Best bet reel to reels for beginners (cheap but decent)

Mr. Labcoat

New Member
Hello,
Any recommendations on brands/models of reel to reels that I can be on the lookout for? I'd like to do some lo-fi recording of my garage band & want to do it on a consumer level reel to reel (or two).

Being able to overdub would be nice, but not a necessity.

There is a Sony Matic TC 105 for sale at the local flea mkt. for $50. I'm tempted to get that, but am wondering if there might be something better? I don't really have to have anything fancy. Simple yet solid is more what I'm looking for.

I'd like to get something that was made in the period 1962-1972. I'd like to keep the price range between $50 and $150.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
The TEAC A-4300 is also a nice deck that you might be able to get locally for $100 if you are lucky.

I normally recommend the Pioneer RT-701 or 707 to beginners, but getting one for $100 or less would require a LOT of luck.
 
You can buy a TEAC A-6010GSL for pretty cheap. It's built like a professional machine, same construction, just uses 7" reels. They are very reliable and sound great. You might have to replace the belt and clean and lube the pinch roller arm, but that's about it.
 
Check Craig's list for a Tascam 34 or 22-4, both have 7-1/2 + 15 speed and 4 channels.
Would work nice for recording a band. :)
 
I cut my teeth on a Sony tc-377. They are simple, reliable, perform well, are abundant, and they have those ferrite and ferrite heads.

I think one of those would be a great starter deck.
 
Since you've asked and this is just my opinion here but two brands/models that quickly come to mind are either one of the following:

Pioneer RT-707 (or RT-701)

OR

Teac A-4010S

Can't go wrong with either one. Easy to operate, both built very well. Plenty of parts still available and very easy to work on and plenty of help here at AK just in case you have questions that need to be answered? :scratch2:

P.S. and by the way welcome to AK!
 
Last edited:
Strictly my opinion, but I'd pick almost any TEAC (starting with the 1200 on up) over most Sonys.

For live recording, look for a 2340, 3340 or 3440.

For an all-around deck, the Pio 707 is a lot of folks' favorite.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
 
Thanks everyone, great info. here. I feel like I'm headed in the right direction.
My times been limited, but I've been making a list of your suggestions & looking for them on e-bay. I've found several there, reasonably priced.

The list so far:

Pioneer RT-701 or 707
"For an all-around deck, the Pio 707 is a lot of folks' favorite."

Sony tc-377

Tascam 34 or 22-4

TEAC: almost any TEAC (starting with the 1200 on up)
For live recording, look for a 2340, 3340 or 3440.
Teac A series common model like the A 2300.
TEAC A-4300
Teac A-4010S
TEAC A-601GS
 
I'd stay away from the Sony 377 - or any similar lever-operated single motor machine. Acceptable for home use, but a PITA for live recording. Stick to solenoid-operated multi-motor units if you can.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
 
You forgot cost of tape, which will quickly exceed your budget for deck itself. If you want to record anything stick to digital. Any Korg, Tascam etc. memory card recorder from $200 and up will work was better than any real tape machine.
 
You forgot cost of tape, which will quickly exceed your budget for deck itself. If you want to record anything stick to digital. Any Korg, Tascam etc. memory card recorder from $200 and up will work was better than any real tape machine.

Yikes, I did sort of forget about that.
Looking quickly, I see a 7" reel gives 32 minutes per side at 7.5 ips, and 16 mintutes per side at 15 ips. Also, I see a 7 inch reel of new tape for sale at $27. Does that sound about right?
Can you record over a tape one or more times without losing too much quality?

I won't really be doing a tremendous amount of recording. I'd be happy to record just 5 or 6 songs a year. So hopefully tape cost won't be too prohibitive. I could see where it could get out of hand, though.
 
You get about 48 minutes per side from a 7" reel at 7.5 ips that has 1800' tape. No problem using 1800' tape. Longer tapes can be a bit of an issue.

If you have a bulk tape eraser, you can erase and record over reel tape many, many times with no loss of quality. You cannot, however, typically rely on the erase head of a tape deck to completely erase the prior recording. So a bulk eraser is mandatory. Also important if you want to save money and buy used tape. The handheld erasers can typically be had pretty cheap, though.
 
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I infer from your posts that you do not have any technical /repair/electronics experience with this sort of consumer electronics. That wasn't supposed to be any kind of put down, it just influences the advice one can give.

Most if not all decks in your price range and date period will require fairly extensive work to get working reliably. You have to spend some considerable time learning about doing repairs, and take a few risks and possibly make expensive mistakes along the way, just like 99 percent of techs. If you don't have the time or inclination to do so, you then have one other choice:
Unless you know someone like a friend who can carry out this work, be prepared to spend a fair amount of money on repairs. This can soon take the joy out of a 'bargain' deck. Although analogue recording is no longer mainstream, do not let that fool you into believing this is a cheap hobby - it isn't.

I rebuilt a Sony from the period you describe not so long back. A single motor lever operated type recommended by at least one poster above. That required hitherto untold levels of disassembly to get at the hard grease on the linkages, a few hours cleaning it all, a slow reassembly and I didn't even mention sourcing of drive parts. Then I started on the electronics! What I'm saying is that this is not for the novice.

On the subject of parts, Revox and Studer aere probably the easiest to get (in a relative sense) as they were so widely used in studios and semi pro applications. Bear that in mind, tho' it's out of your initial budget.

To sum up, you want to be looking at restored units or at least something you can try before buying, and be prepared to make occasional investments on maintenance. Note I say investments, as this is a great hobby and these things come with the territory to keep you enjoying your equipment! But remember this is a whole other world from today's recording tech.
HTH
 
What's your location? You might be near an AK'er who can help you (or at least within a sane shipping distance of one).
 
You can buy good used tapes on E-Bay for around $5 each for a 7" reel. Scotch 207 is an excellent choice. Maxell tapes are about the best you can get and may be more money. Scotch 207 is older but records just as well as Maxell. Ampex 641 is a very good low noise high output tape that you can get for budget prices. Ampex 641 and 631 are the only Ampex tapes that don't have sticky shed syndrome, where the binding has decomposed and the tape sticks to the heads and guides, leaving a gooey residue that is hard to remove.
 
Back
Top Bottom