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crochambeau wrote:Most of the rack gear you see are old mid century oscillators, originally test (ala HP) or medical (Grass Instruments stimulators).

Now that's a real mad scientist lab/studio. May I ask what you've got planned for the Grass Instruments equipment if not for use in neurophysiology? Spend a lot of years working in that field. Have you managed to adapt the neurostimulators for audio use as tube based VCOs? Or is a polygraph test a prerequisite for all RMA product returns?

Don't tell me you have one of these as well? Perhaps next to your filing cabinets?

The Grass Stimulators are literally just pulse generators, but it's a nice and dirty pulse (when compared to say, Tektronix or HP) and so long as I avoid the upper voltage ranges (it'll output 150 volts if I ask it to) they mate well with audio. If anyone has a tubed Grass I'm happy to answer questions (as I've glossed over a couple more potentially dangerous aspects regarding front panel stuff). My kid likes go in the studio and play rocket ship, so I've gotten in the habit of checking controls before power up.

Regarding VCO, the oscillators will soft sync to a source strong enough (in voltage), so it's possible, but a very convoluted maze to get there. I have a couple tubed VCOs made by Dymec (subset of HP) but they have mechanical chopper/vibratorss on the tubed operational amplifiers and make too much racket for me to use them.

The Grass collecting started with interest in the polygraph preamplifiers as a source of CV from body electrodes, but I never pursued the idea - they distort nicely though, so they can stay.. some day I'll play around with it. So far the RMA returns have worked well with the honour system, hahaha. I've had two returns to date - one for repair/further refinement on a custom build and another was a trade up for a wider feature set. So, no polygraph! (buy with impunity! hahaha)

Is that a memory bank from an old computer? Or a delay line? I feel like I've seen it somewhere on line, but no, nothing that crazy is underfoot. I kind of stopped buying the big old stuff once transit costs skyrocketed. Winning a ten dollar auction no longer feels like a victory when shipping is over a hundred dollars.

crochambeau wrote:Is that a memory bank from an old computer? Or a delay line? I feel like I've seen it somewhere on line, but no, nothing that crazy is underfoot.

It's a mercury delay line memory tank from a UNIVAC I computer. Glad it isn't underfoot on account of the mercury, especially with kids around.
http://www.computerhistory.org/revoluti ... 5/100/1474

I saw a Grass S8 once and thought there were both power amp and preamp tubes inside. Always wondered if it could be converted to a guitar amp like people have done with Bell & Howell Filmosound projector amps?

crochambeau wrote:The Grass collecting started with interest in the polygraph preamplifiers as a source of CV from body electrodes, but I never pursued the idea - they distort nicely though, so they can stay.. some day I'll play around with it.

A wearable CV controller for live performance? You mean I could wear a beanie with electrodes and plug my brain into the CV input of a Dirty Doper?

dunbine wrote:I saw a Grass S8 once and thought there were both power amp and preamp tubes inside. Always wondered if it could be converted to a guitar amp like people have done with Bell & Howell Filmosound projector amps?

Not without extensive modifications, the Grass stuff would be a lousy platform for amplification.

dunbine wrote:A wearable CV controller for live performance? You mean I could wear a beanie with electrodes and plug my brain into the CV input of a Dirty Doper?

Hahaha, exactly!

Progress!

lol. didna realize when you said that you were building a studio you meant BUILDING A STUDIO, space and all.

NICE.

how large is it going to be?

what's your aim? setup for a band to record? in pieces or all at the same time? space for just you?

DEETS SON. DEETS.

Is it safe to say you'll be tightening up the stud spacing to something a little more structural than 48" on center?

Looks good, cosign the deets request!

This is the current situation. Hopefully adding a bunch of stuff next year.

knobs knobs knobs.

cool stuff homie!

what else are you looking to add?

knooobs Cheers mate!
Well, first up is a new bass (I have my eye on a Reverend Thundergun atm), coupla pedals, most likely another synth and some outboard shit like compressors, eq's and preamps. We'll see

behndy wrote:is there already a thread like this? COULD NOT FIND.

what's everybody's home setup like? murrrrrrrp?

my basic thinger right now -



and the little sideboard for pedals (through the Aux Send on the tiny mixer) -

What brand of mixer is that on the table? On the hunt for a small mixer.

actualidiot wrote:This is the current situation. Hopefully adding a bunch of stuff next year.

What is that rotary console-y thing in the upper left corner? Looks rad! ROWS OF KNOBS. BOING.

Behndy—I'd also like to know about your little mixer and how you like it...

popvulture wrote: What is that rotary console-y thing in the upper left corner? Looks rad! ROWS OF KNOBS. BOING.

It's a 78/79 BOSS KM-60. Got it last week, mainly cause bass>pedals>audio interface sounds kinda shite. It overdrives quite nicely, so it's also good for adding character to synths, summing drum loops through, etc.

That Boss mixer bears a striking resemblance to the Tapco 6200 range. Nice find!

behndy wrote:lol. didna realize when you said that you were building a studio you meant BUILDING A STUDIO, space and all.

NICE.

how large is it going to be?

what's your aim? setup for a band to record? in pieces or all at the same time? space for just you?

DEETS SON. DEETS.

this. ^

we all gotta jam sometime since we're all out in the east bay.