Say you had a friend who wanted to buy 2 mic pre's

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rcktdg

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and they would be open to $2k-4K of investment. Then after the investment they would like to keep them at your studio so you can make sure they work and continue to deliver a great sound. What would you like to have?

A very good friend who plays and enjoys music enormously and likes to collect vintage instruments is interested in such an investment. I am the guy with the studio he wants to keep these things in.

I will admit I am a novice at best and having some really nice gear laid on me is absolutely unbelievable. However, I have been playing guitar for 26 years and have earned my living playing music since 1992. I teach 50 students a week and still play gigs all the time. Do I deserve such graciousness? Probably not. Do I stand a chance of making some good music? Time will tell.

I built my studio from the ground up over the last 9 months with my own two hands. I started with an empty building with concrete floors and an exposed beam ceiling. The building has been structurally functional since the beginning of the year but the technology infrastructure has only been in place for a couple of months. Last week I finally finished the server room and cabling. I can sit at the desk and in absolute silence when the music is not playing.

My gear follows.

My board is a Tascam DM24 combined with a MOTU 2408 mkIII. I interface these with a PC running Sonar2.
My mics...
6 sm57
4 sm58
2 C1000s
2 ECM8000
1 D112

I have access to a Neuman U48 and a U? but haven't bothered to indulge because I'm really just getting a handle on all of this.

I figure a couple of mic pre's would be something that would have rather imediate results but I'm not sure where to begin. I have read about many different units but most likely I will have to focus on something of the vintage nature because the buyer is interested in something eclectic that has investment value (character).

Where should I begin looking? I am aware of many different makes but I don't know models.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

RD
 
rcktdg said:
I have read about many different units but most likely I will have to focus on something of the vintage nature because the buyer is interested in something eclectic that has investment value (character)RD
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Thats a neat problem to have. I can list a few pres that will only go up in value. Though, there are new products every bit as good if not better than these (which I would personally spend my money on). You will need to look for vinatage gear thats been "restored", otherwise you could be buying a nightmare. Neve 1073 pre/eq, Telefunken V72 tube pre, Calrec PRE/EQ PQ1161, Helios (not sure on the model #'s), Audix 35101 pre eq. That should keep you busy for awhile.


Justin
 
rcktdg said:
and they would be open to $2k-4K of investment. Then after the investment they would like to keep them at your studio so you can make sure they work and continue to deliver a great sound. What would you like to have?

A very good friend who plays and enjoys music enormously and likes to collect vintage instruments is interested in such an investment. I am the guy with the studio he wants to keep these things in.

I will admit I am a novice at best and having some really nice gear laid on me is absolutely unbelievable. However, I have been playing guitar for 26 years and have earned my living playing music since 1992. I teach 50 students a week and still play gigs all the time. Do I deserve such graciousness? Probably not. Do I stand a chance of making some good music? Time will tell.

I built my studio from the ground up over the last 9 months with my own two hands. I started with an empty building with concrete floors and an exposed beam ceiling. The building has been structurally functional since the beginning of the year but the technology infrastructure has only been in place for a couple of months. Last week I finally finished the server room and cabling. I can sit at the desk and in absolute silence when the music is not playing.

My gear follows.

My board is a Tascam DM24 combined with a MOTU 2408 mkIII. I interface these with a PC running Sonar2.
My mics...
6 sm57
4 sm58
2 C1000s
2 ECM8000
1 D112

I have access to a Neuman U48 and a U? but haven't bothered to indulge because I'm really just getting a handle on all of this.

I figure a couple of mic pre's would be something that would have rather imediate results but I'm not sure where to begin. I have read about many different units but most likely I will have to focus on something of the vintage nature because the buyer is interested in something eclectic that has investment value (character).

Where should I begin looking? I am aware of many different makes but I don't know models.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

RD
Click to expand...

Way neat...... your one lucky person.

First, I'd ask this same question on the "Rack" board because you'll most likey get more replies there.

Second, I'd call Fletcher at Mercenary Audio and tell him you have about $4000 you'd like to invest in a preamp(s), and ask him to help you find a really cool vintage pre that he thinks will go up in value (like an old Fender) or at least hold it's value over the next 20 or so years.

That's my 2 cents..... good luck you lucky dog. Oh, and you better hope nothing happens to that preamp while it's in your care.........
 
Pendulum MDP-1 and a Toft ATC-2 should handle all necessary duties. The Pendulam for nice tube color, and the Toft for wicked clean.-Richie
 
Richard Monroe said:
Pendulum MDP-1 and a Toft ATC-2 should handle all necessary duties. The Pendulam for nice tube color, and the Toft for wicked clean.-Richie
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Richie,

You've heard the Toft ATC-2? Ive been waiting for a review. Got any details?

Thanks,
Justin
 
Wow!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I have been wondering what general wear and tear might entail. I have many vintage tube amps that are all basically trouble free but the design of a mic pre might be more fragile. I recognize most tube amp failures nearly immediately. There is only so much that can go wrong. Tubes, resistors and caps all have distinctive signs of failure. I've never lost a transformer but I never really push them that hard. I feel pretty comfortable with my respect of gear, especially other peoples' stuff.

So far my experience has been that I really need at least pairs of just about everything. I am torn between two identical pre's and two differently voiced pre's. Two of the same would be good for overheads on drums. Two different units would give many single use options. Currently I am kind of drum focused because it seems to elevate the entire recording quality. I'm not sure how I would be better served.

I don't think a contemporary unit would be out of the question if it was the right unit. He has some boutique guitars and amps in his collection. I will have to do alot of reading.

Thanks, RD
 
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Speaking directly with Fletcher at Mercenary will save a lot of your "reading time". Better to get interactive info from a pro engineer who knows what he's doing.

Chris
 
rcktdg said:
Currently I am kind of drum focused because it seems to elevate the entire recording quality. I'm not sure how I would be better served.
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You should upgrade your mics before spending $2-4000 on preamps. The ECM8000's and C1000's aren't what you need for serious drum miking.
 
Yo RCKTDOG! You're talking about pairs. That's why both of the units I mentioned are 2 channel pres, because I do a lot of stereo recording. Any pre worth having is worth having 2 of.-Richie
 
Wide awake,

You're not kidding! I need mic's in a bad way but they will come. At the moment I have this offer to consider. I figure an sm57 will get alot more opportunity to sound it's best through a great mic pre than it will through a channel of my DM24.

I have it in mind that I would like to get at least 4 MD421's, a pair of 414's and maybe some of these inexpensive LDC's that everyone is so hot for before the end of the year.

I have more patience that money at the moment so I am content to keep learning with what I have and then move ahead when the opportunity arises. If this deal with the mic pre's comes through then I will take it in stride.

Like musical5 said, It's not such a bad problem to have.

Cheers, RD
 
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