Now a GREAT example of an Old Times “AC/DC Microphone” Would Be… a Neumann U47 FET (Audio Update)

02 Feb Now a GREAT example of an Old Times “AC/DC Microphone” Would Be… a Neumann U47 FET (Audio Update)

Minor update (2 audio files) please scroll to the bottom to hear a Wizard Modern Classic/The Schaffer Replica® GT combo recorded with this Neumann U47 FET!

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Oh yes. It is my theory in fact that most (if not all) of early (up to 1977, including “Let There Be Rock”) AC/DC studio album recordings were mostly recorded – guitars and Bon’s vocals – with Neumann U47 FET (NOT the tube versions!). And maybe – just maybe – even bass drum with it (the Neumann U47 FET is also famous for that).

For the technically curious: Neumann U47 FET

My own Neumann U47 FET out of the Vintage King Audio packaging! Near Mint.

I just got my own unit. I am not sure yet of its date of manufacturing (they were made from ’69 to the early 1980s), just got this yesterday.

Unopened Package from the great Vintage King Audio guys – thanks Nick Buzinski for trading with my Neumann U47 Tube

This is an extremely expensive microphone, and a rarity too (especially in this near mint conditions). So given the times – where I already have spent quite much for the development of our beloved Schaffer Replicas™ – I traded this for my original, 1950s Neumann U47 tube version, that was specifically used on vocals, and that I had saved from my Studio58a times but was mostly useless for me.

Microphones for me are for recording guitars mostly, and the Neumann U47 FET was used countless times for guitar recording in the past.

But Bon used to love it for vocals too, matter of fact, many early AC/DC recordings were made with such a microphone for Bon, too!

I think these microphones were liked pretty much at Albert Studios in those times; and since Neumann U47 tube versions had been discontinued a few years back (due to the lack of the tube not being manufactured anymore) these were the thing “to go to” at the time. To give you an example of a guitar recorded with these, “Powerage” was entirely recorded with Neumann

My own Neumann U47 FET out of its box.

Bon Scott singing in the Studio with a Neumann U47 FET

U47 FETs on guitars. Just one microphone per cabinet, as reported here. Sounds pretty good huh. Also, very much likely in the past – just with the use of different amps/cabinets, earlier albums were recorded with Neumann U47 FETs. I have a feeling that probably most of AC/DC early albums were recorded with these mikes, and of course – just like in the past years, here at solodallas.com – I will try and prove my theory, putting my money where my mouth is. Keep in mind that – another example – the Glasgow live concerts “If You Want Blood”, were all recorded with Neumann U47 FETs (still, as reported in the link above).

In fact, 2014 will be no different than before (which I hope will please you all): I will be digging and digging until we have the formula written down, right here at solodallas.com

Will leave you with a couple of original pictures of the Album studios during the 1970s. If you ever had a doubt about what recording (and maybe even mixing) consoles were used back then for AC/DC recording, you can now be sure: it was Neve consoles. Is this useful info, Fil? Oh yes. You bet it is. You know all these plugins that are coming out and will keep coming out in future years, that tend to emulate that sound? Get one, even the great and not too expensive WAVE ones.  Will help pretty much get that sound down.

Albert Studios 1973 – Neve Console

Albert studios late 1970s

Albert Studios, Angus recording solo guitar. Check the same lamps as seen in photo to the left!

And a bit of Albert Studios  history of those times right here.

From 1973 through to 1986, Albert Studio 1 was one of the major recording studios in Australia.  Originally known as Studio 139, Studio 1 was “the” rock and roll recording studio in Sydney, with the likes of AC/DC, The Angels, Rose Tattoo, John Paul Young and many other famous Alberts artists recording there.  The first job done in this studio was the mixing of The Ted Mulry Gang’s album “Here We Are” featuring the hit single “Jump in My Car”.  In addition to being used for in-house Albert artists, this sought after studio was used by outside rock and roll bands such as Cold Chisel and for country music albums and jingles.  Initially Bruce Brown, studio manager and producer, also worked in this studio.  As time went by and Alberts built more studios, this studio became used almost exclusively for in-house work only.  It was the home of Vanda and Young, who in addition to producing most of the in-house artists that recorded there, recorded their own legendary Flash and the Pan albums in this studio.

The walls and ceiling of the control room were black.  The recording area was a large relatively live room with moveable curtains.  Mirror tiles on the walls near the drum area made for a bright drum sound.  One wall of this room was covered in the graffiti of many famous artists who recorded there.  A second smaller room housed a Yamaha grand piano (SoloDallas note: see Bon Scott above singing in front of such Yamaha piano)

 

Update:

I just started using this microphone yesterday recording a couple of random things, I already love it massively.

No processing, just reverb added to it. Microphone 2 cm away from a G12M speaker, played with my Wizard Modern Classic in the CLEAN channel maxed out (volume 10) and the TSR also maxed out.

This is the result. The first file has a reissue 2006 Gibson SG Standard “1964 reissue” , repainted black tuned lower. Then comes a 1967 Gibson SG Standard repainted  in dark cherry, unknown pickup (could be a t-top or pat number sticker).

File 2 starts with the same 1967 SG Standard as above, then proceeds with 1974 Gibson SG Standard, all original, stock.

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