Anyone play with reel to reel?

[nubz69]

So I haven't tried making any tracks in a while and I recently got an old all tube reel to reel tape player. It is mono so it is really only good for a single track. It came with 2 old tapes, one of which I transferred to my computer and I plan on doing something with.

My question is is it really worth my time to play with this thing for recording or should I just take it apart for parts? I am sure it needs some new caps and possibly a re-tube.

[R01]

It reeeeeeally depends. Tape is cool for two reasons: Saturation & Compression. Each tape recorder has it's own way of imparting these elements though, and it comes down to the quality of it's build. Crappy tape recorder = crappy saturation & compression.

I'll be honest though, I don't see too many engineers messing with tape all that much anymore. It's a HASSLE. Those tape heads need to be calibrated often, and moving tape on/off reels is no fun either. There are also two very good alternatives:
1. A good compressor. It'll obviously compress, and any good classic will add some color.
2. Tape Simulators. If you really need that tape sound this is the way to go. Gets rid of all the hassle.

In your case, I really can't warrant it being worth the trouble, especially since it's mono. You usually just push a mix through tape, so mono is out of the question. If you really really want the sound, you could always get a simulator. These guys make a relatively cheap DIY kit if you're intested: http://www.soundskulptor.com/uk/sts.html

Hope this helps!

[nubz69]

Thanks for the input. I was really just going to use the tape on vocals as an effect/trying to get that analog sound. After playing with it a while I would need to spend some money and time on it to make it perform. At a minimum it needs a retube and I would need to buy some new tape. I'm thinking now I might just try building an all tube mic preamp to play with. I'm not really serious about producing right now so it's not a big deal.

If I ever go back and play with it I may even try to make it into a real tape delay. From what I understand the only way to get that real dub sound is through a true tape delay.