Buying some reel to reel recorders... need help.

[Fogflip]

I have found two reel to reels locally and was wondering if any one has any input as what to expect are these any good etc etc. Never used reel to reels before. Is it even worth purchasing them?
The first one is a Teac Reel-to-Reel 3300
and the second is Teac Reel-to-Reel A-4300SX

Any information at all about these would be great thank you.

[nadafarms]

ive been wanting to get a reel to reel lately, record mpc drums and dump it into live

I know teac is decent, you will obviously be able to test them out and check the ins/outs? I would go for a simple 2 track and just make sure it's working right and you have a good amount of tape to play with.

I wouldn't pay more than $100-150 for a reel to reel...

[Stab Frenzy]

What are you planning on using them for?

Tape machines look cool but maintaining them so they work like you want them to is a pain. If you just want to bounce stuff through them to colour it there are other options, like going through an analogue delay at 100% wet 0% feedback, transformer balanced line amps, inductor EQs etc. A reel-to-reel will be cheaper than all those, but less useful in the long term. If you've got a midi studio and record live performance mixes to two-track through a desk it could be fun though, or if you have or want to attract clients that would be impressed by a tape machine it could be a good buy though.

[Fogflip]

Yea the reason for purchasing them was just as a new medium to get different coloration for my own little studio. As far as maintenance goes not to much of a problem on my end. My main plan was to use them for bouncing my crappy vocals to get a "real" more nostalgic sound. Not sure if it will do the trick if not i am sure their are other people who would want them. Thanks for the input so far guys!

[nadafarms]

you might really consider getting a tape echo, I mean sure you can use an analog delay or tube preamp etc. to add some warmth... But there is nothing and I mean NOTHING like a good working serviced tape echo! like an re-201

and there is nothing like tape, analog delay is just not the same and I think for the price why not pick up a reel to reel and use it like an effects machine overdrive the input and get crazy with it even if it's not working perfectly it will sound a lot cooler than a digital tape effect ableton live. I mean they are so cheap people are practically giving them away these days, just score some tape and go nuts.

as soon as I have a new place to live and a studio I'm gonna buy one just to screw around, I love my tape echos so much even more so than my synths because you can run anything through them and then it sounds amazing and vintage

[Fogflip]

haha i just picked up a re 201 and korg se 500 the other week and got them running pretty good, Re 201 needed a new tape but also replaced the pinch roller since the korg needed one. Their really isn't anything like it i feel like im over using it haha. I am actually thinking of picking up a second re 201 so i can have stereo space echo. As far as preamps i have ben GAS'ing over the LA 610 a lot lately but def dont need it.