At goose studios you'll find a state-of-the-art recording studio.

Here is a list of what we use on a day to day basis...

SPECS

Recording Consoles

Studer Model 089 12 / 2 Channel (1966) x 1; Ah those cunning Swiss. They were especially adept at relieving the pockets of the Board of Directors of the Australian Broadcasting Commission. In 1966 when a Holden Special family sedan cost $1,800, this desk cost the ABC $21,000. If you want to know how much it is worth now, try sticking a 1966 TV set on eBay and see what you get for it. Never mind. The Studer 089 pre amps are legendary. People lust after them. It is something to do with the filters and transformers inside them. Being installed inside a Tutonic console, they are made from Germanium. Plug a Neumann in and it will make you sound like Ella Fitzgerald - whether you want to or not.

Tascam M3500 24 / 8 Channel x 1; Tascam is a name that just nicely rolls off your tongue. You should try it "tass-cam". There you go, easy. Unfortunately (or otherwise if you're Pete), you really need to know what you're doing to operate this desk; it has so many knobs, faders and buttons on it - twenty four of everything plus some spares. But when you do, there is nothing that it can't do for you. At night it looks a bit like Cape Canaveral at launch time. It is especially special when teamed up with a pair of lava lamps.

Soundcraft Series 2 16 / 8 Channel (1972) x 1; Once upon a time, when the British Empire still sort of existed, they used to make some of the best recording equipment ever. And this is the kind of thing they came up with. It has less knobs that the Tascam but more in some crucial places. Like its EQ section. If it's a nice warm cup of  British tea you're after, this is the desk to do it for you. It has pride of place looking over everything in the control room.

Trident VHM System 16 / 8 Channel x 1; The entire British nuclear defence strategy sits upon a fleet of Trident submarines. Goose doesn't rely to that extent on its Trident but it does have a special place in the recording room where it awaits the attention of any technician we can find that can remember exactly how it works. It has the nicest set of meters we've seen on any console. One day it'll be back in all its glory. Until then it's just pining for the fiords.

Microphones

Condensers

Neumann U87 48V x 1; The first U87 was launched in 1916 and was lost on Christmas day 1917. The second one was launched in 1941 and made it until 1943 when it was sunk by those pesky Canadians (but not before it sent $4 billion of British bullion to the bottom). This one was launched in 1983 and is still going strong today. When you try it you will see why it will take more than two World Wars to eliminate this classic piece of German large diaphragm microphone technology. Oh, and just in case, it is able to operate for long periods of time underwater using it's internal battery pack. Safe and sound.

Audio Technica ATM33a x 1; The good thing about ATM33's, asides the fact that they are great on high hats, is that they can be battery powered. Which means that if the mains power fails when you're recording then your drummer can keep playing and every tinkle and splash of the high hat will duly be translated into those friendly electrons as usual. The fact that nothing else in the studio will be working at that time is irrelevant to drummers.

Audio Technica ATM4041 x 2; These ATM4041 small diagphram condensers are widely known as the worlds most insecure microphones. Consequently they only agree to work in matched pairs. Fortunately that is exactly what these twins are. So they are all good. Especially sitting overhead the drum kit - keeping an eye on those drummers.. They quite like watching acoustic instruments as well.

Behringer C1 x 2; The Kwang Man Leung Fireworks Factory No8 in Souzhou China makes red bungers, Michael Jackson CDs and American SP C1 microphones in the daytime. In the night time they make Jichael Mackson CDs and German Behringer C1 microphones. They have learnt not to make bungers at night. So to help them along we bought two Behringer C1 small diaphragm condenser mics off them. And they threw in a thousand copies of Jichael Mackson's "Griller" as well. Cracking little mics and what a great company to deal with.

Groove Tube 5SC x 1;  When you're new to the microphone game you have to come up with a really groovy new name. And what could be groovier then Groove Tube? Well nothing as far as we're concerned. And it also helps a lot if you're really good as well. Which this large diaphragm condenser is. Fortunately for Pete who had to pay for it.

Dynamics

 Akg D112 x 1; Any microphone that looks like it belongs on the bridge of Flash Gordon's rocket ship must be good. And  sure enough it is. Especially on kick drums and basses.

 Audio Technica ATM25 x 3;. Brandenburg Cannons are very large war drums that usually sit in pairs on each side of very large war horses. Had the Brandenburg Cannons been miked up with these Audio Technica drum mics the last time they were used in anger, the battle would have been over very quickly. And just to make sure, they're shaped like hand grenades. Ka-boom. Very satisfying. Oh, and you can use them on horns as well.

BeyerDynamic M69TG x 1; These  nmighty fine German dynamics have been around for yonks. They are great on vocals and guitar cabbies. They used to be just called M69s but once Beyer realised that the rock gods had adopted them then they called them M69TGs. - which stands for "Tour Group". Which means that if you use one then you will soon be famous and on tour like the rest of the greats. Or at least that's what they want you to think. So get on to it....

Shure SM48 x 1; A Shure SM48 is exactly 10 less than a Shure SM58. So there.

Shure SM57 x 2; South Americans are great bola spinners. They can bring down large beasts with their bolas. Roger Daltry and Robert Plant decided to use microphones as bolas. And their bola microphone of choice was a Shure SM57. You can see them swinging them about with gay abandon all over the place. Of course you had to make Shure they didn't come off. Which sometimes they did. Zziiipppp, clunk, ouch! D'oh! Mostly though they are used for everything else. At which they are great.

Shure SM58 x 1; Everyone has used these for something. Mostly for singing into. There's no accounting for some peoples' tastes. Good though.

Uher M534  x 1; Uher's are the lost boys of the audio world. They really wanted to be Studers and Neumans. But they aren't.. They have a really nice sounding German name though. And they have a really nice sound as well.

Monitors

Alesis Monitor I Mk I x 2; There's not much point recording something if you can't hear it is there? And you can hear things just fine on these passive Alesis Monitor Is. Especially when they become decidedly un-passive when attached to the Alesis RA100 Reference amplifier that came with them. If you remember to turn it on that is.

Bose 301 x 2; Bose make kooky looking kit. But it all works. And it works very well. Like these Bose 301s do. They've been making these for ages (and still do). Ours are the original ones with the little flap thingos on the front of them.

Yamaha NS10M x 2; You cannot call yourself a recording studio if you don't have a pair of these. They are the white speakered ones you see in every studio photo (including ours). The white dust cones in the centre are irresistible to little children who just have to give them a poke. Like Little Miss Three did to ours. They still work just fine though and have done for fifteen years.

Amplifiers

Alesis RA100 Reference Amp x 1; Alesis studio monitors work best with Alesis monitor amplifiers. And here is one driving our Alesis studio monitors. Just to make sure you know how good it is, those tricky Alesis marketing people have called it a "reference" amplifier. Okay, got that? Sweet.

Vox AC30 Combo (1962) x 1; When the Americans were making seventy watt guitar amplifiers the British were making thirty watt ones. It's just the way it was. Brian May from Queen solved that problem by just lining up a lot of them. Usually for recording you can get away with one. And being a vintage 1962 one, this one's better than the new ones. Everyone knows that.

Epiphone 5 Watt Class A Combo x 1; Once upon a time it was thought that the world would only need a few dozen computers in total. Once upon a time it was thought that a five watt amplifier was plenty. Then Pete Townsend got Jim Marshall to make him a hundred watt one. Then one day someone found out that if you took a little five watt one, turned everything up flat out and stuck a microphone in front of it then it sounded like Pete Townsend's 100 watt Marshall when you recorded it. Clever trick that.

Fender 75 Valve 70's Combo x 1; Fender make the best American valve combo guitar amplifiers no matter what anyone else says. And here is a very good one. Even though it's only seventy five watts it'll make your ears bleed if you stick your head next to it when it's on ten.

Marshall JMP1 Pre Amp x 1; It's a fact of life these days that you don't actually need the whole amplifier and speakers to pull a good recording guitar tone. You can just DI a good pre-amp. Like this Marshall one. Les Paul -> Marshall pre amp -> DI -. recording desk and you're done. Instant Slash. You can even do it from the control room with a pair of headphones on, lounging around in an easy chair if you want. Or you can plug the whole lot directly into a big amplifier and really go for it. Anyway, "is Marshall, is good".

Ashdown Five Fifteen 100w Bass x 1; One day Ashdown didn't exist and then one day they were everywhere. I suppose it helped that Adam Clayton from U2 decided he liked them and started putting lots of them on stage behind him for all to see. So here's a nice little one that somehow has managed to get 100 watts and a fifteen inch speaker in a box that looks like it should have no more than 15 watts and ten inches. Sounds good but.

Carlsbro Cobra 90 Series Keyboard amp x 1; This is exactly what it says it is. You can't be any clearer than that now can you?

Epiphone Firebird 60 Combo x 1; Not everyone thinks that all guitar amplifiers should be valve. In fact some guitars sound a lot better through transistorised amplifiers. Like most acoustic electric guitars. So here is one. And it's got a neato chorus, delay, flanger thingo on it too..

Peavey TNT 150 Bass Combo x 1; Peavey have been making great amplifiers for years. And this old girl is recognised as one of the goodies. Put a nice Precision bass into it and it can pull a really sweet bass tone. Some people use it for keyboards as well. It can do that.

Perraux 2100 Stereo Amp x 1; Perraux were legendary kiwi amp makers who sold audiophile amplifiers all over the world until one day they over extended themselves and went bust. You cannot however, over-extend one of their amplifiers and make it go bust. Famously high quality.and high volume. Nuff said.

Headphones

BeyerDynamic DT100 x 4; Did you know that earphones are just microphones in reverse? Or is that microphones are just earphones in reverse? That's why so many microphone makers make headphones as well. And Beyer, being one of the best microphone makers, also make some of the best headphones. And here are four DT100's. to choose from. Mind you, we don't recommend you stick a microphone in your ear if you're short of headphones.

BeyerDynamic DT250 x 2; If hundreds are just too small for you, you big pork chop, here are a couple of two fifties to choose from.

Shure In Ears; Some people are just too damned attractive to spoil with a great big pair of black ear muffs on each side of their bonce. So they can use these neat little Shure in ear phone plugs. And no one will know exactly what it is they are grooving away to, or even that they are grooving away at all.

Instruments

Mirrow Bass x 1; This Mirrow bass is a fine electric four string bass made in Australia by ah, um, erm... Mr Mirrow.

Fender Stratocaster MIJ 1979 x 1; Fender gave up making guitars in America for a while when they figured out that the Japanese made them better than they did. A lot better than they did. Like this big headed '79 one. Which has nothing to do with its attitude but everything to do with its attitude.

Ibanex Artist 1979 x 1; The famed twin pickup solid body Gibson scale Ibanez much loved by anyone who picks one up, plugs it in and turns it up very loud. '79 build from the year that Pete obviously bought two new guitars from Japan - this one and the Strat.

Maton Firebird 1965 x 1; Anyone who has owned or does own a 60's solid body electric guitar knows that the guitar builders of the time were heavily influenced by large American motor vehicles - the ones with with two tone candy paintjobs and fins. Lots of fins. Maton were more affected by this than most.

 Maton Flamingo 1965 x 1; And just to make sure you knew how hip they were, they made another model that was just as outrageous as the other one we have.

 A&L Cedar Acoustic x 1; A & L stands for Art and Lutherie and they live in Canada and you can order one of their guitars in French or in English. Pete tried out his schoolboy French on them when he ordered a nice Spruce topped acoustic. So they sent him a Cedar one... Serves him right we say.

Outboards

ART DPS MIX257 Mic Pre 1; ART stands for Applied Research and Technology. Research and technology that has been perfectly applied to this MIX257 pre amp. And its got two channels so you can do a duet with your perfect partner. Even if your perfect partner is actual a guitar (or a banjo).

Behringer Multigate x 1; Behringer is one of those companys that drive some people nuts. They make lots of things at a price that should mean that they don't work and that no one will buy them. Except that they do work and lots of people do buy lots of them, especially their gates and compressors. So here are four little gates in a row. Perfect for controlling drummer bleeding.

Behringer Multicom x 1; if a Multigate is four gates in a row then it's highly likely that a Multicom is four compressors in a row. In fact it is more than highly likely, it is, in fact, exactly what it is. You can put it after your Multigate for dummers and not only control their bleeding but how much of it they do as well. Very useful.

DBX 166a Compressor / Limiter x 1; Many years ago the clever people at DBX invented a thing called a VCA compressor. Everyone really liked them. They were clean and they were fast. They sold lots of them. Then one day an even cleverer DBXer figured out that you could squash them a bit and get two in the space that one used to fit into. So they came up with this dual channel wonder. They are also used for squashing things and getting more in.

Digitech DSP256 Reverb x 1; Digitech make digital technology. Which I imagine you'd already worked out for yourself. Here is one of their fine multi stereo reverbs that you can use to give the impression you are performing - by invitation  of course - in the Sistene Chapel.

Tascam PE40 Equalizer x 1; Equalization is one of the black arts of audio engineering. And this is a black equalizer. It is a parametric one, which means it has knobs -  not lots of those fiddly little slider thingies . Sometimes it's just what you need to make someone louder in the mix - or shut them up...

Yamaha REV7 Reverb x 1; Yamaha make some of the best reverbs. And the REV range are some of their very best. This one can rev right out to 7. We also think it's the 7th one  in the range (but we could be wrong about that).

Effects Pedals

Akai Head Rush x 1; What a great name for a pedal. And because it starts with 'a' it can go at the start of the list. It is a ripper of a delay, echo, looper kind if thing.

Behringer V-amp Pro x 1; A V-Amp pro is one of those Swiss army knife processors that can make you sound like any amplifier combination you want. All at the push of a button. What a convenience that is.

Boss CE2 Chorus x 1; Once upon a time the only way you could produce this effect was to do what Phil Spector did and line up fifteen guitar players all hammering away at the same chord at the same time. When you do the same thing with all the other instruments you get the 'wall of sound'. How Boss managed to fit fourteen guitar players into such a tiny little pedal box is unknown to this day.

Boss ME5 x 1; You know those floor sitting 'all in one' guitar effect pedals with all the foot switches and rocker pedals on? Well you can blame Boss for those. In fact you can blame the Boss ME5 for that because it was their first. In 1988. And you can blame Pete for buying this one - the last time he had any disposable income - also somewhere around 1988 we suspect.

Boss DR55 x 1; A Boss DR55 is not really an effect pedal. It's a step sequencing drum machine. After the recording session you can sneak back with Pete and replace your drummer's entire contribution with this if you wanted to. It has been done before don't you know.

Boss Super Overdrive x 1; For those of us who don't think they have enough overdrive, they can plug in this SUPER overdrive. That should fix that recalcitrant amplifier's little red wagon good and proper.

Companion Fuzz Wah x 1; Fuzzing and wah'ing should only be done under the most companionable of circumstance. Fortunately this neat thing allows you to do both at the same time.

Crybaby Wah x 1; If you're going to make a wah pedal then you should call it a Crybaby. It all makes perfect sense.

Dunlop Tremolo x 1; Go on, have a wobble.

Ibanez  Tube Screamer x 1; Now y'all should know what this is, right?

MXR Distortion x 1; This is one of those tiny little floor pedals that can ruin your clean twangy surf guitar tone forever.

Roland GP16 x 1; A Roland GP16 is even more fancier than a Boss ME5. Given that Roland and Boss is the same company, it could be just a clever plot to charge more for exactly the same thing by giving it a different name. But in this case we don't think so - they do look and sound quite different.