Let's chip in on a "Welcome back" gift for Steve

It'd look great i n his den

When deciding how to list this incredible Bill Putnam (father of modern recording) designed piece of audio recording history, I was torn between it’s original, rich history of recording everyone in Studio 3 at United Western Recorders, and it’s important place in the hearts of Van Halen fans around the world. The answer was to include both:

This important piece of recording history was installed in Hollywood's legendary Studio 3 at UNITED WESTERN RECORDERS in 1969 . It is said that more hits were recorded at United Western Recorders than any other studio in Hollywood, where this console was used by everyone from Ry Cooder to Tiny Tim. The list of famous artists that used this board would be like a who's who of the record industry.

This Universal Audio Console was one of the first boards made for use with the "then new" 16 track machines. It was originally built by Bushnell to Putnam's design.

"After relocating to Hollywood in 1957, and with the backing of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, Putnam first purchased the United Studio at 6050 Sunset Boulevard. In 1961 he purchased the neighboring Western Studio at 6000 Sunset, creating the United Western complex.

The two studio complexes, separated by a parking lot, operated more or less independently. United was favoured by 'older' artists such as Crosby, Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole and Ray Charles, as well as the young Fleetwoods, while Western soon became a favored recording venue for the new generation of pop-rock musicians and producers, such as Sam Cooke, The Beach Boys, Phil Spector and The Mamas And The Papas,

United consisted of two large rooms; the larger United 'A' was approximately 45' x 65' x 22', with United 'B' being slightly smaller. Western copied this layout, with of the very large Western 1 and the somewhat smaller Western 2. Both buildings also had a third, smaller recording room, as well as several dubbing and mastering suites. But even the small rooms provided a sumptuous sound -- Western 3, which measures only 34' x 14', was used by Brian Wilson for much of the recording of The Beach Boys' masterpiece, Pet Sounds."

"The United Western complex produced some of the biggest hit records of the pop era. Frank Sinatra made all his famous Reprise recordings -- including hits like "It Was a Very Good Year", "That's Life" and "Strangers In The Night" -- in United A, and his Reprise records offices were located upstairs. Ray Charles cut his epoch-making country-soul crossover hit "I Can't Stop Loving You" and the LP Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music at United B. As well as the classic Pet Sounds, Western 3 was the venue for the recording of many other chart-topping pop hits, including The Mamas And The Papas' "California Dreamin'" and "Monday, Monday".

It is claimed that, from the Fifties to the present, United Western Recorders has produced more hits than any other studio in America. As well as those noted above, other famous artists who have recorded there include Elvis Presley, The Fifth Dimension, The Righteous Brothers, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Tom Petty, R.E.M., k.d. lang, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt. The studio complex has reportedly also earned more technical excellence awards and more "Best Engineering" Grammy awards than any other studio in the world."

Donn Landee had worked on this great board at UNITED, so when the time came to build Edward Van Halen's 5150 Home Studio, he made the acquisition.

VAN HALEN recorded their groundbreaking 1984 ("Jump","Hot for Teacher", etc) album in it's entirety on this console at Eddie's house.

I have seen other auctions over the years claiming to be the Van Halen/ United Western console, or parts from it, but rest assured that this is the real deal!

Around 1989 Eddie bought a new console and moved this one into his garage (the console had been carefully removed from 5150 when a new board was purchased). Then, when he bought another Ferrari and needed the parking place, he offered this console to Mike Scott. Mike was a friend of mine who was engineering the F.U.C.K recordings in 1991 (C2 - call me). He offered it to me, so I rented a truck and went to Ed's house to pick it up. We moved it into my place where it has been safely stored for the past 17 years. I even left all of the black duct tape and grease pencil notes that were scribbled by Eddie and the boys in place.

It has not been powered up during this time, so it will need some "reviving" for sure (probably re-capping and cleaning for example). It was working fine when removed.

Over the past few years the analog components of this console have become VERY desirable and VERY valuable. I have resisted the temptation to part it out and I am hoping to sell it to a person that will do the same. As someone wrote me today "In 10 or 20 years from now there will be so few actual, complete consoles out there..."

Who knows, the next chapter of history for this Console may be you!

It comes with:

24-UA2100 modules
32-1108s
10-990s that were installed by Donn Landee at the end of the signal path (see sheet in photo).
There is a rack in the patch bay that held 10-API 550A EQs (they had been removed when I received it)
I also have the producer's desk, schematics and the original grey industrial rack with the power supplies.
Here are some fun links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Western_Recorders
http://www.vintagekramer.com/Ed/studio3.jpg
http://www.vintagekramer.com/Ed/studio2.jpg

Please ask all questions before bidding. All items are described to the best of my ability and sold as is.

Winning Bidder is responsible for all shipping/insurance costs and arrangements.

10% deposit due within 24 hours of auction ending.

Payment in full is due with five days of auction ending.

We accept Paypal!

Good Luck!
-monster

 

I don't have the spare funds right now to chip in, but I will sign the card.

 

Where has he been?

 

Buyer beware! Eddie Van Halen has spilled nearly half that bottle of vodka down in to the board

 

That sounds like something Sammy Hagar would say.

 

It would have been tequila.

 

Pathetic.

 

Same here.

 

+1

 

As far as I know Mr. Hoffman doesn't record anything, he just re-masters.