Old equipment=older sound?

[EasyRyder]

For all of you music playing forum brothers and sisters I have a question (which may be completely obvious): if the band is using older equipment to record this album, does that necessarily mean that the album will have an older sound/feel?

The reason I ask is because I saw Carl posted on twitter that he bought a 44 year old amp back in November:



Also, with all of the weekly "tweetpickles" that have been popping up, the equipment seems to be older than the stuff I'm used to seeing on stage. Am I wrong?

As much as I listen to music, I have virtually no knowledge of the recording/equipment side of things. If anyone has any insights, please share!

I'd love to start postulating theories about this next album based on something...maybe these older amps are a start.

[EasyRyder]

here's an example...like i said, none of this might be old. I just seem to recognize some new old ones  :-?

[Chief Mageeetah]

Older equipment doesn't necessarily mean older sound.  If they are recording in a modern studio it will most likely sound like a modern album.  The thing about older equipment, particularly amps, is that they have a musical nuance that most newer amps just can't capture.  The workmanship was better in the old days and some of the parts in the classic amps aren't manufactured anymore.  If you want a newer amp that captures that special old amp quality you would want to buy from small boutique amp makers.  That is where you will find the best quality in a new amp, in fact, from what I've seen at Jacket shows, Jim and Carl use boutique amps exclusively for live performances.

[Chief Mageeetah]

Just to add an addendum, this is the amp that Jim has used exclusively on tour most of this year.


3Monkeys Orangutan

[rusty95]

they are recording the new album live in an old catholic school gymnasium.  I'm no expert in recording but I can imagine this will have alot to do with the sound and feel of the new album. jMo

[EasyRyder]

they are recording the new album live in an old catholic school gymnasium.  I'm no expert in recording but I can imagine this will have alot to do with the sound and feel of the new album. jMo

Yea, thinking about the combination of older equipment with a not-so-modern recording setup, I'm definitely hoping this means that the album will end up sounding warm and aged.

Oh and Chief, thanks for dropping some knowledge on me. This all makes a bit more sense now. I had heard about the boutique amps, but I didn't realize how studio mixing came into play...interesting

[ALady]

Check out Dan Auerbach's Akron Analog studio for a great example of a new recording studio built for a vintage kind of sound.  I'll try to find the article, but basically he was trying to build a studio with all new equipment that would replicate the Muscle Shoals/Sun sound.  If I recall correctly he had a brand new board installed but ended up hating how it sounded, so he replaced it with a vintage board?  I think eventually he ended up with a mix of vintage and newer equipment.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIDnxCB_5fA[/media]

Here's an article but it's not the one I'm thinking of:

http://www.apiaudio.com/nw_900.html

[EasyRyder]

This is really cool, ALady...I think I find new appreciation for Dan and Patrick every time I hear or read anything about them (or from them!).

I'm surprised Jim and the gang haven't done this yet! Then again, I'm sure it'd be monstrously expensive and they haven't had an album like Brothers top the charts.
Also because of their vendetta for never releasing an album that sounds like the previous one, I wonder if the boys are hesitant to do it since they don't want old spaces influencing new sounds...with answers always come new, unanswerable questions!