reel to reel

Boognish · March 01, 2010, 05:53:32 PM

anyone ever used a 4-track reel-to-reel recorder? I just got one at a thrift store, and I hope I can use it and make it worth the $25 I spent on it. If anyone has any tips or just general input, that would be grrrreat.

Thanks...

AB

launched · March 01, 2010, 08:57:22 PM

Dude, I've never owned one, but reel to reels are killer for the original flanging effect. From what I read, you lightly press the palm of your hand on the spool flange where the tape is coming out - It doesn't take much pressure at all.

It would be perfect for drums or a light airy guitar flange. If you listen to the tune Stage III from the Kyuss Wretch album you can get the idea of what you can do. The effect is all over the place, but from 2:12 on it gets wild in places.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOqwvoizg0Q

I'm sure there are other things you can do with a reel to reel - I wish I had it, lucky devil!!

Migs · March 01, 2010, 10:51:18 PM

very oldskool

Which reminds me ... I was rummaging through some old stuff in the garage at my mother's place on the weekend and found a casette that I really want to listen to. I got it home, only to realise that I no longer own a tape deck. Next weekend I am going to wander around some garage sales and get me a sony walkman.

Oldrottenhead · March 02, 2010, 04:23:30 AM

hi boogy, i used to get access to a reel to reel in days long gone. but the guy who owned it would set it up for me. i was a similar process to record on once it was set up. but effects pedals etc where not built in so they had to be plugged in, i recall wires going everywhere but the resulting recordings where good.

i'm sure 64guitars or someone will point you in the right direction. like migs i have lots of old cassettes with nothing to play them on. i need to hit a car boot sale methinks.

Boognish · March 02, 2010, 04:50:17 AM

thanks guys... as of now i have no tape, but my pack-rat dad has a bunch of old ones (he never throws anything away) and i will get them soon... so the recording will begin shortly!

Torren61 · March 02, 2010, 04:54:48 AM

If it's a tube based reel-to-reel you have a potentially very cool low-watt stereo guitar amplifier. My guess is that the tubes would be EL84 tubes. I recently traded a Roberts reel-to-reel that was stereo tube based for the labor to build my custom guitar amp. I gave $5 for the Roberts.

OsCKilO · March 02, 2010, 06:54:40 AM

I can't wait to see what You come up With!!!!!

Greeny · March 02, 2010, 09:00:34 AM

Never tried a reel to reel, but I'm hoping you can wring some cool retro analogue magic out of it. That's an inspired buy!

64Guitars · March 02, 2010, 10:22:59 PM

I still have my Sony TC-377 which I bought in the early '70s.

It records 4 tracks, but not in the same direction. When you say you got a 4-track reel-to-reel recorder, do you mean something like the TEAC 2340 which records all four tracks in the same direction and allows you to monitor previously-recorded tracks while recording new ones? What's the make and model of your recorder?