TEACA-3440 S/N 30053

TextThieves: Please see note regarding TEXT THEFT towards the end ofthis listing.

Up for sale is this beautifulTEAC A-3440 4-channel Multi-track ¼” tape deck, Serial Number 30053. This model represents a significant step upfrom the Teac A-3340S, Teac’s flagship model of consumer reel to reel decks forseveral years during the 1970’s. That’s quite an accomplishment consideringthat the A-3340S has continued to enjoy ongoing popularity, and is to this dayan excellent choice for the analog recording fan!

The A-3440 was an expensive machineas it sold new for $1,200 in 1980. To put that in perspective, that would havebeen about four weeks pay, after taxes. Theaverage annual income in the USat the time was $19,500 and new Ford Mustangs started at $4, 071. So the new A-3440 cost about 30% of the priceof a new Mustang!

The value of money has changed alot since then. New Mustangs today startat $22,200 MSRP. Based on that analysisthis deck would be priced at over $6,000 if it were available new today!

This particular deck is in verygood cosmetic condition. There are a few very, very minor cosmetic flaws thatbarely detract at all from the appearance of this vintage tape deck. It’s pretty much a gorgeous machine and wouldnot look out of place at all sitting on the sales shelf at Best Buy, if ofcourse, reel to reel decks were available new today. The high resolution photos included in thislisting confirm that. As you will see,the text etching is in excellent condition and there are very fewscratches.

You might also note that all fourof the feet ON THE REAR of this deck are present. It\'s very normal to see one or two of thesefeet either missing or broken. I thinktheir presence here, the excellent cosmetic condition of the deck, and theminimal wear of the heads indicate that this deck has been well cared for andhas few hours.

When the A-3440 was beingmanufactured as a very high end consumer grade machine under the Teac brand,Teac was also manufacturing professional,studio grade (and much more expensive) recorders under the TASCAM brand. Whilethe A-3440 carries the Teac label it just drips Tascam features and functionall over it!! (There was, in fact aTASCAM Model A-3440 manufactured for a short time.) Google either the Tascam 34 or the Tascam22-4, compare what you find there with the verbiage and photos in this listing.You’ll see the striking similarities: the layout of the controls, the inclusionof DBX jacks, the way the headphone track selection is executed, inclusion of apitch control, Function Select implementation, and so on. This is a TASCAM tapedeck sold under the Teac brand…just my opinion!

Manufacturers Specs are listedbelow, but key features of the A-3440 include a three motor, three head,solenoid operated transport capable of four channel (or Quadraphonic), fourtrack recording and playback. PROFESSIONALfeatures include Simulsync (detailed below), 7-1/2 and 15 inches per secondtape speed, up to 10 1/2\'”reels, jacks to attach a DBX or Dolby noise reductionsystem, and pitch control to vary tape speed. This machine can also record andplayback standard two channel, ¼ track tapes, by far the most common consumerformat.

As mentioned,this model and a few other Quad or Multi-track Teac tape decks include Simulsync (notto be confused with the SimulTrak feature on the A-2340R). Simulsyncprovides a capability generally found only on very high end professionalrecording machines. This feature will allow the user to play some number (from1 to 3) of pre-recorded tracks (for example, a 2 channel stereo program) whilerecording the other tracks (in this example, two) in perfect synchronizationwith the originals. I use this feature to PLAY atwo channel practice track while RECORDING meplaying guitar on the third track and a singer on the fourth. The result soundslike a full band with me playing lead guitar, accompanying a vocalist, all inperfect synchronization!

Another way to use Simulsync would be to record oneinstrument at a time, adding it to instruments that have already been recorded.In this way, one musician who can play several instruments can create arecording of a jam session wherein that one musician is playing ALL of theinstruments! And further, those instruments on the recording can be aurallyplaced, selectively, in the four corners of the listening room by carefullyselecting which track contains the recording of which instrument(s).

This is THE deck to have for thosewho want to explore their own musical creativity! (If you win this sale andwant a better understanding of SimulSync,I’d be pleased to help you.)

This deck has been completely servicedand repaired to fully operational condition. After moving orremoving a few internal parts we were able to:

• thoroughly remove old belt residue from the capstan flywheel and the pulley
• install a new capstan belt
• lubricate the rear capstan bearing
• disassemble and thoroughly clean and lubricate the pinch roller and tape lifter mechanism, reinstall and adjust
• adjust pinch roller tension and capstan end play
• remove, clean, lube and reinstall the counter
• install a new counter belt

And then with all the knobs, theupper plastic vent, the capstan cap, the pinch roller and bushings, the reeltables, and the rear upper cross brace removed we were able to:

• lubricate the front capstan bushing
• thoroughly clean and lubricate the pinch roller
• thoroughly clean the knobs and the upper vent and blower
• lubricate and adjust height of both reel tables
• lubricate both Quic-Locs on the reel tables

All the old grease was removed andmodern synthetic lubricants were used at all lubrication points. In that thesemodern lubricants were not available when this machine was manufactured, thisdeck is literally better than new in terms of lubrication! It should be good togo for many years of use by the new owner.

If you “save money” by purchasing a deck that hasn’t beenserviced you’ll likely soon be spending more than you “saved” to have the deckrepaired. Your car was not built to NEVERhave the oil changed. Likewise, thesemachines were not built to NEVER be serviced. But there are plenty of them out there forsale today whose service needs have been ignored literally for decades. Decks like that come into my shop every week. You won\'t need to look very far to find one andthe very next listing you look at may be one of them. When you see a seller noting that the deckhe’s selling has been in storage for years don’t assume that to be a goodthing. If it hasn’t been serviced in years,it needs to be. Period. Imagine putting your car in storage and thenexpecting it to start and run just fine ten years later.

If a seller doesn\'t specificallystate that the deck has been recently serviced, then you should expect that thedeck will need work. And ask for detailsas to what “SERVICED” means. I saw arecent tape deck listing that claimed recent service, and in the next sentencewas the statement, “pinch roller is sluggish.”With these Teacs, a sluggish pinch roller is a very obvious indicationthat the deck needs to be serviced. Aword to the wise here….Don’t take “JUST SERVICED” to mean anything unless somedetails are offered as to exactly WHAT was serviced! Some will feel that simply cleaning the headqualifies as “just serviced”. No, no!

And on that note, before you buy adeck that will need service, think about WHO will do that service for you! These decks are no longer serviced by yourlocal electronics repair center down on Main Street like they were 30 years ago. Best Buy, and others like them, will quietlylaugh at you for asking and politely turn you away. So expect to add another $130 or so for roundtrip transportation to and from someone willing to do the service for you…IFyou can find that guy.

Caveat Emptor! There’s a lot you need to think about beforeyou purchase a deck that has not been serviced! Don’t accept “The guy I got it from said thatit works fine”. All that means is,\"don\'t blame me if it doesn\'t work!Don\'t accept \"It worked great the last time I used it, ten yearsago”. That comment is irrelevant anddoesn\'t even begin to addressthe current condition of the deck! Ten years in storage is PLENTY of time for theold original organic grease to turn into glue, a few capacitors to give up, andpots to get so scratchy that they’re virtually unusable.

As you shop you\'ll see thesecomments in listings: “I can’t test it because I don’t have a power cord!”. Or “I can’t test it because I don’t have atape!”. These are precisely the conditionsyou would find at a garage sale! Youshould expect a garage sale price for a deck that hasn’t been thoroughlytested. There isn’t anything wrong with buying or sellingan item under those terms…as long as the price reflect the terms.

Pardon me for digressing. I get alittle worked up over some of the listings I read! Now back to the subject athandà

The heads have been cleaned,demagnetized and examined for wear. Note that even the tape lifters on this deck (much softer material than theheads) barely show any wear. This is a low mileage tape deck!

All switches and pots (levelcontrols) have been cleaned with contact cleaner for reliable, noise freeoperation. Playback, monitor, and record levels were all checked andcalibrated. Simulsync operation has been verified.

Note that all 10 lamps (4 FunctionSelect indicators, 4 meter backlights, 1 Pause LED and 1 Record LED) arefunctional. A burned out lamp in one of these decks can mean a service call asthey are very difficult to reach for replacement, and not generally userserviceable. (To those sellers with aburned out meter lamp who claim that it\'s easy to replace, my question wouldbe, \"Why don\'t you replace it if it’s so easy?\") I just spent the better part of a dayreplacing a “Record” lamp in another Teac model. Maybe I’m just slow.

The original side panels on thisdeck were in fair condition. But I’vegotten in the habit of installing new solid wood panels. These tape decks cameoriginally with side panels made of pressboard with veneer glued to it. As you shop, examine original side panelsclosely for missing or chipped veneer and crushed corners. Expect to find damage, as pristine originalTeac side panels are very, veryrare!

I’ve machined new side panels usingJatoba wood. Jatoba (also referred to asBrazilian Cherry) is an exotic wood imported from Brazil. For more on this wood seethe bottom of this listing.

I left these panels about 1/4\'”thicker than the originals for two reasons. The first is that this change givesthe machine a more substantial appearance. The second is that after paying whatI paid for the wood I couldn’t make myself turn it into a pile of sawdust atthe feet of the planer/jointer I used to shape these panels. This is thenatural color of Jatoba…no stain, just 3 coats of polyurethane. The new panelsare lighter in color than the originals, and really help dress up theappearance of the deck.

I’ve also installed custom madesolid wooden feet. These add a much larger base to hold the substantial weightof this deck, and provide much more solid footing than the originals. They’remade from the same Jatoba wood as the side panels and look really nice with theside panels.

These two side panels came from thesame board and lived end to end in the tree. This ensures an exact color match(the color of Jatoba can vary noticeably from board to board). The panels are positioned on the deck suchthat the end grain matches when viewed from the top of the deck. Same for the feet. Photos show this.

I’ve sold these exact Jatoba sidepanels along with the Jatoba feet for $200. And I’m also selling just the feet Jatobafeet separately for $35/pr. (See my listing on these feet to better understandwhat they offer in terms of protecting your tape deck from a face first tipover, as well as looking nice.) Including these Jatoba side panels and feetadds a lot of value without adding a lot to the price!

In addition to our 14-dayreturn policy we’re offering a 14 day performance guarantee.If you believe that there is a problem please contact me to discuss. This is acomplex piece of equipment! I’ve learnedthat most of the time the solution to a perceived problem can be determined ina brief discussion. If, in fact, it becomes necessary to return this deck forrepairs within the 14 day window, I will pay the shipping costs both ways.

Payment is expected within 3 daysof purchase via PAYPAL. The deck will be well packed and shipped via FEDEXwithin 3 days of receipt of satisfactory PAYPAL payment. (I always do a “FinalExam” just before I ship.) I willprovide tracking information once I have shipped.

Shipping cost stated is for the lower 48. All others please ask forquote. Reels,tape and hubs shown in the photos are for illustration purposes only and arenot included with this tape deck. I generally have these items on hand for sale separately.

Feel free to ask any questions youhave. I generally can respond within 24 hours and often much more quickly thanthat. I will want to speak with thebuyer, hopefully before the deck ships, to see if any help is needed to get thenew owner off to a good start. I’ve been around reel to reeltape decks for decades and have learned some things about them. If some levelof tutorial is needed by the new owner I would be happy to provide that. And Iwould want to become a long term resource to the new owner in terms of Q &A (What’s the knob just below the pinch roller for? How do I clean the heads?What does de-gauss mean?) etc, if that would be helpful. There is no clock runningon this support!

When buying a reel to reel tapedeck, as with most items, the lowest cost choice isn’t likely to be the bestvalue! Allow me to ask you to consider afew points as you shop:

• Is the seller confident enough in his offering to allow returns?
• If so, does the seller charge a “restocking fee” for returned items?
• Does the seller seem to be knowledgeable of what he is selling?
• Does the seller offer any “after purchase” support?
• Is the deck fully tested?
• Is the deck serviced and repaired as needed, or simply a garage sale find?
• Does the seller offer a guarantee of any sort?

And as you shop keep in mind thatwhen you find items being offered sporting terms you would expect to find at agarage sale (i.e., no guarantee, no returns, untested, etc) you should alsoexpect “garage sale” prices.

You can always go read the responsemy buyers have left on , and I encourage you to do so! Here are a few samples of what you\'ll find:

* this is a beautiful machine in very good shape

* Seller is the epitome of what every seller anywhere shouldbe!

* Very professional-went the extra mile-would recommend thisseller

* Ken is a true professional. Great Item & Servicebefore & after delivery A++++

* Item as described....Fast You...A

* Kens reel to reel was awesome, just what he said it wasand on time

* Ken knows his stuff inside and out. Great info andguidance on purchased TEAC

* One of the best. Fast .. Also very well packed. Will buyagain Thanks

* Great deck, packed professionally, helpful in answeringquestions. All six stars

* Magnificent seller! Item is perfect. Great communication.Effortless transaction

* Ken was great, Item was as he said it was!!! Worksgreat!!!!

* PRISTINE as advertised. Thanks Ken!

* Outstanding! Excellent communications prompt service,excellent product!

And so on!!

And recently a couple of buyerssent an email commenting on the Teac deck they bought from me after using itfor a while. I thought I’d include those comments in this listing:

Tad C. from Dallas said: “Ken, thought I\'d drop you a quick note to letyou know that after 6 weeks the Teac A-3440 you sold me is working outsplendidly. All the
functions including the simul-sync have been put to real world use and areworking just as they should. It\'s a great machine!”

And after over a year of use,Joshua G. from CA said: “Hi, hope all is well. You can add this to your websiterecommendations: I am now actively recording on the A-3340 4 Track I boughtfrom Ken, using the 4 Track tapes he sold me with my original purchase. Recordsperfectly. He did an excellentrestoration / rebuild on my machine and would highly recommend his business toanyone. Sincerely, Joshua G”

This is an absolutely top notch,fully serviced and guaranteed Quad/Multi-track TEAC deck. If you’re looking fora deck you can reasonably expect to serve you well for many years, one that hasbeen fully tested, comes with a performance guarantee, and comes at a fairprice considering all that it offers, you’re looking in the right place.

If you can settle for a deck thathasn\'t been serviced but \"workedfine before it was put in storage\", or if you can live with buyingsomething that is neither guaranteed nor returnable, you canprobably find some of those decks to pick from. CaveatEmptor!

Happyshopping!

A note totext thieves: The verbiagecontained in this listing is my own work, not something I lifted from an oldTeac ad. I spend a lot of time creating it to make sure that what I say is as accurateand complete as possible. These words ARE NOT in the public domain, and ARENOT free for the taking!

Recently, a few other sellers have chosen to “borrow” myoriginal verbiage from one of my listings, maybe modify it slightly (or maybenot), and use it in their own listings. takes a dim view of this theft and their policy is very clear,although perhaps not well known. I was made aware of it the first time Iescalated a “text thief” to .The offending listing was subsequently (and quickly) closed by , and theoffending seller earned an black eye to live with.

To those who would steal my text and use it as their own,please refer to the following policyà

And realize that “I didn’t know” is no longer an excuseto dismiss your actions!

To those shoppers who recognize my verbiage in thelistings of others, I would just ask that you be aware of whose work you arereading, who you are buying from, give credit where credit is due, and shopaccordingly.

JATOBAWOOD

Jatoba wood is regularly used in Brazil forfurniture and hardwood floors. It is a very heavy wood that is so dense that inorder to put a nail through it one would normally drill a hole first ratherthan try to drive a nail with a hammer! The course grain is very similar toTeak, it is often mistaken for Teak, and Jatoba is used where the look of Teakis desired but the oily nature of Teak is not necessarily required.

Look at the photos and be awarethat you are looking at the natural color of this wood…no stain here, just 3coats of low gloss polyurethane. The color can vary substantially from oneboard to the next. These two side panels were cut from the same board.

For more on Jatoba wood see [link removed by ]

Thanks for looking.

MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS &FEATURES

Speed: 7 ½ + 15 IPS. Up to 10 ½”inch reel size.

Pitch-control option with +/- 5 %.

Tape tension selector switch

3 motors with belt-driven capstan.

3 heads, 4-track with Simul-Sync.

Wow and Flutter: 7-1/2 ips = 0.06,15 ips = 0.04 %

Fast winding time: 140 sec for 1800feet tape.

Frequency response: 7-1/2 ips,25-22.000Hz, 15 ips, 25-24.000Hz

Signal to noise ratio: 55 dB

Harmonic distortion: 0.8 % atnormal operating level.

RCA connections for input andoutput.

Connections for DBX and remote.

Headphone jack 1/4 inch

(4) microphone jacks 1/4 inch

Soft touch buttons for transport.

Dimensions: 17-1/2 Wide, 20-1/2Tall, 9-1/4 Deep

Weight: 55 lbs.

Belt-driven counter

Reel-size selector switch between 7or 10-1/2 inch reels

(4) Microphone input unbalanced orhigh impedance microphones

(4)Function select switches:Depress to allow any channel to go in to record-mode

Output select switches: These 3inter-locked switches allow selection of the signal fed to the VU-meters, phonejack and output jacks on the back