Place to rent the expensive stuff?

Jon Nolan · Post by **Jon Nolan** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:34 pm

I was just curious where one can rent some of the crazy expensive gear that people talk about all the time.

vintage U87/67/47's, neve comps, pres, EQ's etc.

i figure it'd be interesting to actually hear for myself, in my own place and with my own music how these mythological pieces sound in comparison to average joe stuff.

my old band did a record at a famous studio for about 9k one time (including mixing). we just got in there and hustled. it came out around the same time that some pals of ours on a well funded indie label put out a record made in the same studio for about $100k (though 30 k went to the producer). they did spend a couple weeks longer than us, and don't get me wrong, their album was/is fantastic, but I just kept thinking about how it wasn't ninety-one thousand dollars(!?) better, you know? i remember thinking that if i ever got an advance of a hundred g's that i'd buy the band a new fatty van, give everybody ten grand each, but some gear to make our own records and spend the rest on mixing/mastering with some ass kickers.

gear lust is so stupid, but i totally fall into the trap all the time. it occured to me that i've never held a frickin' u87 in my hand, nor heard it for myself - same with lots of other whizbang stuff. i was just thinking it'd be good to be rid of the myth BS, and either know that this stuff really is the shit, or go 'cool, ok, well it sounds amazing, but fuck it i can buy ten _____ instead.' know what i mean?

anyone else rent some of the elite gear for a session at their rinky dink recording joint? just thinkin'...

cheers,
Jon

jmoose · Post by **jmoose** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:46 pm

Most of the big rental houses in NYC are gone now, the markets changed that much in the last 5-10-15 years.

I'd start buy calling some of your local studios and see who's got what around. Maybe you can either rent the gear directly or book a few hours and see what it's all about in their shop.

Baring that, Blackbird in Nashville has a pretty insane rental shop & there was a dude passing postcards around at TapeOp Con but I can't remember who or what his company was...

Mane1234 · Post by **Mane1234** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:53 pm

You can always just plop down a credit card. Most places have a 30 day return policy. Of course if you do something to it then you just bought yourself some new gear.

dpiper · Post by **dpiper** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:18 pm

Jon -

There is a place in Hingham, MA that specializes in backline gear for large live gigs. They don't have lots of expensive Neumann mics, but they have some great instruments. On different occasions I have rented a drum set, a bunch of latin percussion instruments, a pair of Shure SM 81's, and a great vintage P-Bass. Most of their business is going to large concert venues and actually setting the stuff up. But they have always been happy to deal with me if the equipment was unused and I offered to drive down and pick it up myself. The gear was always well maintained - fresh drum heads, etc., and I've never had any problems.

PS- saw you at Club Passim a while back; glad to know you are still makin' music up there in NH!

Dave

Jon Nolan · Post by **Jon Nolan** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:03 am

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info. Maybe I will just book some time somewhere and screw around a bit. I guess I'd be paying anyway, right? I see Q Division in Boston has a bunch o' crazy shite.

Cheers,
Jon

ps - right on dave! if you see me again, please do say hello...

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:21 am

www.dreamhire.com

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

jmoose · Post by **jmoose** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 10:44 am

Mane1234 wrote:You can always just plop down a credit card. Most places have a 30 day return policy. Of course if you do something to it then you just bought yourself some new gear.

That'a GREAT way to piss off the dealers...

Personally I'd rather be friends with them so that when something blows up I can get a loner piece.

I found that TapeOp card...never tried the place, don't know anything about them but it's an outlet.

www.whitegoldsoundsystem.com

Blade · Post by **Blade** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:44 am

This is my two cents worth.....

Throughout my musical career, i've got to play with all the old gear, including old fairchild compressors.....etc.....you name it and I've played with it.

With the advancement of technology, these pieces are overhyped in my opinion. Not to say they aren't great, but you know.......

For me, this is the bottom line.....IT'S NOT THE GEAR, BUT THE EAR!

I've made some better recordings with cheaper gear, than using the old standards.

One thing I will hype for all of us DAW users......A/D conversion is very important.
That is one area that I can tell a huge difference in. I will tell anyone that they should spend a few grand on a great converter (my choice: APOGEE), before spending it on a Neumann microphone, a pre amp, etc......

There is my rant....

Rock on!

-B

asylumdigital · Post by **asylumdigital** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:12 pm

I dunno, that White Gold place didn't really have much worth renting. Seems kinda silly. If I am gonna rent something, it damn sure aint gonna be an RNC... They just seem kinda "off-the-shelf" to me.

jmoose · Post by **jmoose** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:34 pm

I hadn't looked at it until now, but yeah...that selection is kinda weak. The instruments & amps seem to go deeper then the recording gear...

E Car · Post by **E Car** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:15 pm

"vintage U87/67/47's, neve comps, pres, EQ's etc."

I have a vintage M49 clone made in '59 with an early 60s Neumann M7 capsule and Telefunken 701 tube. A pair of KM84is, a u87ai (I'm looking for an older U87 if you know of anyone selling one--should have one in a couple weeks). Also have a Royer SF-12 stereo ribbon, a 414, an RE20, 421, and the lowly Shure.

I have a pair of Brent Averill racked Neve 1272s, Quad Eight MM71 channel strips, a V72, an Apogee Ensemble, a TRP (The Ribbon Pre), an original API 321 and an Ampex MX-10 modded for four outputs.

No comps yet but I'm looking into an STC-8 or a Manley Vari-Mu. Although I may get a summing bus first. Not yet convinced that anyone in Chicago is looking to rent high end EQs.

By the way, if there's anything anyone would like to rent, I'd love to hear suggestions. The last person who made a suggestion, I went out and bought it.

All the best,

Eben Carlson

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Place to rent the expensive stuff?

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