DAVE’S ROOM
History of the Studio – Dave’s Room
Formerly known as Mama Jo’s, Dave’s Room was originally built in 1970, a time when recording studios were invested with beautifully balanced acoustics and serious aesthetics. Endowed with massive oak beams and copious velvet wall coverings, Mama Jo’s was one of the most beautiful. Famed acoustician Vincent Van Haaff was specifically hired to design the control room and it soon acquired a reputation for being a “tweaker” room; a place where artists, producers, and engineers who were really particular about sound quality wanted to work.
With a roster of artists and producers and that reads like a “Who’s Who” of rock, jazz, pop, and rhythm & blues talent, Mama Jo’s was one of the top studios in Los Angeles for over two decades. When the original owners moved on, it was abandoned for a number of years until November of 2006, when David Bianco rediscovered this lovely room. Through the ruined flooring and dust and debris, he saw a perfectly-sized live room with three isolation booths and a superb control room, just waiting to be rescued. Dave and friends put together a crew and immediately started the renovation.
While adding some modern touches in amenities and recording gear, Dave determined to preserve the original studio’s aesthetic features and acoustics, to get the best of the old and the new. He strove to create for his clients a warm and casual environment that comes from working at home, but combined with the skin and bones of a recording structure designed specifically for that purpose.
Since the studio’s reopening in January of 2007, Dave’s efforts have been rewarded with the projects of recording artists such as Bob Dylan, Rufus Wainright, Bettye LaVette Mark Lanegan, Tift Merritt, Big Head Todd, TSOL and Blues Traveler. It has also been a pleasure to participate in soundtrack recording and mixing on a variety of films, including both “Hangover” films, ”Win Win”, “The Runaways”, “Bruno”, “Jonah Hex” and “Janie Jones”.
Clients often express surprise at the warm, analogue quality of the sound that is captured digitally from this room. Bands that prefer the energy and process of recording live are pleased at how easily this is accomplished at Dave’s Room, in the luxury of great sightlines and full isolation. And artists and producers often comment that it is a good thing to be able to complete the whole process of making an album – recording, overdubbing, and mixing, all under one roof, at a reasonable price, and to feel at home while doing it.
For inquiries please email paulfigmusic@gmail.com
Fig Proudly Uses:
Ernie ball strings
Mojave Microphones
Audio Technica Microphones
Bogner Amplification
Shadow Hill Industries Golden Age mic pres
Aurora Audio
Gear
Recorder:
Avid HDX 48 io
Mac 2 x 3.46 GHz 6 core Intel Xeon
64 GB ram
Pro tools HDX
27 inch LED Cinema Display
Editing:
Mac Pro Dual Quad Core 3.0 GHz Intel Xeon
16GB Ram
Mac 20 inch Display
Pro Tools 10/ 11
Avid HD 24 io
Consoles:
Audient Sumo Summing Amplifier
PREAMPS:
Neve 5442 Suitcase Mixing Console (8 Channels)
Quad Eight Preamps (4 Channels Pre with EQ)
Shadow Hills Industries Gama Quad Mic Pres (4 Class A Pres)
Yamaha PM1000 Modded class A Console (16 Pres w EQ with Direct Out and 4 Busses)
Aurora Audio GTQ2 (2 Channels Class A with EQ)
API Brent Averill Mic Preamps (3 class A Vintage API components 500 series)
Digidesign 8 PRE (8 Channel Mic Pres)
Great River MP-2NV Mic Pres (2 Channels Class A Pres)
Crane Song Flamingo (2 Channels Class A Pres)
Little Labs Lmno Mic Pre
Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro 3.0 (2)
SSL Xlogic Alpha VHD Mic Pre (4 pres)
Ampex BX10 4×2 Tube Mic Pre/Mixer
Phoenix Audio DRS8 MK2 (8 Channel Mic Pre)
Altec 1567a 4×1 Tube Pre Mixer
Aurora Audio GTQ2 (2 Channels Class A with EQ)
OUTBOARD EQUALIZATION:
API 550A (3)
API 560
GML 8200 Parametric EQ
Langevin EQP 1-A
Langevin Hi pass Low Pass Filter (mono)
Pultec EQP-1S (Vintage) (2)
COMPRESSORS / LIMITERS:
Altec 1591A
Altec 1612A
DBX 160 VU(2)
DBX 162 VU
DBX 160XT
DBX 160X (4)
Empirical Labs EL8 Distressors (4)
Focusrite Red 3 Dual
Inovonics 201
Neve 3314a Stereo
Teletronix LA 2A Leveling Amp
Universal Audio 1176
Universal Audio LA 4A (4)
PF76 Rev D (2) *1176 built by Paul Fig
PF76 Rev A *1176 built by Paul Fig
Phoenix Audio compressor gates (2)
SPECIAL EFFECTS:
EMT 140 Tube Plate Reverb
Yamaha SPX90
Yamaha SPX1000
MICROPHONES:
American D22
ATM 450 (2)
AKG Solid Tube
AKG 414 XLS (st pair)
AKG 414 B-TL II (2)
AKG 451EB (8)
Coles 4038 Ribbon
Groove Tube M1
Royer SF12 Stereo Ribbon
Royer 121 (2) Ribbon
Crown PZM 185
Electro-Voice 635a
Microtech Gefell UM70
Mojave MA 200 (4)
Mojave MA 100 (5)
Mojave MA 201 FET (4)
Mojave MA 101 FET (2)
Mojave MA 301 FET(3)
Mojave MA 300
MXL 1
MXL 990
Neumann M49
Neumann SM2 (Stereo)
Neumann SM69 Fet (stereo)
Neumann TLM 103
Neumann TLM 193
Neumann U87
Norelco C61
Pearlman TM-1 (U47 Clone)
RCA 77DX (2)
RCA Mini 44
RCA BK 1a
RCA BK 5a
Schoeps CMC5
Sennheiser 602 (2)
Sennheiser 604 (6)
Sennheiser 609
Sennheiser 416P
Sennheiser 421 (4)
Sennheiser 441 (2)
Shure Beta 52 (2)
Shure 333
Shure 520D Green Bullet
Shure SM7 (2)
Shure SM 57 (8)
Shure SM 58
Yamaha NS10 Sub Woofer (2)
Yamaha Sub Kick
INSTRUMENTS:
1972 Gibson Melodymaker
1973 Gibson SG (2)
Fender Stratocaster
1973 Fender Telecaster
1980 Fender Telecaster
2001 Dean Acoustic (High Strung)
1995 Fylde Oberon Acoustic
Takamine Acoustic
1998 Taylor 810 Dreadnought Acoustic
with Expression System Pick-up
Fender P Bass
Fender Jazz Bass
Fender Music Master Bass
Kawai Grand Piano (7 Foot)
1973 Fender Rhodes Suitcase (88
Keys)
Hammond M3 Organ with Leslie Cabinet
Vox Combo Compact Organ
Wurlitzer Electric Piano
Yamaha D10 Synthesizer
Pump Organ
Loads of stomp boxes
AMPS AND SPEAKER CABINETS:
Ampeg B15 (1969)
Acoustic lead/bass amplifier 450b
Fender Vibrolux Amplifier (Vintage)
Fender Twin Reverb Amplifier
(Vintage Blackface)
Quilter 450 Bass Amp with Cabinet (2
X 15)
Rivera Knucklehead Reverb Amplifier
with Cabinet (4 X 12)
Vox AC30HH 50th Anniversary
(reissue) Amplifier with Cabinet (2 X 12)
Bogner Shiva
Bogner 4×12 Cabinet Vintage 30
Celestions (2)
Bogner 1×12 Celestion 25 watt
Greenback
Marshall 1970 JMP 100 watt Amp
Marshall 8×10 cabinet
Hiwatt Lead 30 amp
Lots of lil combo amps…
DRUMS:
Drum gear avail upon request:
1965 Ludwig “Blue Oyster Pearl” (Ringo kit)
Sizes:
22” kick
20” kick
16” floor
14” floor
13” Tom
12” Tom
1970 Gretsch drums (walnut red jasper
shells)
Sizes:
24” kick
22” kick
18” Floor
16” floor
14 “ Tom
13” Tom
DDrum (custom walnut B. MacLeod kit) wood hoops
Sizes:
26” kick
22” kick
18” floor
16” floor
12” Tom
Snare drums:
Tama Bellbrass 14×6.5
Tama brass 1980 14×6.5
Tama “Kenny Aronoff signature Black
beauty” 14×5
Ludwig Black Beauty 14×6.5
Ludwig Black Beauty 14×5
Ludwig Acrolite 14×5
1970 Gretsch (jasper) 14×5
Gretsch “Swamp-dog” 14×8
Gretsch “Max Roach signature round
badge” 14×4
Sonor lite 14×6.5
Pearl (Masters Maple) 14×6.5
Pearl “Jupiter” 14×6.5
Pearl “Jupiter” 14×5
DDrum (maple)14×7
DDrum (walnut)15×5.5
Misc. Percussion including a new set of LP Congas with Bongos
For More info please check out Dave’s Room at davesroom.net