Re-purposed Fusion-completed

[Jokeyman123]

Was waiting for brass finish wood screws and grommets. I also decided and I got lucky-to install a mod/pitch wheel if I could find one that matched the original 4-pin Studiologic although i could find the exact Studiologic part. Since most of these assemblies have secondary boards and/or 6 wires and pins, it was almost impossible to find something that might work, but at Syntaur parts, I found a 4-pin assembly from a Hammond/Suzuki XB-2, and it worked! And did I get lucky finding this Studiologic controller IC board-trying to find another one as a spare-nowhere to be found. The force must have been with me, that I found this one. I was wrong about the imbalance issue, it is still there but with my mods, it is definitely improved. I lost one of the buttons, had to make a crude copy, still need to repaint it. One of the nice things about creating my own custom cabinet-if I need to replace or repair keys-a few screws off the top panel and I have complete access to the IC board and mechanism. and jesse-notice my fully restored TEAC 3340 is now next to this-ran out of space in the main music room.

custom piano edit.JPG (103.33 KiB) Viewed 430 times

custom piano 2 edit.JPG (119.59 KiB) Viewed 430 times

[parametric]

Looks like a nice job their Joe . . . .. very classy-looking.

The TEAC is 4 channel symalsync isn't it?

I was looking at R to R the other day - seems its making a comeback of sorts . . .

There are some NEW machines appearing if you've got ~£20k

I have 3 Revoxes, an A77 1/4 track 3-3/4 and 7.5 ips
an A77 HS 1/2track 7.5 and 15 ips
a B77 1/2 track 7.5 and 15 ips

The 1/4 track one is the most use to me so I propose to get it blueprinted back to scratch . . .

I have a guy over here who fixes Revoxes and I shall offer him the other two machines (+cash if required)

to do the job . . . .

I DID have a large digitising job on - I did six 10.5" spools for free, but there were another 50 or so to do

and no money coming - so that was it . . .

They are fine machines, but I don't need the other two really . . . .

Chris

[Jokeyman123]

Hi Chris, yes this the 4-track simul-sync-I could only find one technician in the US that specializes in these-who restored one of the recording channnels, -calibrated the bias frequencies and got the fast forward and rewind motors restored-were a little slow to brake.

I am trying out some recording with this again after many years although I've kept it in excellent condition and have several 10" reels from back then. I sold a few reels years ago-this was one of the earlier 3340's when these first came to the public-I bought this from a studio that had a few of the first. T

The Revox models-were very coveted, I think the Beatles had at least one in their studio. I remember, these were even more costly than mine-which at the time the TEAC was at the top of my (young, poor) musician's budget! I am pretty surprised how well tape fidelity holds up compared to my newer digital decks. But then revisiting many of my original vinyl LP's recently was another pleasant surprise, except for the many pops and clicks from old age-although i always used good cartridges, styli and turntables-not transcription quality only consumer grade but even my original Led Zeppelin vinyl (first album) sounded pretty amazing after all these years. I still like the old hardware machines, I guess why I like the Fusion's design which is pretty unique-I tired of big black box machines, especially after owning equipment like this TEAC. Something very "organic" about working with these types of older machines that is lost with computer software and computers, at least to me. If i were under time constraints for commercial work, I know what that is like and whatever needs quick work, I obviously see the benefits of the newest tech and have used it, but still there is something very appealing about hands-on stuff, although fact that I can carry around a smartphone loaded with a thousand mp3's is pretty impressive. I have for example-the complete collection of 1) Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, he made ana stounding number of albums 2) the complete collection of every album Gene Krupa ever recorded (I am a huge fan and studied his technique as a kid) plus almost every 50s-60s-70-80-s-90's music I collected since mp3's existed., including a huge collection of jazz, blues, bluegrass and country from the 1930's and up, from Fats Waller to Keith Jarrett-Jarrett also has a formidable catalog of jazz standards to his more "esoteric" works.As did Bill Evans, another favorite of mine.

I won't live long enough to listen to it all!, but I'm trying!

The heads on this TEAC have relatively low wear-I did not record much over the years, only a few local bands-onsite this is very heavy to carry., so now it stays mostly home, like me!

[parametric]

Yeah - I lusted after the TEAC - there was one in the UNI in the Civil Engineering Dept (why????)

But, of course, its MONEY again . . . . .

The Cassette multitrackers were next best - and indeed Phillips relented their T&Cs in the case of these and ALLOWED some to run at 3.75 ips

Indeed there is something more organic and "intelligeable" about the MO with Tape multitrackers.

Easier to visualise WHAT you are trying to do . . .?

Chris

[Jesse]

Nice work Joe

I no longer have a Reel to Reel, but I do have a Sony 8 Track Player/Recorder about 50 years old, a Sony Dual Cassette Player/Recorder about 20 years old, a Sony Turntable about 46 years old and a Sony 300 CD Carousel Player about 20 years old. I recently replaced the belts in all of these except the turntable, it's direct drive.

Keeping old equipment up & running helps to keep us up & running and makes us feel good with our accomplishments

I really miss my wood working shop I used to have

Chris & Joe you guys Take Care I am very glad and fortunate to know both of you

[Jokeyman123]

Jesse,
although I worked in construction years back when a bit younger (whilst laid off from my music teaching duties until they re-instated my program but always loved working with wood anyway) I saved a few of those tools-portable table saw, circular saw, sawzall , socket wrench sets, portable drill/drivers etc. in retirement I decided to create a small wood shop for projects around the house, only 11' x 12' which I needed to clean out-previous owner used it as a junkhouse, was in horrible shape. I refinished it-insulated, power strips all over, built 2 main workbenches out of 2 x 4s and 3/4" plywood plus tables for a benchtop bandsaw, a benchtop drill press and a table router. Harbor Freight is my friend. Doesn't take much room, but I can get alot done in there, I insulated it for use even in the winter with a portable propane heater. I keep the table saw under my protected deck since this needs more room to work. a big part of the reason I was able to design and build this modest keyboard controller, among other projects. I still have all 10 of my fingers, at least so far! I am very careful, learned alot about how not to do stupid things on professional jobsites and to save all my body parts, couldn't afford to give any of those up if I could help it. Didn't help my music "chops" though, hard on the hands. and Chris-maybe the civil engineers were listening to Beatles tapes on the job!