All user reviews of 5/5 for the Tascam MF-P01

Paid $100 at Guitar Center. I use it to write songs and work out arrangements
with (especially vocal harmonies) before recording
the master version on my Hard Disk recorder.

Extremely easy to use. Sounds pretty good too (for such an inexpensive unit). Does
exactly what it is intended to do very well. Great as a creative tool or as a
1st multitrack for a young musician.

I'd love to see a larger (10 or 12-track) version using a VHS tape.
If one ever came out for say around $300 or under
I'd buy it in a heartbeat. There is still a place for tape-drive
portastudios in the hands of a songwriter or any creative
musician who needs a super-easy system that will let the creative juices
flow without the complications of a digital multitrack system.
The MF PO1 certainly does that for a 4-track unit.

The level of the 1st track has a tendency to be overwhelmed (drowned out)
by the live input monitor volume during
overdubbing of the next tracks.
The key to overcoming this is to remember to
RECORD THE 1ST TRACK AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE.
Remember, this is analog tape;Don't be afraid to saturate it.
Let the meter go well into the red while recording--It'll
still sound pretty good (unless you really overdo it).
For that 1st track, Put down a solid, LOUD rhythm part to play & sing
the other tracks along with.
Then, turn the master volume volume UP to 8 or so when
laying down the 2nd/3rd/4th tracks & turn up the volume
on the 1st track & you should be able to monitor the original track
pretty well when laying down those last 3 tracks. Worked for me.

So remember--a *soft* 1st track will be difficult to hear & play along with
as you try to lay down the accompanying tracks.

Small criticism:
The mic input would be better (less intrusive)
in the back of the unit instead of the front, in my opinion.
But no big deal.

I really have no other criticicism of the unit--as long as the above
procedure is followed when recording/monitoring, you should have
no problem with monitoring levels.

Hard-impact plastic. Seems solid enough. Pots & inputs
are apparently of very-decent quality.
Tascam has a good reputation for durability & I have
no reason to doubt it in even this inexpensive unit.


A fine product! As a longtime guitarist/songwriter,
I would have killed for one of these back in the early 70s
when I was first starting to get serious about songwriting & arranging.
A great tool or toy to stimulate those creative juices!


I GIVE THIS UNIT A: **5**

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Bought at Guitar Center, May 2002 for $100.
As a guitarist/songwriter, I needed something to work out new songs and arrangement ideas on. I also have a Roland VS2480 (very complex unit), but I needed something SIMPLE & EASY to use to develop musical ideas.

Super easy to use & sounds surprisingly good if you use a decent microphone (I am using an ATM 63 dynamic mic--similar to a Shure SM57 in performance). The trick is to saturate the tape somewhat (i.e. record each track pretty LOUD) and monitor with the master monitor volume around 6 or higher, so the prerecorded tracks can be monitored easily as you record new tracks. If you record tracks too soft, they are not as easy to hear well, as there is no way to raise the individual track volume of previously recorded tracks while you
record a new track. So let that VU meter go pretty HIGH as you put down your tracks, and there will be no monitoring problem.
Overall, very easy & fun to use.

Nothing--It does what it is supposed to do quite well. Just be sure to record your tracks (especially the 1st track or 2) nice & LOUD, as described above.
If this unit had 2 MORE TRACKS, but remained unchanged in every other way, it would be absolutely incredible--I hope Tascam decides to do this--I would buy a 6-track version of the MF PO1 IMMEDIATELY!!
And I bet a lot of other folks would as well.

Seems well-made & durable for an item in its price class.

A great product!! As a 50-year old guitarist/songwriter, I would have KILLED for one of these units back in the early 70s when I 1st started writing songs. The musical kids of today don't know how lucky they are to have such cool, cheap technology available. This is a great gift for any musically creative person.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com