San Francisco, CA, United States
About this listing
We have completed servicing, calibrating, and testing this TASCAM 424 MKI. This is probably the most-sought after model. The only TASCAM 4-track with the extra lofi slow speed. And it is famous for the sound of preamps which have been recreated with guitar pedals. It has gone through our full cleaning and maintenance process and is ready for it's next owner.Repairs:These were need to bring the item back to functioning condition, before performing maintenance.• A broken trace on the power board was repaired bringing power back to the unit• Another broken solder joint was found near the headphone out that was causing only the right headphone out to work. It was repaired and now both left and right work.• Small repair with glue was made to the rec button where some of the plastic on the inside had broken off.• Additionally we proactively replaced the 4-input slide switches which are part of the signal flow and can often cause intermittent connection issues.• We also replaced all the transport button switches which often cause issues as well.• All input and output jacks have had their solder reflowed, and also been cleaned with contact cleaner.Maintenance: With many vintage 4-track recorders approaching 40 years of age, they need to be maintained to continue to work properly. First and foremost the rubber belts need to be replaced, but there are many other things that can keep the 4-track running well.• Clean and demagnetize tape heads• Replace belts with low wow/flutter belts• Oil capstan bearing with high quality German oil. It greatly improves wow/flutter• Clean all input and output jacks with Deoxit on a cue tip. No messy spraying.• Clean all potentiometers and faders with contact cleaner• Check for and fix broken or weak solder joints. It is common for 1/4" input jacks, RCA jacks, and power jacks to have their solder crack from strain. We check for this and fix it when needed.• A common issue with TASCAM 414’s and 424’s is the INPUT and record-select slide switches become dirty and do not work properly. When this happens, the signal can cut in out and out in playback or recording. We make it a point to disassemble the mixer and thoroughly clean these switches multiple times with contact cleaner, and then Deoxit concentrate before reassembly.Calibration:Aside from calibrating the tape speed which is required after changing belts, often the rest of the calibrations are fine from the factory, but we check them and make tweaks when necessary.• Calibrate tape speed(s)• Check/calibrate the Azimuth• Check/calibrate the playback level for even playback• Check/calibrate the record level for even recordingCleaning:We also take pride in restoring the cosmetic condition of the units we work on. Note that in some cases there are stubborn marks that we leave. Rather than scrub them away with a harsh cleaner which can damage the original finish or patina and leave the unit looking spotty.• All knob and fader caps were cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner.• In some cases when the faceplate is removed we clean it in the sink with soap and water and dry it completely before reassembly.Quality Assurance:
We also do a thorough QA of all our units. This process includes hooking the unit up to a vintage Hammond drum machine, Nord organ, and various other gear. We then record music on all 4 channels, and test all the functionality that would be used when recording music. It only gets listed once it has been tested this way. If any issues are found, we fix the issues before listing. This ensures that the unit is functioning as it should without a doubt! Other notes:• It comes with a new power supply and bulk-erased vintage tape. Vintage tapes are the best in our experience.• Free USPS ground shipping. Will usually ship same day.We also have other machines for sale. Check out our Reverb Store: https://reverb.com/shop/functional-tech-sfNeed your 4-track serviced? Reach out to us via direct message or our website for availability and rates. We are located in San Francisco, CA. See our website functional.fyi for more info.Internal Id: G364Listing Date: 9/23/2026
Price$900
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from San Francisco, CA
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