Field Trip Tomorrow!!!!!

S

Superreverb

New member
Backstory: I've been a touring engineer for the past 20-plus years. Back in 2005 or so I got involved in helping out with live audio at the school my kids attend. Fast forward to today: Almost all of the audio gear in theater is mine and I'm heavily involved in sound design, production, and consulting for the school. We get a pretty nice break on tuition because of this and I've gotten to be good friends with the director of the theater.

Yesterday, I was talking to the school's TD, Ben, and he mentioned that one of the Dad's at the school builds audio consoles. My ears perked up. Turns out that there is a field trip tomorrow to go visit the shop where these consoles and other assorted gear are built. My Son is going on the trip. This morning, I visited Ben at the theater and basically told him I was crashing the trip. I then asked which company the trip host was president of. Turns out that it is Larry Droppa of API! They're located in a town called Jessup, which is only about 15-miles from the school! YES!!!!

I will bring a camera with me and, if I'm allowed, will take plenty of pics, and provide an after-action report for those who are interested.

Got to admit, I'm kinda giddy!!!! This is like a car enthusiast getting a tour of the plant by Carroll Shelby, himself.

Wonder is they have any B-stock they'd unload for cheap...... ;)
 
I just got home from the trip to API! Amazing place and an amazing group of folks!!! AAR and pics to follow in a bit. Gotta eat some lunch and process the pictures. Larry Droppa gave us the guided tour. We got to see some interesting stuff (some of it is historic) and meet quite a few of the staff. It's a small company, only about 30 employees, but the pride and dedication that they put into their work is evident and inspiring. At the end of the visit, the students got to try their hand at mixing on a gorgeous API 1608 and get some hands-on experience with the gear that they watched being built.

I'll tell ya, I felt like a kid getting to visit Santa's workshop!!

Sadly, no free samples at the end of the tour..... :(
 
Here are two photos of a neat piece of history. I doubt that my Son's classmates appreciated the significance, but here's the story: In the conference room where we all met before the tour, Larry had put out a few modules to show the kiddos what they made. This was one of the modules that he had out on the table. Well, Les Paul owned an API console. When he passed away, Larry Droppa bought the console back from the estate. This is one of the compressor modules from that desk! I held this thing in my hands like I was holding the Holy Grail.....

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The pics are a bit grainy and some are out of focus, as I brought my wife little point-and-shoot instead of my better dslr rig.....
 
I think this is all simply fantastic. How wonderful for you and all who could attend. Looking very much forward to more installments, and thanks very much for taking the time to share. :thumbs up:
 
A Tale of Three Desks

Here's the amazing thing - API hand builds all of their consoles right here in their relatively small factory. Circuit boards are designed in-house, but the stuffing of the boards is done off-site by a sub-contractor (all of the parts kits, though, are pulled and put together in-house). We got see several consoles, from small 1608s to "the big boys" in various stages of manufacture.

This is a 48-channel that is being assembled for the US Army Band. Most of the frame assembly is done by a gentleman named Paul, who was working away and answering questions at the same time. The workmanship is frikkin' superb!! Our gracious host, Larry Droppa, is on the left:

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The largest console being build at this time is this next one. It's kind of a one-off. "Super Secret Squirrel' desk. We were sworn to secrecy as to its final destination, sorry. This monster is a thing of beauty:

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What's under the blue blanket???? I was standing next to this behemoth and Larry turned to me and my friend, Ben, and said, "That's the Les Paul console...." Larry lifted up the corner and showed us the board tape that was still affixed to the console. Channel 1 said simply, "Les Guitar." I didn't get a picture of it and I'm kicking myself for not asking to do so. Here's history.... under wraps:

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More pics to come as I go through them.
 
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Not really a toy for teenagers, but.....

This is the gorgeous 1608 that greeted us in the conference room before the tour began. It was hidden under a black drape at first, but I knew that something wonderful was underneath that cloth. Sure enough!!! When he unveiled this thing for all of us to see, my smile was ear to ear and I let out a little sigh. My Son actually laughed at me for that. He obviously didn't understand - I mean, look at this... LOOK!!!!! Kids these days......

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Turns out that this 1608 is the one that the kids were going to get to try their hands at mixing on at the end of the tour. Larry D. explaining the functions and processes involved before the kids jump on the ride:

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I wanted to play around with the console, but decided that I was just lucky to be there and should let the kids have their time with it. Admirable self sacrifice....

Yes, I'm stupid :laughings:
 
Testing, testing..... A rack full of A2Ds and 3124mb Pluses being tested and burned in:

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I believe that this comp was in the process of being modified. Just a gorgeous little unit, no?

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One half of a 1608 being put together:

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:)
 
I think it's pretty swell they let you take pictures...I like that little compressor module too! Love the aluminum knobs.
 
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