At the heart of the control room is our vintage, custom 53 series Neve. At 36 channels, it is the compact sibling of the legendary 80 series consoles, such as the one featured in the “Sound City” documentary. These consoles all share the same uncompromising commitment to quality, being hand-built to the highest design specifications of the day, arguably the high water mark of analogue audio design.
These esoteric vintage consoles usually have an interesting past, and this one is no exception: it was originally ordered by Granada TV for their studio in Manchester, and used from the late 70’s through to the 90s for live music broadcasts, with bands such as 808 State, The Stone Roses and Joy Division, with maybe just a touch of Coro St and Eastenders on the side…
After being decommissioned (a digital console would have taken it's place!), it was purchased by Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, who shipped it to LA and had it installed in his personal studio. There it was fully recapped, and then used to make several albums, before, one can only surmise, his wife grew tired of the studio in the family home and made him sell it! Cesar's home troubles became The Lab's gain, and we took delivery of it in 2006, and haven't looked back. For the Neve trainspotters, the unique works order number is A5831…
Mic Pres
Neve 33119 (x26 in console)
Neve 33115 (x10 in console)
DIYRE Neve 1292 x2
API 3124+ (4 pres)
Studio Electronics Pre 2
Hariball Lola x2
TL Audio EQ2 (has 2 preamps)
Universal Audio 6176
Microphones
AKG* C12 x2 (clones)
AKG C414EB x2 (brass CK12 capsules)
AKG C414 TLii
AKG C451
Coles 4038 x2
Neumann* U47 (clone)
Neumann U67 x 2
Neumann U87x2
Neumann SM69fet
Neumann* U87x2 (clones)
Neumann* m49bx2 (clones)
Neumann M147
Neumann* KM84 x6 (clones)
Pearl CR55 x2
Rode NT2 x2
Neumann* Fet47 (United Audio clone)
AKG D112
AKG D224 x2
AKG D202ES x5
AKG D5600 x4
AKG D190
AKG D130 (omni)
AKG D1000
Audix D1, D2, D3 & D4
Audix OM3
EV RE635A
EV RE20
Beyerdynamic M88
Beyerdynamic M201 x2
Beyerdynamic M380
Beyerdynamic TG-X 50 (looks like M380)
Sennheiser MD421 x4
Sennheiser 609
Shure SM57 x4
Shure SM58s
Shure SM7 x2
Shure SM91
Countryman Type 72 DI
Whirlwind Passive DI x2
DOD Passive DI x2
Pro Co Passive DI
Behringer active keyboard DI
Recording Medium
Pro Tools HD, via 48 channels of Apogee AD/DA 16X
No tape. That train has not just left the station, the service has been cancelled too.
Dynamics/EQ
ADR F760X-RS Compex Compressor/Limiter x2 Buzz Audio DBC
DBX 160 VU x2
EL8-X Distressor x2 JLM LA 500A x2
MXR Dual Limiter
Neve 2254/E x2
SSL 4000 stereo buss compressor (clone)
Sontec 250EQ (clone) x2
Studio Electronics C2S TL Audio EQ2
Universal Audio LA3A x2
Universal Audio 6176
Urei 1176 x2 (blackface/Rev.D)
Urei* 1176 x2 (Hairball Rev.D)
Urei 1178
Reverb/FX
Aphex Aural Exciter Type B
Eventide H3000 Ibanez AD 220
Korg SDD-1000 Delay
Roland SDE-2000 Delay
Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo
Yamaha REV5
Monitoring
JBL LSR28P JBL LSR32
Yamaha NS10 Behringer HP16 Personal Monitoring System
Instruments
Danemann grand piano Fender Rhodes (suitcase) Wurlitzer 200A
Kramer upright “character” piano
Hammond C3 with Leslie 147
Roland Juno 60
Korg MS20
Yamaha DX7
Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, 1974
ESP ”Navigator” ‘59 Les Paul, 1982
Gibson SG Standard, 1998
Gibson Les Paul Special (Double Cut, P90s)
Fender Telecaster ‘52 reissue
Fender Telecaster Deluxe ‘65 reissue
Fender Stratocaster x3 (‘54, ‘62 & ‘69 style)
Fender P Bass (‘54 reissue) Fender P Bass (‘62 reissue) Greco Brian May Red Special Tama acoustic (‘70s MIJ Martin D25 copy)
Yamaha FG75 (high strung)
Guitar & Bass Amps
Fender Twin (AB763, handwired) Fender Deluxe Reverb (AB763 handwired)
Fender Bassman (AB165, handwired)
Fender* 5E3 Tweed Deluxe (handwired clone)
Fender* 5F1 Tweed Champ (handwired clone) Jansen Bassman 35 head LAB Series bass head
Marshall JMP Handwired 90’s Reissue (1959 Superlead),
Marshall JMP ‘74 (1987 Lead)
Marshall JCM800 ‘82 (4010 1x12 combo)
Marshall Silver Jubilee (2554 1x12 combo)
Vox AC15 HW1X
Marshall 1960A (Greenbacks) & 1960B (Classic 30’s) quad boxes
Drums, etc
Premier, (blue grey pearl) early 70s mahogany, 20" kik, 16” & 12” toms.
Premier (purple), early 70s mahogany, 22" kik. 16” & 12” toms.
Rogers Londoner (white), mid 70s maple, 22” kik, 16”, 13”, & 12” toms
Ludwig Supraphonic (‘70s)
Pearl Sensitone Elite brass snare
Premier brass 6.5” (70’s)
Rogers Dynasonic 5” (1980)
Rogers Super 10 5” (mid ‘70s)
Slingerland wooden (‘64)
Plus lots of other things too numerous to list.
Zildjian A hi-hats, 18” crash, 24” sweet ride.
Zildjian K Custom Dark set, 14” hats, & 18” crash, 22” ride.
Zildjian K Custom Session 17” Crash
Zildjian K 20” Crash Ride
Zildjian K 20” Sweet Crash
Zildjian K 17” Dark Crash (x2)
Paiste Dark Energy hi hats.
Paiste 2002 20” ride
Please note that the crashes are only available to drummers who play relatively lightly.
DW 9000 & 5000 kik pedals.
