Anyone have insight regarding this Beatles console that was (supposedly) found in a dumpster?

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brassplyer

brassplyer

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The story is that it was donated to a school who didn't know how to use it and put it in a dumpster. Hard to imagine anyone not having the sense to realize someone would pay $$ for it even if they couldn't use it unless they had no idea about its history or even just seeing if someone might buy it even not knowing the history. I've never heard of a school that had no need for extra $$.

Anyone know about this?

www.bbc.com

Recording console used by Beatles on Abbey Road album up for sale

A Hertfordshire father and son have been able to restore the console used on the Beatles' last album.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
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The Abbey Road EMI monitor system was equally 'old' - we had it on our stand at PLASA last year in london, in it had quite weak bass, and a very flat sound compared to modern tastes.
 

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brassplyer said:
The story is that it was donated to a school who didn't know how to use it and put it in a dumpster. Hard to imagine anyone not having the sense to realize someone would pay $$ for it even if they couldn't use it unless they had no idea about its history or even just seeing if someone might buy it even not knowing the history. I've never heard of a school that had no need for extra $$.

Anyone know about this?

www.bbc.com

Recording console used by Beatles on Abbey Road album up for sale

A Hertfordshire father and son have been able to restore the console used on the Beatles' last album.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
Click to expand...
Nonesense - the dumpster mystic is just to get people going - there is no way a Beatles Used Mixing Board would be just thrown away - The Abbey Road Mixers have all been sold at high prices to rich collectors.
 
Sadly, in the UK this is very common. I rescued a virtually brand new historic lighting control being scrapped, and hid it above the studio roof in the college I taught in. After I left, they bulldozed the entire thing with the console still there! If the teachers see junk taking up space, few would recognise the heritage.
 
Stuff like that happens all the time.
A friend of mine knows Merle Haggard’s family. They gave him Merle’s console. If he wouldn’t have taken it, it would have ended up in the dump.

An other friend of mine worked at a TV station. When they went digital they just gave away shitloads of audio gear that would have just gotten chucked in the dumpster. Fortunately I ended up with some of it.
 
rob aylestone said:
The Abbey Road EMI monitor system was equally 'old' - we had it on our stand at PLASA last year in london, in it had quite weak bass, and a very flat sound compared to modern tastes.
Click to expand...
Would that likely be by design given the requirements of mastering LPs which can't have ultra-thumpy bass or the overall dynamic range possible on digital formats?
 
I wonder what the legal implications actually are? If the mixer was the property of the school, and they put it in a skip, intending it to be land filled or disposed of as scrap, then the removal from the skip could have been theft? if they get £3 million, the school could claim it? Interesting legal issue?
 
I would think if the sound was as spectacular as they noted, wouldn't there be an opportunity to recreate, pre or EQ sections in a 500 series format? I would assume there would have to be some radical design or unique topology to justify the unique sound comments.

Just think for a custom audio company like they are, it would be a missed opportunity!
 
Not surprising. I bought a DDA console with a lot of history behind it for $100 at a municipal auction. I was the only bidder and it would have been trashed if I didn't pick it up.

There's tons of gear out there for the picking through unorthodox channels.
 
I don't think there are any consoles around here with any kind of history. Maybe if I drove to Nashville, I could score something.

In my dreams I've got a 48 channel console, but it's in a big studio that I built with the $500 million that I won in the Powerball lottery. I have a bunch of friends over and we're jamming and laying down tracks. Emma Stone, Julianne Moore and Laura Spencer are hanging out with me (I've got a weakness for redheads).

In reality, I've got a room in the basement with an interface, a computer and a bunch of microphones and stands, some guitars and amps, and me. Reality sucks! 😜

The EMI console would take too much room. At least it's dropped $451,000 in price. It's down to $2,448,990.67. Personally, I would rather have Dave Grohl's Neve from Sound City.
 
I bought Kate Bush's first Yamaha digital mixer. Perfect working order, lit up like a flight deck ............. and couldn't even give the damn thing away. It ended up in a skip.
It was unique. Every digital in and out on D-sub connectors, and the recorders and external add ons it used were also D-sub only. 3 XLR inputs at line level. 2 Tracks and multitracks I could not find. I couldn't do anything with it.
 
rob aylestone said:
I wonder what the legal implications actually are? If the mixer was the property of the school, and they put it in a skip, intending it to be land filled or disposed of as scrap, then the removal from the skip could have been theft? if they get £3 million, the school could claim it? Interesting legal issue?
Click to expand...
AFAIK once things are in a skip they become the property of the skip hire company once the Co has 'lifted' it.
If then disposed at a municipal site it becomes the operator's property, often a council.

I doubt the school have any claim on the money (caveat dumptor?!) but I often wonder about this on Antiques Roadshow? A bod will bring in a pot say bought for 3 bob at a charity shop and worth £2k. Do the BBC politely suggest the punter makes a significant contribution?

Dave.
 
I found this on a skip hire site.

The contents of the skip are still legally owned by the person who hired it. Under the Theft Act 1968, it is considered theft if someone dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the owner of it.

Transfer to the skip company happens when they lift it, and the contents belong to the local authority once tipped at the dump!

Fighting any of this in court would seem very expensive.
 
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