TP-027, Jerry Garcia / David Grisman wins a Writer's Choice Award from Myles Astor of Positive Feedback Online

Author Topic: Technics 1500 decks/ tape scene in Japan  (Read 6615 times)

Offline U47

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 73
    • View Profile
    • my website
Technics 1500 decks/ tape scene in Japan
« on: April 06, 2007, 03:45:07 PM »
I'm in Japan visiting and was speaking with a former Teac/Tascam designer about the reel scene here a few days ago. He said that Technics 1500 series come up on YahooAuctions and sometimes go as low as $100. In contrast, RS-1800s can bring $4500. Seems pretty silly, considering that they will likely sound the same or very similar. Nagras and Stellavox decks bring considerably more money here than in the west.

Rich Brown
Acoustic Arts
Portland, Oregon
Technics 1500 with King/Cello playback electronics, Stellavox SP-7, Technics 1500/Ampex MR70, Tascam BR-20 .

Offline beefman

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 32
    • View Profile
Re: Technics 1500 decks/ tape scene in Japan
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2007, 07:14:30 PM »
I *love* Yahoo Japan. It's a crapshoot though. What I've observed is that the Japanese are far more fastidious than we are (commensurate with the society in general) and that things we overlook they will spurn a deck for. They also consider something junk far more quickly than we do and are far less tolerant of malfunctions. They're very much more a collector's society and prize form as much as function. Nagra equipment over there goes for a fortune and a half as does Studer equipment. The largest items seem to not bring as much activity however; I suspect this is due to space constraints.

Thus far I've won two RS-1500s, one was $237 and one was $375. Both were in far better condition than decks I've seen here at 3-4x the price at least cosmetically, and were described as working about as well as the decks I've bought off Ebay for far more (before I knew better!). I also won an Akai GX-77 that looked just about new for $85! Amazing what has zero value there. What I'm most excited about I'm also most concerned over. I have spent a small fortune on a collection of around 30 15IPS reels that appear to be master dupes of the Deutsche Schallplatten catalog by TOA. Printed labels, the works. Much work from Ottmar Suitner and the Dresden Staatskapelle. I have a few of these works on CD and the sound and performances are wonderful. I only hope they're the real deal. I'll find out once they get here.

I'm actually putting together a shipment of decks/tapes/etc that I've won on YJ to send here at the moment. The major pains are Japanese logistics, but if you have people there you work with, they can bid for you. Sadly, Japanese sellers simply will not transact internationally except in very rare cases.
Jeff Kane
Owner of many decks; in possession of few!