I have an opportunity to get an analog tape machine that I may not want to pass up.

There's a learning curve to these machines that I plan on climbing soon, but I'm not there yet. I'm soliciting advice from those that understand this better than I do - $2000 cash can probably get me a 3M M79 2" 16-Track machine.

I admit - I know next to nothing about these machines, but plan on learning a lot about them (once I finish building a studio). I would hate to realize 2 years from now that I should have bought this thing when I had the chance, but would also hate to be stuck with an expensive albatross I should have skipped.

I can store this thing for a while as I learn about it, but my window of opportunity to buy it is closing very fast. Please - if you have an opinion, let me know what you think: should I go for it?

Here's what I've got for specs -

"The complete 16 track machine was fully working when pulled out of service and is believed to be ready to go. "
"The 16 track stack reads erase 85%, record 83%, play 83%."

I won't take responses on face value, and I will go and check these things out. But any informed advice (please, any informed advice) will be very helpful.

Sincere thanks in advance,

= Justin

PS - I will be bumping this for other shifts, so sorry in advance for being a pest.

I have an opportunity to get an analog tape machine that I may not want to pass up.

Do not buy that machine. It sucks. You will regret it.

I'm soliciting advice from those that understand this better than I do - $2000 cash can probably get me a 3M M79 2" 16-Track machine.

$2000 will get you a nice flat screen T.V. which is just as useful as a M-79 in a recording session. That is to say, it is not useful.

I admit - I know next to nothing about these machines, but plan on learning a lot about them (once I finish building a studio). I would hate to realize 2 years from now that I should have bought this thing when I had the chance, but would also hate to be stuck with an expensive albatross I should have skipped.

If you look at it like it's a course on how to fix an obsolete tapemachine, I can see the worth. You can learn a lot about electronics doing that. If you get it working in one way or another, you might feel a sense of achievement. In the end though, you'll want to push it in to the river because it is much like an old computer that never quite worked right after a tumble down the stairs.
I bought an old, busted ATR because I thought all ATRs were inherently great.
Not so!
Long story aside, I learned almost everything I needed to know about fixing those machines through fixing mine. That was a great experience, but I never recorded anything on it. I was always fixing it, or saving money to buy parts for it. In the end I realized that what I wanted was a new ATR like the ones we have here at Electrical. I don't have the time or knowhow to completely rebuild a complex machine like that. I started referring to it as my "muscle car in the garage" because it just sat there under a tarp waiting for me to burn another evening or Saturday working on it. For some people that's fun. For me 3 years ago that was fun. However I wasn't recording, or seeing my friends which I like better.
I don't mean to poop on your parade. You could be the first guy I know who has a fully functional M-79 this time next year. Do keep in mind that this machine was ditched by their company before the Reagan years. And it sucks as a tool for recording. Don't believe you're getting away with only spending 2K for it. If you do, great, but expect another 2-4k within a year. A guy who knows a lot about 3M machines is Otho Wilburn. He lives somewhere in GA. Bill Skibbie has dealt with him and he seems like a straight-up man. Sorry I don't have a contact #.
I would recommend finding something that at least has a counter on it. I know they aren't romantic, but an MCI Jh-24-** is a solid, cheap, operational machine. You will have a much easier time keeping that together.

I totally agree, I bought a 3M M56 16tk that was seriously fucked about 4 years ago. It was pretty cheap at £300 GBP... It's a great way to memorise a machine's circuit drawings and get into debt. Alas, it proved disasterous for my love life and I'm now single... Not one to learn from experience I then picked up a Otari MTR90 24tk for a similar price which is currently causing yet more upset in my life and lack of floor space.

Justin-

Those 3M machines are being sold by my good friend Andrew Roberts. He is a stand up guy and he would be happy to explain to you what you are getting into by buying one of the machines. Nicholas Vernes has a pair of M79's at Rare Book Room in Brooklyn. They were worked on by John Klett (the actual owner of the 16 track, I believe) and they have been functional and in service for a couple years now. So it is not unheard of...but you might want to think about buying that parts machine too, if you have room for it.

I'll be buying an M56 pretty soon, so we'll be in the same boat, hopefully not sinking. Good luck.

Charles

A studio I used to work for had a 24trk m-79 and for the year and a half I worked for them it was semi operational for maybe 3 months. That is being nice. And, it was rebuilt upon purchase by the infoumous Otho in GA.
Unless you got lot's of money and can operate as a full time tech for this machine, find something else.