Should I rack pres or build console?

[jdurango]

I have an old Quad Eight console from the 60's. It's a beautiful beast, fully discrete, all xformer balanced, blah blah you know the deal.

I really, really, really hate to "part it out" and rack up the pres. But it's in rough shape, completely pulled apart/non-operational, and I could really use the $ right now, and it seems racking modules + selling off other parts (UTC iron, CA127 line cards, vintage faders, pots, VU's, etc.) would yield a lot more money than consoles are going for on their own (this is an 8ch console in a 12ch frame).

What do you think? Am I likely to get more $ racking the pres and parting it out, or building it back into a console? I am great with woodworking and could build some beautiful racks.

 

[emrr]

Pulling it apart and selling pieces off individually is a huge time expenditure, consider your time value against any increase in sales value.  You could make yourself a job that's a net loss against doing something else.  Then there's karma.  Someone will want a smaller format console like that, and that's a brand that should be holding or increasing value intact. 

 

[Gold]

I’m a QE fanboy. Got any pictures. I would of course like to see it stay a console. I don’t know about the financial implications.

 

[zamproject]

Hello

don't part it... an 8 ch console should not be that complicated to refurb... and probably not more time than designing enclosure and adapting modules for racking...
I constrain myself to not be harsh fur such question 

I "save" a large console from parting years ago, the deal was complicated because seller want the price of each modules cumulated... he somehow give up and we find a compromise, not the deal of the century but now I have a beautiful tool to work with
The value of the desk is now probably 3x at least what I pay for, I can probably sell it (don't want) with reasonable margin wile also paying the the hundreds hours of restoration I put in.
All this just to say that engaging  a true refurb/restoration is not necessary a lost, money wise included

Best
Zam

 

[mjrippe]

I am going to join the "Don't part it out" party.  Intact QE boards are few and far between and one that size would make someone VERY happy.  Where are you and how much money do you need to get for it?

 

[Rob Flinn]

Rebuild it !

 

[jdurango]

Man, I feel bad even asking....I really don't wanna be "that guy"....I've always despised "that guy"....but man, this COVID thing, hit my studio really hard. We just spent over two years remodeling and dumping all our money into this project. After spending around $300k on this studio, we were dead broke and could barely even pay bills by renting the place out for private events. but had a ton of clients lined up around the block waiting to record, so we weren't that stressed about it.

Then the "shelter in place" order  went into effect literally 4 days before our first session....then all the other clients canceled...and private events/parties are obviously completely out of the question. Timing couldn't possibly be any worse. We were already dead broke....now we're dead broke with almost zero clients for the forseeable future.

So yeah, I hate to be "that guy"....but I've gotta raise some money to keep this operation afloat. I'd hate to see my dream console parted out....but even more I'd hate to see the studio I've put 12 years into (the last 2.5 of which pouring $ and sweat and love into) go out of business.

Anyway, here's a buncha pics. The old formica desk it came in was in rough shape, so I pulled it out of it's frame and intended to build a newer, more modern one. I did carefully measure the dimensions of the original desk in case I wanted to recreate it.

I also picked up a gorgeous Acopian rackmount power supply to replace the little old one. Also bought some more CA-127 line cards and some Middle Atlantic slanted rack things to build into the frame of the new desk. All this would be included with the sale of course. I may be able to delivery on the West Coast or within a few hundred miles of Seattle. Really I just want it to go to a good home and get enough $ to keep my studio afloat for a few months. Rent in Seattle ain't cheap!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1M8ilwLGId8l5C3ouCzWqC832crosdoIP?usp=sharing

Honestly I don't think I'd let it go for any less than $8k. Any less than that and I'll probably sacrifice 4-6 modules to rack up, save everything else and try to buy back modules later down the road.

Anyway, sorry for the novel and thinking out loud. If anyone is interested shoot me a message or email. Thanks!

 

[emrr]

Good luck!

Apply for the Federal Pandemic Relief through your local unemployment!

Apply for a PPP loan!  I was just told by a loan officer that net earnings on a schedule C counts as payroll, so that amount /12 x 2.5 can be turned into a grant down the line.

 

[Gold]

I think a small console like that is more valuable as a small console than a bunch of modules. That’s an ultra cool small console. People want small consoles. Why not restore it and sell it, or keep it?

 

[rackmonkey]

Whoo boy, that’s nice! My Q8 channels are some of my faves.  How cool is that green color!?

Sorry to hear about the studio. I’ve got to second EMRR on the PPP/small business loan route. My wife co-owns a design studio and it’s saved her business. Keep the dream alive.

BT

 

[Gold]

I think the IEDE loan is the easiest to apply for.
https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance

 

[jdurango]

Good luck!

Apply for the Federal Pandemic Relief through your local unemployment!

Apply for a PPP loan!  I was just told by a loan officer that net earnings on a schedule C counts as payroll, so that amount /12 x 2.5 can be turned into a grant down the line.

Okay, THIS is really interesting. My studio hasn't made any money for quite some time because we've spent 2.5 years remodeling, operating deep in the red....but I have a healthy vending machine business with one part time employee. Considering his weekly wages, PPP just wasn't worth messing with. But if I can convert my schedule C income into a grant, that may work.

I've applied for everything except the PPP....EIDL, unemployment, food stamps, an extension of a previous SBA loan and that stupid $1,200 thing. All in all, I haven't seen a dime from any of them.

So the plan is to sell a ton of gear, move out of my fancy house on the beach, buy a converted Sprinter van, and LIVE IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER for a while to save my studio and hopefully get back on my feet. I'll happily give up my fancy beach house before I give up my studio.

I just spent 6 months rebuilding a Sound Workshop Series 40 console.....I feel like I've got another 6 months in me to rebuild something much, much more special. I would probably extend the frame out from 12 to 16 though, buy a 16 track headstack for my JH24, wait patiently for 8 more MM71 or compatible -/+28 modules, and then pretty much lounge in sonic bliss.

Restoring this Quad Eight console has been a dream for me for about 5 years now. I've brought it with me back and forth to Hawaii and it's been constantly in the back of my mind since I bought it.

I think ya'll have talked me down off the ledge. Gunna keep it and restore it! I'll sell some other stuff before I sell this thing....still have a few guitars and 500 series modules I don't NEED....I feel like I NEED this Quad Eight

Thanks fellas! I needed that!  8)

 

[jdurango]

I'm sure I'll be back here to ask for help when I can't figure something out *wink wink* *hint hint*. You are all complicit in this now!  ;D

 

[Whoops]

Most analog larger consoles have a scrap value at this point (besides some exceptions Neve , SSL , EMI, Helios, etc),
no one wants a big console nowadays and I completely understand that.

But I will join the crew in saying that there's a demand for smaller consoles , 8 to 12 channels vintage consoles seem to have a market, home studios and the summing box trend make small consoles desirable.

If you can afford to restore it, I would take advantage of the free time and restore then sell it.
If you don't have money to restore it I would take better pictures than the ones you showed and sell all the parts to a buyer, or funky junk.

You need some pictures showing all the modules together, front view, top view

 

[Whoops]

So the plan is to sell a ton of gear, move out of my fancy house on the beach, buy a converted Sprinter van, and LIVE IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER for a while to save my studio and hopefully get back on my feet. I'll happily give up my fancy beach house before I give up my studio.

As a fellow member I would just ask you to please reconsider that,
a recording studio is not an investment nowadays, it's a black hole for money spent.
I know some people that opened recording studios in the last 10 years, they are all rich, and none of them need to reach the breakeven point...
If you spent 300K in the studio, you will not reach the breakeven point even without Covid.

Much better the beach house and ditch the studio that will suck all your money for the next years, until you realize too late that you have to ditch it

There's no recording studio that is more important than housing and food

 

[jdurango]

As a fellow member I would just ask you to please reconsider that,
a recording studio is not an investment nowadays, it's a black hole for money spent.
I know some people that opened recording studios in the last 10 years, they are all rich, and none of them need to reach the breakeven point...
If you spent 300K in the studio, you will not reach the breakeven point even without Covid.

Much better the beach house and ditch the studio that will suck all your money for the next years, until you realize too late that you have to ditch it

There's no recording studio that is more important than housing and food

I hear ya. I know it's a fool's errand. I meet the criteria, so do our investors. We love music and want to create something truly amazing. Not just another boring studio pumping out mp3's for whoever can pay some monkey to push buttons....we've got a pretty unique opportunity working with some really talented artists, deep pocket/well-connected investors, great producers/songwriters. We're going to leverage not only recording, but live video, video production, livestreaming, live events and private events (when/if they ever return) and try to get to the point where the content is good enough to get a label type apparatus in place.

Again, I know it's all pie in the sky and very unlikely to pay off monetarily, but it might, and even if it doesn't, that's not why any of us are in it....we love music and want to make something truly special. We all have other businesses which will (hopefully) keep us afloat monetarily. Things have stabilized a bit in the past couple months and the future is looking far brighter. I'm still gunna build the van though cause I love traveling and being on the road and don't need a stupid house filled with a stupid yard filled with a buncha stupid crap

 

[user 37518]

If you are interested on money I would say part it out, I've parted out consoles and sold them for parts on e-bay, got a lot more than what I paid for.  If you rack channels you will probably also get more out of the racked channels than the console itself. However, there is always the hassle of taking pictures of everything, posting it on e-bay, package everything up (this is actually what I hate the most), going to the post and ship the items, etc... but if you don't mind then its a good income, look at it as a side job. Also, you don't have to spend on anything but the e-bay and paypal comissions.

If you decide to rebuild it you will have to put in a lot more work than what I just described, and depending on the console's condition you may have to put in a good deal of money, and you have to consider that if you ever sell it you may not get back everything you invested, money and time wise.

 

[gar381]

PLEASE RESTORE IT!!!!!!

 

[rackmonkey]

JDurango, any updates on this and your situation?

 

[jdurango]

Update: I'm working on it as time allows, but I have so many projects....we'll see.

We've been getting a ton of interest in the studio from investors and local businesses, hired a marketing person and hopefully it'll be covering it's own bills soon.

Finally got that PUA $ so my situation is less dire.

Going to restore the console when I have time.....who knows when that will be.

Currently I'm looking at restoring the power supply (obvious first place to start). Anyone know a PSU guru with reasonable rates I could send this off to?

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1McNscpC3LB4XiOA9KkuJYtMQDW8_yZzV?usp=sharing