Thank You !

Would you believe someone heard my call and very kindly hooked me up with some very very nice pictures to put here for y'all. So in the next few days, I will scan and post some classic pictures of the Neve Factory and some PR shots Neve issued in their 1970's brochures.

I've also managed to get my hands on a pair of 2258's which are basically gates. I'm not sure if I will make these part of the console. Instead I think I may rack them, but in order to do this, I need the schematics to figure out the pin configuration (Any help here would be greatly appreciated). and these are the least of my worries !

I also learnt some fascinating information to do with the RTE Radio Centre's initial installation. It seems that times were hard when RTE approached Neve to spec the install of some consoles and talk-back in the early seventies.

Apparently, Neve did a costing, forgetting to include the price of the talk-back systems (I have also learnt that the talk-back on my console, which I won't really have a need for, cost more then the price of the desk at the time !!) and possibly not as a direct result, landed themselves in some serious financial difficulty.

RTE paid for the install in advance and so Neve was saved facing financial ruin !!

Yesterday I had some PVC cut to replace the scribble strip above the faders and I have started to do the first major mod to this console. Major in the sense that it is far from the "Vintage" look this console obviously has.



In the Plastic factory.



The Plastic in place.

Instead of the worn red neon indicator above the faders, I have chosen to replace these with blue recessed leds. These have a nice aluminium sleeve and bring the desk, just a little bit towards the 21st century.

There will be very little mods of this nature, in fact, I think this will be the only one.



Powered up and faders in, just for the preview!

I would love to put digital VU meters for each channel on the bridge but this I fear, would send the cost way over the MAD amount I think this will already cost me......But it would be nice !!





I also learned that the PFL on this console, does not route to the main speaker outputs, instead it routes to a PFL speaker, which may have worked fine for its broadcast use, but will become a small nuisance to me in the future in a studio environment.

I have sent all the lower black panels that cover the base of this console to a spay shop for re-painting as I tried a DIY job that turned out to be disastrous !

**NOTE, cheap spray paints are no good FULL STOP ! You really need a clean environment and a temperature controlled room, otherwise the finish will turn out to be awful. Its amazing how much airborne dirt there is floating about us, sadly for me, most of it landed on the panels the day I sprayed.

Discovered the two Neuman cards I found lurking behind a blank panel are in fact Phanthom power supplies which were used to drive two Neuman microphones the studio this console came from used at the time.


I take delivery of whatever modules I'm getting on Thursday so that will decide a lot for me. I guess I will be able to realistically figure out what this project will cost me.

Anybody need their grass cut ???!!!

A helping hand !

Today I discovered some very interesting details about Rupert Neve's relationship with RTE that I will write about later this week.

I have also discovered a more accurate manufacturing date for this console and I am being led to believe that some of the details I originally posted may be slightly off cue so I have ammended as much as I can, and will continue to do so as I find out more.

So, back to the scribble strip!!

It begins !

Welcome to my blog which I have created to document the restoration of this early seventies Neve Console.



For those just entering the room, this broadcast console came from RTE (Irelands National TV and Radio broadcaster).

RTE was awash with Neve in the late sixties and early seventies but alas, most, if not all of the compressors/limiters, consoles and pre-amps are no longer in service within RTE.

All that remains are eight original 1073 mic pre/eqs.

The rest has either been relocated or was thrown in a skip (I know, I know, I know) Yes, thrown in a skip !

This console was in one of the RTE radio studios (Studio 7) and featured a very substantial customized talk back section routed to OBs, Television Presentation and the various RTE Radio studios.

It was sold last year and since has been stripped and stored with the frame landing in (Raheny) Dublin and the modules making it to the UK.

I discovered the frame on EBay and noticed it was the RTE console (I work there!) by the telephone perched on top in the EBay picture above.

The EQs have been sold, as has the compressor/limiter and at some stage next week, I will take delivery of the remaining modules as they return home from the UK.

I think I have a suss on a compressor/limiter so all that will remain (With fingers crossed!! and aside from the cosmetics and various electronic restores) is to replace the 18, 1073 EQ modules.

So as you finish laughing, I'll leave you with some good and bad news.

The GOOD news, is that Neve has started to re-issue the 1073, rated as being just as good as the older modules, hand built and wound in exactly the same manner and remarkably similar in many ways, in fact, its an identical copy! The only unoriginal part is the audio transformer which Neve has had re-made sounding just as unique.

The BAD news, is that each one will cost me at least €2000 (If I'm lucky!), yes, so doing the math, 18 channels=18 modules X 2000 = €36,000

OH DEAR !!!!!

Not forgetting the price of the comp/limiter I may have a suss on!

So, all in all, to restore this beauty to a working, fully restored, 18 channel super duper 1969 NEVE console, will cost me in the region of.......

SIT DOWN




€40,000


Which considering, is a vintage, one of a kind, and hand built in 1969 "NEVE" console, is pretty cheap !

So in my quest to build one of the ultimate tributes to the legendary Mr Rupert Neve, I"m willing to at least give it a go.

Of course, any help with sourcing 1073's at a good price would be more than appreciated (mark@futurecodeproductions.com) and if you are loaded (With information or cash !!!! ) and like what I'm doing......HELP !!



This is how things started:



All wood stripped, sanded and three coats of clear matt varnish. The front rest has come up remarkably well and so too has the top ledge.



The wooden ends I'm going to have to re-cut so it'll be a while before we see them again.



All black panels underneath have been stripped and are ready for a re-spray. Removed and measured the scribble strip and the plan is to replace it and the "Channel LIVE" LEDs.

Most of the coms panels have been removed as has the machine control you can see in the first picture above.

I have to figure what to do with the main routing module as it houses the studio volume, headphone volumes etc on this panel.

Obviuosly, I need them, but not the custom routing as it relates to the origiinal broadcast options.

I'm trying to source a matching paint to re-spray all the blank panels and modules with. Discovered the name for the famous Neve colour is in fact RAF gun metal grey!!

So at this stage, I have a pretty good idea of how I will configure the "Restored" version of this console.



It looks like I will have room for a 19' rack on the left seem as the Talkback section won't be needed and luckily enough, most of the wiring is in excellent shape, with any of the existing relay cards (Neve b210 and b212) in pretty good shape too.

I found a pair of Neumann cards behind a blank panel that I will have to ask questions about!! (Remember, this console was custom built and had many mods in its lifetime).

I will go into the original design of this board a little more as I find out.

Next up is the scribble strip as it needs to be replaced and while I'm at it, I'm going to replace the channel "Open" LEDS located above the fader. I'm thinking LED blue (Just can't get enough of that colour !!)

More to come next week.