruling out all other components, I've determined the record/playback head itself has some kind of internal problem. Bummer! Next step is to source a replacement head from a parts machine. #recdel

The upper side of the tape mechanism in a Tascam 464 multitrack cassette machine, as viewed from below the heads. The wires connecting to the erase head and record/playback head are visible, as well as the reels, idler tire and pinch roller assembly.

Boxing this Tascam 424mkIII for its return to Pennsylvania. It arrived with broken solder joints on the RCA jacks, plus lifted solder pads on channel 1's Trim pot, causing low input volume. Fixed these, installed new rubber parts & tactile switches, calibrated and tested. 💯 #recdel

A very clean Tascam 424mkIII multitrack cassette recorder sits atop a brown, pre-used cardboard shipping box on a white linoleum floor.

@sitenonsite Wow, I love the design of those covers, especially the one on the right!

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