The problem with this is that they are lousy mic pre’s. Unfortunately, given the success of Steve Albini’s not-very-good-sounding records, that’s what people want.

A couple of years ago I got hold of two Ampex tube record channels that were abandoned in a storage facility. The transport had been dumpstered and I knew the guy that bought the recorder, dumpstered the transport (and he knew I wanted it!) and then he couldn’t pay the storage fee. Seems he is doing time right now.

When he gets out I will return them to him. But, I have furthered the theme he started by throwing away the transport and then paying someone to “convert” them by butchering them and making them useful for recording again only with adding parts that are now gone (and which can not be bought anymore). I took them out to my place, put them on a stump, and put several strategically placed rounds of .300 Weatherby Magnum through each transformer, the meter movement and all the big caps. I also cut through all the carbon comp resistors with a heavy pair of rongeurs.

Out of respect for the original Ampex engineers, I also ground off the Ampex logo, in the manner of surrendered Arisaka rifles missing their chrysanthemum stamp.

I am sure he will appreciate my thoughtfulnss and thoroughness.