Hello gang! I am a vinyl/tube guy first and foremost. I have a modest setup as such:

Moded Rega P2 -> NAD PP-2 -> Axiom Passive Pre-Amp -> Moded ST-70 -> Klipsch SF-2's

I was visiting my parents this weekend and my Dad gave me a Sony TC-521 that a customer gave him as payment. He also got a set of Acoustic Research AR-2a's, but wouldn't part with them ... DOH! Anyway, the tapedeck appears like brand new! Vinyl is untouched on the outside and the inside looks brand new. Anyway, I plan to test all the tubes, put rubber renew on the rubber wheels, clean the heads, oil the bearings, etc. Anything else I should look into doing?

I'm hoping to plug it directly into my passive pre-amp and start playing. Found a local vinyl shop that still sells R2R's.

If anyone has a source for manuals or schematics, I'd love to pick something up on this beast. All I could find was a spec sheet.

Sounds like a nice find, and you've got the basics down pat! I just got my first Sony RtR, but it's SS. Someday, I'll play with tubes!