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.This specific unit seems have had very low mileage. There was very little dust/grime on the outside or inside. The motor is purring along quietly. All the the transport switches respond with very little pressure. The input select slide switches were still very shiny and had no crackling or cutting out. So this unit has not had any parts replaced. Aside from a small blemish on the back, this unit looks brand new. The see-through plastic cassette door and VU meters have no perceivable scratches. The tape heads look super shiny like they are like new condition.Lastly, it also includes the original power supply.Repairs:These were need to bring the item back to functioning condition, before performing maintenance.• The power supply jack has had its solder reflowed, because it's a common point of failure.• It was thoroughly cleaned to make it look brand new.• No other repairs were needed.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 the correct contact cleaners.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 the original 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: G401Listing Date: 10/27/2026
Price$920
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