Cheap gear specifically sought after for a sound?

kpaw · 22nd June 2008, 04:57 PM

I'm reading this month's Keyboard magazine. There is an interview with Phil Spector. In it he talks about doing The Stranger LP with Billy Joel. He said that he haunted the local music stores, looking for an Electro-Harmonix Small Stone phaser. He wanted to use one on Just the Way You Are. The rhodes sound is that phaser, nothing more than a cheap stomp box.

Any other similar stories of producers searching for such a cheap piece of gear (I think I paid $45 back in the day for one).

CorkyTart · 22nd June 2008, 05:12 PM

Radio Shack omnidirectional mics for drum rooms at $45

Oldone · 22nd June 2008, 05:34 PM

I knew a mixer in Hollywood, suffice it to say he worked on some of the stones albums. He kept a pedal board of effects nearby which included the Ibanez tube screamer, the AD-80 delay and some others. He would parallel them at mix time on various things. The tube screamer saw a lot of vocal action for rock n roll.

I asked him about the potential noise and he said he kept it to a minimum by using short cable runs and utilizing the AC adapter jack instead of the batteries. However on occasion, the battery sound would be just the ticket for things. They effects were fast, minimum searching for the sound desired versus dialing through a lot of options on an Eventide or Lexicon system. Not as high end sounding but they had the perfect vibe for creating an onstage type of performance.

I have followed his example and keep a bank of pedals nearby for effects.

bgrotto · 22nd June 2008, 06:15 PM

The Shure Level-Loc is a popular item, I believe Tchad Blake uses them quite a bit.

I've gotta old Master Room Mic/Mix Spring reverb that is friggin' killer. Since I acquired it, I've read of quite a few producers and mix engineers use it as a sort of secret weapon.

Weren't Fairchilds considered kinda "cheap" at one point...?

bgrotto · 22nd June 2008, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldone

I knew a mixer in Hollywood, suffice it to say he worked on some of the stones albums. He kept a pedal board of effects nearby which included the Ibanez tube screamer, the AD-80 delay and some others. He would parallel them at mix time on various things. The tube screamer saw a lot of vocal action for rock n roll.

I asked him about the potential noise and he said he kept it to a minimum by using short cable runs and utilizing the AC adapter jack instead of the batteries. However on occasion, the battery sound would be just the ticket for things. They effects were fast, minimum searching for the sound desired versus dialing through a lot of options on an Eventide or Lexicon system. Not as high end sounding but they had the perfect vibe for creating an onstage type of performance.

I have followed his example and keep a bank of pedals nearby for effects.

Do you need to use any Reamp/DI/transformer-in-a-box to interface with your desk, or do you just plug em straight in?

vernier · 22nd June 2008, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Any other similar stories of producers searching for such a cheap piece of gear

I was gettin ready to put bass tracks down, Mike asks if I had a fuzz box ..I said no so he sent out for a Distortion+ ...this was 27 years ago and I thought he was crazy. Sounded great though.
'

deve · 22nd June 2008, 11:02 PM

drums through sans amp classic

Oldone · 23rd June 2008, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgrotto

Do you need to use any Reamp/DI/transformer-in-a-box to interface with your desk, or do you just plug em straight in?

I run out the converters into an old Soundcraft mixer, create a feed to the effects loop and plug my suitcase of effects into that. I use a loopmaster bypass which isolates each effect. This allows me to mix and match. The output then comes back into into the mixer and then back to the converters.

theGeek · 23rd June 2008, 07:31 AM

SM57s and SM58s are pretty cheap and there probably isn't a rock album in existence that doesn't have one or the other somewhere on there.

Full Clip Audio · 23rd June 2008, 07:56 AM

I'd have to say the 3630. I think its a piece of crap but in electronic music people LOVE them. They have actually helped define the sound of multiple genres. The same goes for the old Mackie boards.

dsl · 23rd June 2008, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpaw

I'm reading this month's Keyboard magazine. There is an interview with Phil Spector. In it he talks about doing The Stranger LP with Billy Joel.

No big deal but I think it was Phil Ramone.

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22nd June 2008, 04:57 PM	#1
kpaw Lives for gear Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Jersey Posts: 1,748	Cheap gear specifically sought after for a sound? I'm reading this month's Keyboard magazine. There is an interview with Phil Spector. In it he talks about doing The Stranger LP with Billy Joel. He said that he haunted the local music stores, looking for an Electro-Harmonix Small Stone phaser. He wanted to use one on Just the Way You Are. The rhodes sound is that phaser, nothing more than a cheap stomp box. Any other similar stories of producers searching for such a cheap piece of gear (I think I paid $45 back in the day for one). __________________ http://www.myspace.com/kpawalker "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies...a theft from those who hunger and are not fed." --Dwight D. Eisenhower, speech, 1953

23rd June 2008, 07:31 AM	#9
theGeek Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 537	SM57s and SM58s are pretty cheap and there probably isn't a rock album in existence that doesn't have one or the other somewhere on there. __________________ theGeek A guitar or two... Two amps made by Kevin Chin Two cabs loaded with my favorite speakers

23rd June 2008, 07:56 AM	#10
Full Clip Audio Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Phoenix Posts: 464	I'd have to say the 3630. I think its a piece of crap but in electronic music people LOVE them. They have actually helped define the sound of multiple genres. The same goes for the old Mackie boards. __________________ FCA Myspace

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22nd June 2008, 05:12 PM	#2
CorkyTart Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a house Posts: 1,161	Radio Shack omnidirectional mics for drum rooms at $45

22nd June 2008, 05:34 PM	#3
Oldone Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 696	I knew a mixer in Hollywood, suffice it to say he worked on some of the stones albums. He kept a pedal board of effects nearby which included the Ibanez tube screamer, the AD-80 delay and some others. He would parallel them at mix time on various things. The tube screamer saw a lot of vocal action for rock n roll. I asked him about the potential noise and he said he kept it to a minimum by using short cable runs and utilizing the AC adapter jack instead of the batteries. However on occasion, the battery sound would be just the ticket for things. They effects were fast, minimum searching for the sound desired versus dialing through a lot of options on an Eventide or Lexicon system. Not as high end sounding but they had the perfect vibe for creating an onstage type of performance. I have followed his example and keep a bank of pedals nearby for effects.

22nd June 2008, 11:02 PM	#7
deve Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: istanbul TR Posts: 563	drums through sans amp classic