I am look for an 8 track, for song writing only... my tax refund will allow me to spend about $400... I am looking only for easy of use... and somethign I can set up and record quickly...

Digital or tape? Do you have an appropriate mixer already? You could probably find a Tascam 38 for around $400, but you'd need a mixer and 1/2" tape is expensive and somewhat scarce these days. There's also the Tascam 388, which is a 1/4" machine with a built-in mixer, but those are weird and I've heard a lot of bad things about them. If you're not worried about noise too much, you should go for a Tascam 488 MKII (cassette based). There's one on eBay right now.

I wish I had some non-Tascam suggestions. Sorry.

ipitcher wrote:Digital or tape? Do you have an appropriate mixer already? You could probably find a Tascam 38 for around $400, but you'd need a mixer and 1/2" tape is expensive and somewhat scarce these days. There's also the Tascam 388, which is a 1/4" machine with a built-in mixer, but those are weird and I've heard a lot of bad things about them. If you're not worried about noise too much, you should go for a Tascam 488 MKII (cassette based). There's one on eBay right now.

I wish I had some non-Tascam suggestions. Sorry.

I would rather it be digital, I am looking for spead of use/set up and price, this is for writing songs not for making records...

check out the Roland VS seriers. I'm sure you'll find one for around 400$.

I would definately go with a Tascam or Fostex digital 8-track. Personally I have the Tascam dp01. It's got no FX but two XLR-Inputs with phantom power, so you don't need anything else for a quick recording and even can use a condenser mic without a problem. In this price range actually all digitals are able to record two tracks at the same time maximum. Pay attention that there is an USB connection with the recorder so you can load tracks onto a comp and edit them there. Some recorders work with a standard HD-drive others have a compact flash card. Depends on how much space you need. CF-cards are actually more expensive compared to the space you get with an HD-drive.
Check out these two songs: http://www.myspace.com/dawnband . They are recorded with the Tascam DP01, edited in Samplitude afterwards. I only ran the signal through a better preamp before going into the DP01.

I used a Fostex MR-8 for a lot of songwriting for awhile. Digital, 8 tracks, some "Mastering" presets, and you pull everything off the drive via USB. I think $300 NIB.

Guess I should have waited for an answer to that question before I wasted my time with tape based suggestions. So it goes. Good luck.

I have one of these.
http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/BR-600/

I think its excellent for what it does.

The bad:
Only records 2 track at a time.
Only comes with 128mb compact flash card some of which is taken up by uber-crap demo 'song'
No phantom power
XLR by adapter only (which is included)

The good:
It's tiny
Can use it on batteries
Built in mics to record ideas or crappily record at practice
built in drum machine with user importable sounds
can record a guitar and voice at the same time on seperate tracks
uses compact flash cards, which are cheap.
Stupidly easy to use.
USB port for transfer to computer/backups

If you're recording just one person making up songs I think its perfect.