PURPOSE: To provide a recorder with a simple structure and a high reliability.

CONSTITUTION: A resonance circuit which is constituted of a secondary coil 3 and a capacitor 4 is provided at a pen-holding mechanism 2 for supporting a pen 1, a plurality of primary coils L1-Ln are laid out at an equal spacing over an effective recording width x of a recording paper. An excitation circuit 13 for supplying AC current to the primary coils L1-Ln is connected to a switcher 10. While switching to the primary coils L1-Ln successively, an AC voltage is supplied and then the primary coil through which the largest current out of AC current i1-in flowing through the primary coils L1-Ln flows, is detected to detect the position of the pen 1.