Over the course of our 20+ years in dealing with vintage gear, we've seen some incredible things. The latest additions to our list of favorites are two consoles that have incredible history in the Nashville music scene. These two historic desks have both been owned by Kevin Augunas at Fairfax Recording, but are now looking for new homes. Continue reading to discover the legendary artists, producers and engineers who have worked on these consoles and learn how they played a major part in country music history
Built for Owen Bradley’s studio, Bradley’s Barn in Nashville, this beautiful vintage
16-channel Altec console has been used on sessions featuring Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Bob Dylan and many more. Fans of country music and beyond will be aware of the contributions made to popular music by Bradley, as his efforts in crafting the Nashville sound throughout the 1950s and 1960s are undeniable. This Altec desk was built in the mid-1960s and utilized by Bradley throughout the remainder of the decade.
Housed in Bradley’s Barn until around 1970, the Altec console was removed just in time, as the studio space eventually burned down. It was stored away for years in a shed until Kevin Augunas found the console during his search for a desk that showcased the classic Langevin and Altec sound. Once Augunas purchased the console, the desk was completely refurbished and restored to its former glory.
Since finding a new home in Studio A of Fairfax Recordings (formerly Sound City Studios), Augunas set straight to work on the desk by mixing The Lumineers self-titled debut album featuring the hit “Ho Hey.” In the time since, the producer, engineer and mixer has worked on a wide range of projects on the console including sessions with Lenny Kravitz, Booker T., Mike Snow, Dave Grohl, Gotye and many more.
The second vintage console with a history in Nashville is a 20-channel Spectra Sonics desk, which was built in the late 1960s for use at the Grand Ole Opry. Eventually, the legendary music institution moved the desk into one of their mobile units so that it could be used for recording outside the auditorium. For the past several years, the Spectra Sonics console has found its home in Studio B of Fairfax Recordings (formerly Sound City Studios), where it has been used by Kevin Augunas for work with Lenny Kravitz, among many other projects for his own record label.
If you're interested in learning more about either of these consoles, please contact our Sales Team via
email or 888.653.1184, and they will be able to give you more information.
