17th June 2007
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#1 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Suburban Chicago
Posts: 863
Thread Starter  | Got myself a 1975 vintage API 3288!!!
I still have to pinch myself to make sure this is real! 
I took a quick road trip from Chicago to Seaford, NY last week to pick up a van full of vintage goodness. I bought a 1975 API 3288 console from a great guy with a shi*ty landlord story. After 20 some years in the same space, Michael, owner of Coyote Recording Studios, decided not to pay the NEAR TRIPLE rent increase his jag0-off landlord proposed to him. He decided to close up shop and free-lance. His desk was put into storage at the end of March 2007. We agreed on a price and I made the 830 mile trip out there this past Tuesday. Left home at 6:15am and arrived at Michael's around 8:30pm Tuesday night. We checked out the desk Tuesday night, made a wire-transfer Wednesday morning, loaded up and I hit the road around 12:30pm. I drove my as* off and got home around 12:45 Thursday morning. I think I was on a coffee and gear high!!! 
The tough thing is, the beast is 94" long and won't make the turn going down into my basement studio. I have to cut the bastard into 2 sections and re-join it once it's in my space. I did much research before this purchase, knowing that I would have to do this major surgery on this beautiful vintage desk. I was told by almost all the usual sources that "it can't be done". It's impossible they all said. I sent an e-mail to a good man and fellow gs, who use to own API, and he said, "won't be easy but most definitely can be done".
Michael had all the eq's, routing modules, center section/control modules and monitor return section modules removed, bubble wrapped and in a flight case for storage. I have been stripping all the faders, buss faders, monitor faders, meters and all the 325 and other amps off this weekend. The plan is to separate the "guts" just to the left of the pacthbay. I will build 2 new wooden cabinet/frames and take the massive wire harness, metal frame and pcb guts as one unit, and re-install them. Paul said this is the easiest spot to make the separation. After working on and studying the desk for the past 3 days (in my spare time), he is most definitely right. It is the spot where there is the least amount of wires and pcb's connecting to the other side.
Before getting intimate with this thing, I first thought of keeping the existing wooden/laminated frame and reusing it. Today I decided that I will remove and reinstall the buckets and guts. It appears that the desk was built working from right to left. They must have built a wooden furniture type box and started adding metal work to it. I thought it was actual buckets built then joined together like a Neve or SSL, but it is not. It's like they built the far right bucket and started "adding" on to it right to left. Kind of weird but loaded with 2520's and transformers! 
Anyhow, thought some of you slutz might be interested in my "project". Before anyone asks me, yes it very difficult to work on this thing with a contsant "gear hard-on"!!! I feel very euphoric still. Kind of like the morning after your 1st lay. I hope it never fades away.
BTW, Michael is a great guy who has worked with some great artists over the years. I kinda felt bad about buying his desk but I got over that before I hit the George Washington Bridge! Good luck Michael. 
Here are some pics for all you gear pervs. Note the massive card cage with all the 325's. The last pic is one that Michael took before storage. The eq load is 24-550b's and 8-560b's. No original 550a's but I guess I will have to make do!
Wish me luck, Jeff
__________________  Visit our Internet Store featuring EA replica A*P*I transformers, killer aluminum knobs and more...www.classicapi.com  GroupDIY 51x Racks | 
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17th June 2007
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#2 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Suburban Chicago
Posts: 863
Thread Starter |
This pic didn't seem to upload the first time.
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17th June 2007
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#3 | | Gear nut
Joined: Jan 2007 Location: San Diego
Posts: 125
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nice!
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17th June 2007
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#4 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Dec 2004 Location: In a house
Posts: 1,378
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Are you going to mix ITB?
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17th June 2007
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#5 | | Gear maniac
Joined: May 2004 Location: Tulsa
Posts: 234
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Maaaan that's beautiful!
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17th June 2007
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#6 | | Gear Guru
Joined: Nov 2005 Location: S.Carolina
Posts: 12,236
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Now that is a REAL peice of art..........damn im jealous , only BOX you need is a box full of cigars to smoke while you admire that damn console. The Chicago boy scored HUGE...
I Stoled your 177 jpeg and put it on my desk top....sweet, I will send money for the usage of the photo, im sure its patent.
__________________ Don't Fu*k with my Tone !!!.
I need a spell check app  Harrison~ Neve~ API~ BAE~ Dan Alexander~ Fuchs~ John Hardy~ JLM~ Urei/UA | |
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17th June 2007
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#7 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Suburban Chicago
Posts: 863
Thread Starter | Quote:
Originally Posted by CorkyTart  Are you going to mix ITB? | Good one! I don't even own any of that shit! Don't plan on PT either. I do have 2 RADARS. I guess they are boxes.
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17th June 2007
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#8 | | Lives for gear
Joined: May 2005 Location: Hollyweird
Posts: 8,414
| Zaza, what is your agenda?
Quote:
Originally Posted by zaza Now that is a REAL peice of art..........damn im jealous , only BOX you need is a box full of cigars to smoke while you admire that damn console. | I really don't understand. What is your point with what is now obviously a Pacifica vendetta?
You had a chance to use it, it wasn't for you, you expressed your opinion... fair enough. Beyond that, everything else smacks of an agenda and seems to serve no real function. People know your opinion, end of story. 
Please, this type of behaviour isn't making this a better forum.
-a
P.S. I'm referring to your new signature... negative for negative sake re pacifica.
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17th June 2007
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#9 | | Gear addict
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 465
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Dude, cut the walls!!...of the house!! Nice by the way.
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17th June 2007
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#10 | | Gear Guru
Joined: Nov 2005 Location: S.Carolina
Posts: 12,236
| Quote:
Originally Posted by vin-gear Good one! I don't even own any of that shit! Don't plan on PT either. | lol
Dude you made my weekend !!
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17th June 2007
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#11 | | Gear addict
Joined: Jan 2007 Location: Australia
Posts: 337
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I just love seeing stuff like this.
She's a stunner. A real head turner.
Congratulations!!!
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17th June 2007
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#12 | | Banned
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 56
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Jeff,cut some walls out,blast a new window, something.....Do not get the saws out just yet,hold on.
Great desk!!!
Call me..
Peace
BT
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17th June 2007
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#13 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Suburban Chicago
Posts: 863
Thread Starter |
Believe me, I have tried thinking of everything. Including paying for a commercial space. My buddy Dave (Long Live Analog), suggested new exterior stairs and a door for the basement. My wife would kick me out for sure! I still can't believe she let me pull this deal off! No chance of moving walls or doors inside. I'm not scared. I think it will even be better than before. The working with wood stuff is what I do to support this big gear problem I have. New construction will be all real walnut, not plastic laminate. Some hobby I got huh???
Hey BT, don't be offended by the PT slam. Do you think you can work OTB you ITB lover????  | |
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17th June 2007
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#14 | | Gear Guru
Joined: Nov 2005 Location: S.Carolina
Posts: 12,236
| Quote:
Originally Posted by vin-gear Believe me, I have tried thinking of everything. Including paying for a commercial space. My buddy Dave (Long Live Analog), suggested new exterior stairs and a door for the basement. My wife would kick me out for sure! I still can't believe she let me pull this deal off! No chance of moving walls or doors inside. I'm not scared. I think it will even be better than before. The working with wood stuff is what I do to support this big gear problem I have. New construction will be all real walnut, not plastic laminate. Some hobby I got huh???
Hey BT, don't be offended by the PT slam. Do you think you can work OTB you ITB lover???? | PUT UP STEEL DOORS EVERYWHERE WITH DEAD BOLTS ON BOTH SIDES AND HIRE A SECURITY PERSON TO KEEP PROWLERS FROM STEALING THIS MASTERPIECE FOR NOW.
YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO FIND IT AT THE LOCAL PAWN SHOP...LOL | |
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17th June 2007
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#15 | | Banned
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 56
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Jeff no offense taken believe me,just a means to an end.I need to slow down soon.I would talk to Bruce before you do anything,but walnut does sound nice.I am looking forward to hearing the desk.
Peace
BT
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17th June 2007
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#16 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2002 Location: Seattle USA
Posts: 2,876
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Awesome! Have fun with that beautiful creature.
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17th June 2007
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#17 | | Pragmatic Snob
Joined: Oct 2004 Location: The Land of Sunshine
Posts: 12,005
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f**k me. gorgeous, simply gorgeous.
of all the desks on the planet, that's the one i want most.
gregoire
del
ubk
.
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17th June 2007
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#18 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2003 Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 644
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Very nice purchase. You will be in API heaven whenever you get it going.
Sorry to see Coyote close. Always sad when that happens to a studio that has been around that long.
I picked up a 414 with C-12 capsule from Michael. He was great to deal with.
Todd
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17th June 2007
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#19 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jan 2006 Location: San Fransisco , BayArea
Posts: 2,250
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Are those 560 Graphic EQs at the top ?
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17th June 2007
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#20 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,228
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Aah man that thing is beautiful!
I like the idea of a studio with no computer screens.
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17th June 2007
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#21 | | Moderator
Joined: Feb 2004 Location: Boston,MA Providence,RI
Posts: 16,335
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Nice console.   | |
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17th June 2007
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#22 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: LOS ANGELES
Posts: 3,829
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now thats a desk  | |
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17th June 2007
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#23 | | Gear maniac
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 233
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by the time you pull it apart and put it together, how much is it going to set you back?
im curious to how much this desk is worth and how much you got it for.
do you still need to recap it or something or is it good to go?
would it be cheaper to cut a hole on the wall than modify the desk?
do these desks lose value if you start cutting it up in pieces or people dont care and just care about the electronics not to be modified.
are these desks as good as a mackie 24/8 buss desk.  e
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17th June 2007
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#24 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2005 Location: LOS ANGELES
Posts: 3,829
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[QUOTE=
are these desks as good as a mackie 24/8 buss desk. e[/QUOTE]
if you don't know the answer to that you should be banished from gearslutz 4ever  | |
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17th June 2007
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#25 | | Gearslutz.com admin
Joined: Apr 2002 Location: A Yank in London, UK |
Wow! Fantastic!
Good luck with your "saw trick" | |
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17th June 2007
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#26 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jan 2007 Location: portugal
Posts: 1,140
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Tony Belmont and his smiley icons...
Me and my cereal....
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17th June 2007
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#27 | | Gear addict
Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Berlin
Posts: 307
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Congrats!
Too bad she has to be sawed in two.
As someone said above wouldn't it be easier and quicker to just
tear up a wall. I mean what's a wall compared to this?
br
Michael
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17th June 2007
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#28 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Philadelphia PA
Posts: 2,805
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Kerr Dude, cut the walls!!...of the house!! Nice by the way. | That's what I was thinking. Any way to take out the wall for an afternoon..??
It's just a little drywall, 2x4's, spackle, & paint!! 
__________________
Andrew
"This game is really about being consistently "upper mediocre" on a regular basis. Brilliant on occasion and damn near never sucking" - Fletcher | |
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17th June 2007
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#29 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Suburban Chicago
Posts: 863
Thread Starter |
The modifications I would have to do to the house are to a 10" concrete foundation wall. The exterior concrete stairs would have to have to be at least 5' wide in order to make the turn at the bottom...maybe wider. This would involve excavation, concrete work, drywall, carpentry, electrical, painting and probably a few other things I'm forgetting. Oh, a divorce for sure! Not to mention building inpsections and permits.
All of the above requires outside subcontractors. The new "furniture frames" are 100% me. I already have the pcb for the monitor section disconnected. It is a nothing more than about 8 wires to resolder, a bunch of Molex connectors and some screws. Actually there are alot of pop-rivets used in the metal work. This I think is very odd. But it was 1975. These will be drilled out and replaced with screws where needed.
Hey ZAZA, it took 6 guys to unload this desk from the van. 6 strong guys and we still almost busted a nut. Keep in mind that all the modules you can see were already removed (except the faders). It is an unbelievable amount of dead weight. 2 guys can hardly dead lift the flight case full of modules. Once this desk is "installed", the ONLY way out is for it to be disassembled at the "joint" I'm putting in. It will NEVER end up in a pawn shop. If that happens, I will come and look at your 500 racks first!!!
Oh yeh, this classic sounds just like a Mackie. That's why you always hear that the top 3 consoles in the world are not Neve, SSL and API they are Neve, SSL and Mackie.
Jeff
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17th June 2007
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#30 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Bahstahn, MA
Posts: 2,700
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that console's been for sale for some time. getting close to a year. it's a real shame what happened to coyote. 'twas a cool room with a great deal of history.
i'd heard the new lease was four times as much per month, but i guess three sounds a LITTLE more believable.
i've got a handful of pictures of this desk. let me find them.
many congrats, by the way. keep her purring for many many years.
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