We are one of the only facilities in the Pacific NorthWest that buys, sells and restores reel to reel tape decks. We have over 35 years experience working on these units, and have the tools and test equipment to properly align and bring these decks to life.
We use MRL calibration tapes, and are dealers for ATR and RTM tape. We work on everything from mono tube machines to 2" 24 track studio decks.
We stock many types of ATR and RTM tape from 7" reels to 2", in several formulations. We have about 250 decks in stock at all times.

This is the second of two decks we picked up recently in the Seattle area. This is the Tascam 42B, a later version of the Tascam 42, with some significant revisions that made the B model more desirable. The big change is that the entire audio section of the deck can be accessed through the removal of 4 screws, and the front panel flips down as shown in our images. This made bias and eq settings a lot easier to do. The 42B also offers mic/line mixing, with front panel adjustments. It is truly a pro recording deck, with 1/2 track heads and 7 1/2 and 15 IPS. The deck is set up for NAB equalisation, but with the changing of some jumper wires, the deck can be modified to IEC equalisation if preferred (we'll do that for you at no charge if you wish.

With both RCA and XLR inputs and outputs, and direct drive motors, the deck is designed to run 24/7 with no problems.

We did a quick check before buying the deck, and were pleased to see that this deck is super low hour, with minimal wear on the heads. While the deck hadn't been used in a few years, the only real problem with it was a gummy pinch roller, common with all Teac/Tascam decks, so we put on a new one from Terry's Rubber Rollers. We also added some padding on the limit brackets on the tension arms. The original felt/rubber had worn out, so we added new cork lining and heat shrink tubing to silence the 'CLUNK' as they hit the end of their limits.

Other than some control cleaning and level/bias/eq settings, the deck needed very little to get going. We set the deck for +3db and ATR Mastertape. We then test ran the deck for 12 hours to ensure long life.

Overall the deck is in excellent shape. We get 22Khz at 7 1/2 IPS, and around 25Khz at 15 IPS.. The deck is very close to a perfectly flat response, without having to spend the extra money for a Studer.

Whether you're bouncing tracks, or want to use the deck to play the audiophile high end reel to reel tapes, this is an excellent choice to do so. Cosmetically the deck has a bit of chipping paint on the deck front at the rack rails, and some razor marks around the splicing block. Thus, this deck is priced less than the other one we have listed here on Reverb. Sound-wise, the two decks are the same, the other one is just a little bit nicer when it comes to the cosmetics.

Included with the deck are a pair of Tascam NAB hubs, a new metal takeup reel, and a reel of our RTRTech tape.

The deck is too heavy to ship via USPS, and couriers will smash it. We will box up the deck, strap it to a pallet, and send it via truck. Pickup is at a local truck dock near you, and needs to be picked up within 48 hours, or storage charges apply. A residential delivery is also possible, but that will add $100-150 to the shipping price, and is not included in this listing. Shipments on the West Coast will be less than quoted, and we'll refund any excess upon shipping.

IMPORTANT: All of our items are located in Vancouver Canada, and will need to be customs cleared into the US. Our listed price includes all tariffs and customs broker charges (totalling just over 20%), however it is now mandatory to include an EIN (business number) or your SSN on the customs paperwork. No exceptions. This changed as of Aug 29, 2025 we didn't need it prior to the new regulations. Just google this for verification, every customs broker website has this new information on it now:

CBP requires documentation that includes shipment details, such as the identification of the ultimate consignee. An ultimate consignee is a person, party, or designee in the United States who will receive the shipment. The ultimate consignee is usually the buyer of the goods. CBP uses either a EIN or SSN, issued by the IRS, to identify the ultimate consignee:

Buyers in Canada see this as a domestic shipment, with no tax or duty.

• Employer Identification Number (EIN): Issued to business entities
• Social Security Number (SSN): Issued to individuals

Without an IRS number, CBP cannot identify the ultimate consignee and will not allow the shipment into the US.

We greatly value all of our clients in the US, Canada, and worldwide!