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3rd August 2006, 10:22 PM
| #1 |
| Gear interested  Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 22
| What consoles were used on Thriller? Ok Slutz, question for you: What consoles were used in the tracking and mixing of MJ's Thriller? I've heard Harrisons & API's were installed at Westlake in '82, where and when most of that record was done. I ask this because a highly regarded US dealer is trying to sell me a Trident 80C that was allegedly used to track this record. They're selling it for a high premium presumably based upon the board's provenance (well over $35k, fully recapped and new PSUs). They've even come to call it "the Thriller desk" in correspondence. The problem: according to sources I've found, 80C's were manufactured from 1987-92, obviously long after Thriller was released. I can't imagine this dealer would risk soiling themselves by being intentionally misleading or flat out lying... but it makes me wary that a shop with such a glowing reputation wouldn't be familiar with the product they're selling. Anyone have any thoughts, input, advice? |
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3rd August 2006, 10:28 PM
| #2 |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bahstahn, MA
Posts: 2,480
| thriller was absolutely not done on an 80C. absolutely not. |
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3rd August 2006, 10:30 PM
| #3 |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: nyc / london
Posts: 3,058
| i am curious about thriller = that record has been in heavy rotation this year here at the maid's room....... i wouldn't buy a console because of its connection to a particular record, unless you really thought that record sounded great ! that sounds expensive for a trident to me.......... 35k is a weird number though.......i don't think there are too many great consoles in that price range........ good luck be well - jack |
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3rd August 2006, 10:43 PM
| #4 |
| Gear maniac  Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 295
| I know that a good bit of the album was done at Cherokee as well. Maybe this is the cause of the confusion since they have an A range. |
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3rd August 2006, 10:47 PM
| #5 | |
| Gear interested Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 22
| Quote:
I love the Trident B range, this one IS in immaculate condition and could serve my needs well (and will be getting a thorough cleaning and check prior to delivery if I take it), but you can bet I'm going to be haggling BIG TIME if/when the truth comes out. I'm reminded of that Seinfeld episode...Jon Voight's Le Baron. Caveat emptor to the highest degree! | |
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3rd August 2006, 10:56 PM
| #6 |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 2,480
| I kind of remember Harrison 32c being tossed around as the Thriller console but I'm just speculatiing like everyone else. Resonator might know . . . . If the 80c was indeed manufactured after 1987 it was not the Thriller console. |
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3rd August 2006, 11:42 PM
| #7 |
| Gear maniac Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: LA
Posts: 293
| I know most of Thriller was done at Westlake (on Beverly). I'll ask around and see if I can find out what console was there at the time. Harrison rings a bell with me too. I doubt it was an 80 series, maybe an overdub or two, but not the majority of the record. Steve |
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4th August 2006, 12:03 AM
| #8 |
| Gear addict  Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Redding, CA
Posts: 344
 | $35k seems a bit much. We paid $24k for our 40 input Series 80 fully recapped and shipped. Someone else tried to sell us an 80B and threw around some big names, but they weren't charging a lot more for it...I think it was about the same price. I recommend you buy a reasonably priced Trident and then tell people that the Beatles recorded on it. They did do some work at Trident Studio in London...right?  |
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4th August 2006, 12:05 AM
| #9 |
| Gear interested Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 22
| The more I think about it, the more I'll probably walk from this deal. Unless they come waay down in price. Still, from the getgo, the dealer has touted this board as the console used on Thriller....and I can't help but feel like I've almost been suckered. Out of respect of the fact that people make mistakes I'm loathe to name names, but IMO pulling this kind of stunt (whether it's flat-out lying or using pure conjecture in the sales pitch) is utterly unprofessional, shady as hell, and should be publicly documented. I hope I'm overreacting.  |
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4th August 2006, 12:13 AM
| #10 | |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Seattle USA
Posts: 2,752
| Quote:
__________________ Myspace*Meriphew | |
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4th August 2006, 12:16 AM
| #11 |
| Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: nyc / london
Posts: 3,058
| beat it ! |
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4th August 2006, 12:17 AM
| #12 | |
| Gear interested Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 22
| Quote:
HA! Or Beat It cause they Got to be Startin' Somethin'. *edit* Beat me to it. | |
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4th August 2006, 12:20 AM
| #13 | |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden!
Posts: 1,471
| Quote:
yeah... or just beat it! | |
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4th August 2006, 12:22 AM
| #14 |
| Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden!
Posts: 1,471
| Oops, to slow... BAD of me! |
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4th August 2006, 12:53 AM
| #15 |
| Gear Guru  Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New York City
Posts: 13,019
| Part of it was tracked on a custom mini console by George Massenburg. It was mixed on a modified Harrison 32C(by Deane Jensen) at Westlake. |
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4th August 2006, 01:11 AM
| #16 |
| Gear nut Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 94
| Really? you sound like youre prob right......not to disagree but when I sessioned at westlake I was told it was done on an ssl 4000 at the beverly location |
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4th August 2006, 04:33 AM
| #17 |
| Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,656
| Who's Bad? |
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4th August 2006, 12:26 PM
| #18 | |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NYC
Posts: 1,800
| Quote:
...or unless you knew they hadn't cleaned out all the blow that fell between the modules. "$50k for the desk they recorded _In Through The Out Door_ on... who cares what it sounds like, there's gotta be 5 or 6 grams floating around in the fader pan!" | |
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4th August 2006, 12:57 PM
| #19 |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 1,129
| I wanna' know what dealer told you that!
__________________ If you don't spank it, you can't crank it!  |
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4th August 2006, 02:22 PM
| #20 | |
| Gear maniac  Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Florida
Posts: 164
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http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...9zyxddb8oly~T1 lives down the road from me but I haven't seen him in a few months. When I do see him I'll find out for you. | |
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4th August 2006, 03:16 PM
| #21 | |
| Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 1,129
| Quote:
__________________ If you don't spank it, you can't crank it! | |
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4th August 2006, 04:08 PM
| #22 |
| Gear interested Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 22
| This board is huge, and according to the dealer, was originally installed at Westlake (didn't say which location). "48 in 24 buss 24/48 mon. recapped less than 2 years ago" |
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4th August 2006, 04:29 PM
| #23 |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: MIAMI FLA
Posts: 1,433
| Thats larger than most 80C's...i think its probably worth near the amount asked if it is a factory 48...as opposed to a creation
__________________ harrisaudiosystems.com |
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4th August 2006, 04:37 PM
| #24 |
| Lives for gear  Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Palma+Stuttgart
Posts: 1,244
| a couple of years ago when EQ mag was what it used to be, there was an interview with bruce swedien where he commented that thriller was made on a harrison 32. the very same desk HE's still owning. so stay away from that trident "thriller desk". how could you trust such a vendor? (although maybe the board is in good condition) |
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4th August 2006, 04:44 PM
| #25 |
| Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: beautiful Carlsbad, CA
Posts: 6,614
| Harrison 3232. Well known in LA circles. The mic pre's used were the new Studio Technologies Mic PreEminence, a fine unit one can pick up cheap for around $300 used, designed by Jim Cunningham of Studio Technologies. Jim Williams Audio Upgrades |
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4th August 2006, 05:03 PM
| #26 | |
| Gear interested Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 22
| Quote:
I'd even to be willing to bet that they are members themselves, so sorry if I'm ruffling lurking feathers! I just want a good deal with no bullsh!t. | |
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4th August 2006, 05:11 PM
| #27 | |
| Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 1,129
| Quote:
As for the recap, you might want to verify that. Also, my 80B was supposedly recapped when I got it, but a tech showed me that a lot of the voltages on the caps were too low and there were all kinds of different caps in it (Nichicon, NTE, Xicon, Mallory, Elma, etc.). My tech thought it best to recap with the same kind of cap (Nichicon PW series) at the proper voltages and temperature ratings so that the console would be even across the board. It makes trouble shooting much easier that way. If you're handy with a soldering iron, you can do it yourself. Caps for the input modules on the one you're looking at would probably run you $500-$600. If you do go that route, make sure you spend the $200 or so on a Hako 808 desoldering tool. Trust me on this one! Good luck! -Aaron
__________________ If you don't spank it, you can't crank it! | |
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21st August 2006, 10:46 PM
| #28 |
| Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 755
| Bruce, you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Thriller was recorded and mixed 100% on the Harrison at Westlake. End of story. "Off the Wall" was almost entirely recorded at Allen Zentz Recording in Hollywood. I went to work there in July, 1979 and was immediately thrown into the room assisting for Bruce and Quincy just after that album was completed. It was, of course, the gig of a lifetime and one that I cherish immensely to this day. I will expound on this dream employment in another post for anyone wanting to hear more. Allen Zentz Recording also had a Harrison 4040B console, which was used for recording Off the Wall. I believe that strings and horns for that album were recorded at Cherokee Studios, but aside from those sessions, I believe that Off the Wall was entirely recorded at Allen Zentz. The album, for some reason, was mixed at Westlake (we'd have to have Bruce tell us why that was). In 1983, I ended up purchasing the studio from Allen Zentz, renaming it Image Recording. But that story, too, would be better put forth in another thread.
__________________ The Resonater |
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22nd August 2006, 01:33 AM
| #29 |
| Gear nut  Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Nashville,TN
Posts: 75
| Resonater, Would love to hear more about your early days there. LA's golden age for sure. You started assisting in 79 and bought the place in 83? Now thats movin' up the ladder quick!! Mills Logan Nashville, TN |
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22nd August 2006, 02:44 AM
| #30 | |
| Lives for Jesus  Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: orange county ca.
Posts: 2,938
| Neve desk used on thriler......... ?????????? Quote:
__________________ Steve Perkins Creation Recording Studios .com Take a Kid Fishing Outreach John 3:16 | |
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