TEAC 3300S Reel to Reel servicing

When Marco sees this thread you should get a good recommendation.

The issue is that I don’t actually know much about tape recorders. I saved it from being tossed into a landfill. Took it home and cleaned it up. It’s just gonna be a space eater here, so I’m likely to sell it. The difference between it working properly (serviced) or just sold unknown for parts is a few hundred dollar difference.

Pretty cool piece of equipment, really would like to have it working properly. Would be satisfying knowing how close it was to being junked.

Tom at Westbank Audio Services 504-367-1804 (M-F, 9-5)

He requires $30 deposit cash, and cash payment upon pick up. He is an authorized TEAC service center.

To get it back to proper working condition, the heads will need to be aligned, the brakes need to be adjusted, the motors cleaned (de-lube and re-lube), and it will need to be re-biased. Capacitors should be replaced as this unit is 40+ years old.

My guesstimate for all that to be done is $400-600, which is inexpensive for something that old that has not been regularly serviced and used. For reference, my decks listed below ran 2 to 3 times that amount for each (they all worked, but needed to be totally overhauled to perform in the manner I wanted.

About one year ago, Tom at WestBank Audio Services totally restored my TASCAM BR-20t reference deck (2-track, 15ips, 10.5” reels, IEC eq), my “almost reference” TEAC X-2000M deck (2-track, 15ips, 10.5” reels, IEC eq) deck, and a mint Pioneer RT-909 deck (4-track, 7.5ips, 10.5” reels).

Alas, they were all destroyed when Ida blew through Hahnville last August.


Also—there are only 2 places in the world that still manufacture new reels of 1/4” tape…

Recording the Masters—in France

and

ATR Magnetics—York, PA


I buy ATR Magnetics MDR-36 tape reels.

…and then there is this forum should you want a better understanding of the tape world…

Tapeheads.net


Hope this helps.