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I've got this Soundcraft "16 into 2" mixer, probably from the early seventies? It was owned by Elliott Smith though I doubt he ever used it. I imagine he was thinking of modding it for direct outs on the pres? It has 16 channels of mic pres (no line in or out), with simple EQ, and one aux send and stereo buss. Has two line outs for the mix out, and VU meters. Certainly was a live sound board. Looks crazy cool. Is packed in an aluminum flight case, and seems to be converted to 110 v. I haven't used it but assume it works? It's unusual.

I have no idea what to charge for this thing. Mixmasters in Australia suggested a couple of grand. Make an offer. I'm unloading it for the family.

email me and I'll email you photos. I can't figure out how to post photos on my own site...

larry@tapeop.com

Hey LArry, dont mean to be a used gear classified add monger, but dontcha think for a 'couple thousand' and being an audio guy you could at least try it out and give confirmation that it works?

swingdoc wrote:Hey LArry, dont mean to be a used gear classified add monger, but dontcha think for a 'couple thousand' and being an audio guy you could at least try it out and give confirmation that it works?

ummm dude, it belonged to Eliot Smith, you can afford to drop a couple of grand for that surely?

I dunno, does that mean it works for sure? I dont get it. Honestly. Sorry am I missing somethin or just being naive or something here?

Trust me - this thing will be oozing voo-doo. Every damn fader will be dripping with the ES magic. Probably some fan will pay that much just to furnish their living room Elliott Smith shrine with it. Heck, I reckon even if the thing were hollow, totally de-gutted it could fetch in the region of 5k. Dammit, if I didn't have to spend on a 3rd hand Ford Focus I'd probably be considering this bargain myself.

TapeOpLarry wrote:Mixmasters in Australia suggested a couple of grand.

I'd totally take them up on that crazy offer if i were you. Did they mention how they wanted to pay? Fosters?

OM15.2 wrote:Fosters?

Australian for Gear.

dwlb wrote:

OM15.2 wrote:Fosters?

Australian for Gear.

Sorry, I'll try to see if it works. I assume someone buying it would be doing so to make it into preamps or such. I can't imagine much use for this thing beyond that or mixing live sound in a vintage style.

fromthecurve wrote:

dwlb wrote:

OM15.2 wrote:Fosters?

Australian for Gear.

australian for, we'll export this piss water to the yanks.

seems like bobard is right - if you're making some money for the family with this, you can prolly make selling it on ebay to fans than on the tomb to recording geeks.

As busy as he is, I think it is really cool that Larry has offered to help find it a home and give the TOMB first dibs on this desk. It would keep it in Elliott's extended recording family, and continue a tradition that the two of them started. Regular readers may remember that almost nine years ago, in Tape Op #10, Mr. Smith brought Larry a massive Quad-Eight that was in turn offered first dibs to the subscribers. I am grateful to have had the chance to get issue two from Larry and to know Elliott when he was alive, so in a completely geeky way, I think this is kinda bittersweet and beautiful. I hope it finds a good home and makes some more history.

littlesongs wrote:As busy as he is, I think it is really cool that Larry has offered to help find it a home and give the TOMB first dibs on this desk.

Yes, and it's great that he's helping the family. But to that end, "I don't know if this works" tends to drive the price down when it's part of a used-gear ad. And I'll go with it--but still pay less--when the seller is some estate-sale guy that specializes in furniture and dishes and just happens to have found an old crystal mic in the attic, but when the seller is a recording engineer?

I hope it finds a good home as well. I'd just like to know if it works before dropping "a couple of grand" on it. Peace.

I would completely agree that two grand for a piece of gear with no assurance of functionality is a huge risk. I also concur that it is not too much to ask a feller like Larry to fire things up. That said, it is important to note that "two grand" was a suggestion, and his role in this sale is as a third party, and I would readily assume, without financial interest.

Mr. Crane has a new home in a new state and a new studio in Portland to worry about this very moment, so please cut him a bit of slack. I think that under normal circumstances, when he is merely busy as hell, he might have had an afternoon to dedicate to testing this gear before he posted.

We have kept this thread going, so perhaps somebody with two grand and other resources will step forward. Like buying a used car in the same price range, a local buyer would probably be given an opportunity to paw, poke and plug it in. I think somebody ought to toss out a reasonable offer, and see where it goes.

littlesongs wrote:Mr. Crane has a new home in a new state and a new studio in Portland to worry about this very moment, so please cut him a bit of slack. I think that under normal circumstances, when he is merely busy as hell, he might have had an afternoon to dedicate to testing this gear before he posted.

I'm sorry, I had no idea we were being so unreasonable.