EMI Abbey Road REDD.37 Historic Beatles Console

The REDD.37 - A Legend Looks For A New Home

In one of the most coveted recording packages ever assembled, three incredible pieces of historic gear have been brought together for sale. At the heart of the package is Abbey Road Studios' legendary REDD.37 console (one of only three ever created), with this particular model being active in EMI Studio One and utilized on various recording sessions by The Beatles.

The History Of The REDD.37 Console

Based on the REDD.17 built by Peter Burkowitz, the REDD.37 is a continuation of this classic technology, pushed even further by Len Page and the Record Engineering Development Department (REDD) team. The console is constructed from five individual pieces and features an upgrade in the number of tracks and channels, in addition to the use of V72s mic preamps. To meet the 200 ohms impedance requirement utilized by all Abbey Road gear, the desk was specifically modded to fit these preamps, which involved adding a 168 ohm internal resistor.

A Decade Of Creating Timeless Recordings

The REDD.37 console included in this package was built in December 1958, as denoted by its serial number, #58121A (58 – the year, 12- the month). After being moved into EMI Studio One at Abbey Road, the console spent the better part of the next decade in the room and was used during various Beatles sessions from Meet The Beatles through their final release, Let It Be.

Life After Abbey Road Studios

Since the 1990s, this REDD.37 console has been lovingly cared for by Lenny Kravitz, who has kept the desk in pristine condition. Whether you’re looking to own a piece of history or trying to capture the magic of the 1960’s London rock scene in your studio, this REDD.37 package is the ultimate combination of function, form and style.

Vintage Tape Machines With Pedigree

Aside from the REDD.37 console, this package also features two equally historic tape machines, including the EMI/Abbey Roads Studios No.7 Studer J37. As one of only eight tape machines used at Abbey Road Studios, this piece of equipment was revolutionary, as it allowed producers and engineers to bounce tracks and pull-off accurate drop-ins while overdubbing. The Studer J37 is a four-track 1” multi-track tape machine, which records at both 7.5ips and 15ips, and features 52 tubes in its design. This make-up includes four record amplifiers, each with two ECC188 tubes, and four reproduce amplifiers, each with three ECC188s and an E283CC. The frequency response at 15ips was spec’d at 30Hz to 15kHz (+/-2dB).

The second tape machine included in this package is a Studer C37, which is a two-track stereo master recorder that runs 1/4 inch tape. As the predecessor to the J37, the C37 was released in the early 1960s and maintained its status as a studio favorite until being phased out in the 1970s. This tape machine records at both 7.5ips and 15ips, features the original C37 resin-body heads, offers balanced XLR input and output, CCIR – NAB selectable equalization and modular tube electronics, with independent Dual-Mono Rec and Play boards.

Brand: EMI

Model: REDD.37

Year of Manufacture: 1958

Pedigree/History: Abbey Road Studio 1

General Specs:

• 8 ch. mic/line channel inputs
• Full set of 8 "Pop" interchangeable EQ cartridges
• Full set of 8 "Classic" interchangeable EQ cartridges
• 4 bus
• 4 ch. monitor returns
• 4 ch. echo returns
• 2 ch. direct inject line input to bus
• 2 Echo sends per channel
• 2 Cue sends per channel
• Control room output
• Studio loud speaker output
• Patchbay: Built-in Siemens branded with Tuchel to XLR breakout cables
• Original manual: Included
• Tech report: Available
• Approximate Weight: 800 lb
• Dimensions: 132 cm (51.9 in) x 53 cm (20.9 in) x 92 cm (36.2 in)

Also included:

• 3 EMI RS-127 outboard presence EQs
• Flight cases
• Spare EQ cartridges

Note: Operates only on 230-240v 50 or 60 Hz - Suitable step up transformer or 240V service required for use in a 120V environment. No phantom power or direct outs are installed on the console.