Studio Gear Addition

New outboard gear being added to the racks.  More coming in soon!

Orban 418A stereo limiter, UREI 546 stereo parametric EQ, 2 / Spectra Sonics 610 Complimiters, UREI 1176LN (rev F) compressor/limiter.

Jonathan Winters - R.I.P.

I provided live audio for several events of which Jonathan was a part of.  He was always lots of fun and respectful of crew people.  I'd chit-chat with him when I would see him at the Ventura swap meets.  He was quite the collector.

NOS Vacuum Tubes, Transistors, Capacitors, Resistors - Electronic Parts For Sale

I was an electronics repair technician in the late 1960's - early 70's.  During that time, I purchased lots of electronic replacement parts such as tubes, transistors, capacitors, resistors, etc and placed them into storage.   Throughout my life, I have also collected lots of pieces of electronic (mostly audio) gear.  I liked buying things of quality.  What didn't fit in my garage went into storage.  The parts are now coming out of storage...contact me if you are looking for a specific tube type or tube brand such as Telefunken, Amperex, Tung-Sol, Mullard or pieces of audio gear.

1966 Fender Tremolux Amplifier - Studio Addition

This extremely clean 1966 Fender Tremolux has been added to the studio amp list.  I just did a re-cap on it.  Didn't really need it.

1965 Fender Showman - Studio Addition

Added a 1965 Fender Showman to the amp arsenal.

Eddie Cochran/Chuck Foreman Master Tapes

I'm in possession of some Eddie Cochran and Chuck Foreman original tapes.  If anyone is interested in releasing the project, please contact me. 

Stephen David Heitkotter - Tape Transfer

Ross and I meet up after 40 years.  Ross brought the newly found Heitkotter - Dwelle - Youngman tape into the studio for transferring.  Hearing the music and all of our voices was very emotional.  The tape transfer was 100% successful.  I ended up using Ross's Akai deck to do the transfer; the same deck the tape was originally recorded on.  More later!


Anyone interested in negotiating an original issue of this material, please contact me through email.

Stephen David Heitkotter - UPDATE!

Thanks for all your questions and interest.  There is a turn of events regarding the Steve Heitkotter saga.  I will be transferring and mastering a newly found batch of recordings from 1969 - 1970.  This is huge news!  We had given up hope that any more material existed.  At this time, all I can say is... this tape sounds better than what was released on vinyl years ago and it contains conversation between Steve, Greg and Ross.  Very cool stuff and it's in stereo!  Stay tuned for more info!

1955 Fender Deluxe 5E3 - Studio Addition

Just added to the studio, a 1955 Fender Deluxe 5E3.  This is NOT a reissue.  The cabinet has been recovered.

Universal Audio LA-610 Mk ll - Studio Addition

Added a third Universal Audio LA-610.  This one being a MK ll version.

AKG C-414 B-ULS Pair - Studio Addition

Just added a nice AKG C-414 B-ULS stereo pair.

Ludwig Snare - Studio Addition

Added a Ludwig 1955-1959 WFL Keystone Badge snare to the studio gear list.

Another Ampex AG-440C ½" 4-track

I recently picked up another Ampex AG-440C ½" 4-track servo.  It is in exceptional condition.  After a little clean-up and calibration, it'll be placed into service.   This machine will have two head stacks, one for ½" 4-track and one for ½" 2-track.

Altec 438A Compressor Amplifier - Studio Addition

This is a 10 out of 10 example of an Altec 438A compressor amplifier after being in storage for a few years.  No modifications were ever done to this unit.  It's being placed into service after a checkup.

The Beatleson's - Beatles 2

It's being talked about.  McCartney's son James said he would be willing to form a 'next generation' Beatles with the sons of the other band members.  As I said, "you gotta call it The Beatleson's."  We'll see.

James McCartney

Dhani Harrison

Julian Lennon

Zak Starkey

1965 Gibson Country Western - Studio Addition

A beautiful sounding and looking 1965 Gibson Country Western guitar has been added to the studio instrument list.

"It Feels Like Home" - © 2010 Greg Youngman Music

Rogar Nichols - R.I.P.

Roger was a real gentleman and was always helpful when he didn't have time to be helpful.  Roger was one of my favorite recording engineers who recorded some of my favorite music.  I will miss his work.
 

http://www.rogernichols.com/

Recording Studio Open House - Saturday April 30, 2011

This is the third annual "Studio Open House".  Demonstrations of new studio software and hardware.  Tips on how to get your home grown demo tracks to a level that they are usable as tracks in a finished master.  Listening sessions for those who would like to bring their CDs to be heard and critiqued.  Meet some local singers/songwriters, recording artists and musicians.  This open house is geared toward the professional.  No one under 21 years of age will be admitted.  Snacks and select wines from local vintners will be served.  Time is from 12:00 noon to 4:00 PM.  Must RSVP to <gymusic@gmail.com> by the end of day April, 23, 2010.  First come, first served.

  See you here!

1971 Fender Precision Bass - Studio Addition

A mint condition 1971 Fender Precision Bass is added to the studio.  The bridge cover was removed to adjust string height and I forgot to put it back on for the pictures.  The muffling rubber is still on the bridge cover.  The bass still has the original flat wound strings on it from 1971. 

Harmony H-22 Bass - Studio Addition

An extremely nice 1966 Harmony H-22 hollow body electric bass is added to the studio instrument list.  

McIntosh MC-2505 Amplifier - Studio Addition

Also resurrected a McIntosh MC-2105 (50 watts per channel) amplifier from storage for a studio control room back-up amp.

McIntosh MC-2105 Amplifier - Studio Addition

Resurrected a McIntosh MC-2105 (100 watts per channel) amplifier from storage for a studio control room back-up amp.

TEAC 80-8 - Studio Addition

A Teac 80-8, ½" analog 8 track has been added for tape-to-digital transferring.

1970 Fender Musicmaster Bass - Studio Addition

1970 Fender Musicmaster Bass has been added to the studio equipment list.

Guild 100 Electric Guitar - Studio Addition

Just added a beautiful Guild Model 100 to the studio instrument list.

Kenny Edwards - R.I.P.

Today, we lost a friend and truly talented musician.  I feel fortunate to have worked with him on a few of his demo recordings.  He gave us some great performances.  He connected many of us together.

1964 Fender Bassman - Studio Addition

Newly added to the studio list.  A 1964 Fender Bassman with JBL D-120s.

QRK - Russco Model 12-S Turntable - Studio Addition

A QRK 12-S turntable equipped with an Audio Technica AT-1007 tonearm will be added to the studio equipment list after a total cleaning and refurbish.  Felts for QRK and Russco turntables are available from Walt at Victrola Guy.   New pictures will be added after the work is done.

Fender 400 - 6 Pedal - Pedal Steel Guitar

A new studio addition is this Fender 400, 8 string, 6 pedal, pedal steel guitar.  It was acquired form the estate of Chuck Foreman.

Recording Studio Open House - Saturday May 1, 2010

This is the second annual "Studio Open House".  Demonstrations of new studio software and hardware.  Tips on how to get your home grown demo tracks to a level that they are usable as tracks in a finished master.  Listening sessions for those who would like to bring their CDs to be heard and critiqued.  Meet some local singers/songwriters, recording artists and musicians.  This open house is geared toward the professional.  No one under 21 years of age will be admitted.  Snacks and select wines from local vintners will be served.  Time is from 12:00 noon to 4:00 PM.  Must RSVP to <gymusic@gmail.com> by the end of day April, 28, 2010.  First come, first served.

  See you here!

David Walsh - Guitar Player - Orange County, CA

David.  Call or email me.

John Forsythe - R.I.P.

Today, we lost a dear friend and generous neighbor.

WANTED: Musicman 212 RH Head Cabinet

Looking for just the head cabinet with hardware. If you have one, let me hear from you.

Steve Heitkotter - Update 02-20-10

Steve’s legal name is Stephen David Heitkotter.

I’ve had an opportunity to listen to the five songs that someone allowed me to download. Listening gave me goose bumps. It’s been forty years. I was approximately 16 at the time when these songs were recorded. Steve is definitely playing guitar and singing on all five tracks. Ross Dwelle is definitely playing drums on all five tracks. Steve and Ross were 7 years older than I was. I met Ross through my brother (they had been in a few bands together). Ross had real good tempo and a knack for funky syncopated grooves. What puzzles me is that there is a second guitar that comes and goes on the tracks playing lead/solo. I don’t remember another guitar player ever being there while I was there. I could have been playing rhythm guitar.  Sounds like chords I would use.  It was always just the three of us. I do remember Steve’s girlfriend or wife coming in the room a few times. I’m thinking that Steve overdubbed the second guitar parts (lead) via sound-on-sound (which his Sony was capable of doing).  The vocals were always live.

I am definitely playing bass on “Hangin’ All Night”. Again, there is a second guitar part that comes and goes. There was not a second guitar player present during the original recording of this. Was this my playing or overdubbed later?

Some of the guitar playing on “I Don’t Mind” (especially the two, 3 note descending runs at the very end of the song) sounds like stuff I would play, but I don’t remember playing guitar on any songs.

I know that I played bass on all these songs, but those takes for the other four songs (excluding “Hangin’ All Night") are not here.

I don’t remember these songs ever having titles while we were recording them. Steve had vague ideas for songs with scribbled, rough lyrics. Mostly, these sessions were just jams.  There were many takes of these songs.

As I stated in my previous post, Steve had quite a resource of blank reels of tape that we went through. There could have been another guitar player involved when I wasn't there. I’m sure there are reels and reels of material that few have heard. I would be surprised if the caliber of playing would be any better than what I’ve heard from these five songs. The story that these tracks were recorded at a Fresno County mental hospital is just not true. I have found out that Steve did enter a Fresno mental facility at some time and was released in 2007.

I do have some questions. Who took the tapes and made a dozen or so vinyl copies? Who started the story that this record was recorded at a Fresno County mental hospital? What happened to all of the tapes and who is in possession of them now? What studio/engineer pressed the copies?  Who (if any) was the second guitar player?  Does whoever is reissuing vinyl copies of the record have written permission from Steve, or are these illegal bootleg copies?

I'm seeing eBay auctions for reissues of the original recordings.  If permission was not given by Steve or someone acting legally on his behalf for these to be sold, these are in violation of US copyright laws.

If anyone has any direct knowledge to help answer these questions, please contact me.

Greg Youngman

Thanks to Chris at Garage Hangover.  You can read more about The Road Runners at Chris' site.

Steve - Steven David Heitkotter

While searching around my music past, I stumbled across a familiar name.  Steve Heitkotter.  He was most notably the drummer in the Fresno, California 60's band The Road Runners.  Steve lived across the street from my grandparents.  I remember one summer, (somewhere between 69-71) being invited to Steve's house with Ross D***** to record songs on and off for a couple of weeks.  Steve recorded these songs on reels and reels of tape (with his nice sounding Sony machine).  After recently reading about him, I'm wondering if he took those recordings to make his record.  I'd have to hear it.  I could be that bass player.  I doubt it was recorded at a Fresno County mental institution.  How could a recording at a County mental institution stay a secret?  I doubt that the staff would allow someone to come in and do such a thing.   I would love to hear from the person who supposedly recorded those sessions at the mental institution.  I doubt I ever will.  I doubt it ever happened.

If anyone should have any first hand information to ad to this unbelievable story, please feel free to contact me.  Especially any information confirming that Steve is still, or was, at any time in a Fresno County mental institution.

Here are some things that have been posted about the record:

"Honorable Mention: Heitkotter – Heitkotter – “Intense real
people/fringe LP popular among psych mafiosos, a 3-man band with
guitar, bass and drums led by Steven David Heitkotter, presumably
recorded inside the mental institution where the guy has been for
decades. Track titles include “Hangin’ All Night,” “Quaker, Dog Got
Away,” and the 14-minute “Fly Over The Moon”. The vibe is intense and
feverish like a nightmare, unique LP that lives up to its reputation.
This may have been a test press only and comes in a blank cover,
except for the handwritten title. He was also in a garage band in the
1960s that released a few 45s.”

"A blues rock/garage album recorded in a mental institution where the
songs sometimes threaten to fall apart at any moment. Apparently this
Heitkotter guy is still under care as of '09.  Cadillac Woman has a
bit of funk happening and the vocals sound a lot like Lenny Kravitz.
It's a pretty good track with some bluesy guitar shredding. Quaker,
Dog Got Away shows traces of this man's insanity, while the rest are
just average blues jams. It's kind of creepy in some parts, but nowhere near as Jandek, and it mostly sounds like some amateur guys rehearsing. Obviously the recording quality is pretty bad, but you can still make things out clearly - and a scrappy recording is the only way this should be presented.  This is a mild curiosity, but not
something I would be tempted to listen to for a while."

"Recorded in a Fresno County insane asylum, this album is for and by
the beautifully unhinged. It asks no questions and offers no answers
other than, "It need not be determined." These are real dispatches
from the abyss; the drummer seems to be having fits, his kit is
showing stress cracks; the engineer sits in silent fear as the tape
rolls; someone in the band could flip out at any moment; hospital
staff is standing by with straight jackets and full hypos in hand
while the band plays on..."

"100% home-made, non-commercial avant gard, with no effort at all put
into editing. Rambling-intro-into-improv. style mat'l with poor
fidelity. Most of this is guitar based. 5 tracks= 1 B, 3 B-'s, and a
C-. "Cadillac Woman" is my pick, while "Fly Over the Moon" has 2
parts, the first much better than the second. An acquired taste, to
say the least - you've been warned!"

"A poorly recorded, shitty mess of bad garage rock. Don't fall for all
the hype about how UNDERGROUND AND OUT THERE this is--it's not."

"Real people underground experimental psych lounge rock vibe. One of
the band members was in a garage band prior to this lp."

"Honestly, I think the album would be less appealing without that
washed out, lo-fi production..."

"As good as the hype surrounding it--which is pretty unbelievable...
Astonishing, creepy, sounds like nothing else that came before it (and
really, only Jandek-in-rock-mode afterwards)."

RCA BA-11A Preamp - Studio Addition

I will be building up an RCA BA-11A / MI-11231-A microphone preamp for the studio.

Universal Audio LA-610 - Studio Addition

Adding a second LA-610 microphone preamp to the studio.

Studio Addition - Epiphone Dot Deluxe

Studio addition.

1963 Fender Vibroverb - Guitar Amplifier Repair - Refurbish

My next project is cleaning up a 1963 Fender Vibroverb. All of the original hardware seems to be very usable. I'll post pictures when I pull the chassis and again when it's finished.

Studio - Fender Bassman Heads

From top to bottom:

1964 - AA864
1966 - AB165
1967 - AB165
1968 - AB165

1966 Fender Bassman - Studio Addition

Just added to the studio amp list is a very nice 1966 Fender Bassman (AB165) with a pair of 1968 Stephens/Trusoinc 12" speakers.  It sounds amazing.

RCA BA-6A Prototype Compressor/Limiter

This RCA BA-6A prototype has just been put back into the rack for a couple of projects after being in storage for a few years.

Sano 300-R Tube Amplifier - Studio Addition

1960's Sano 300-R amplifier. Totally different sound than the Fenders, Gibsons, Ampegs of that vintage. Uses a pair of 8417s for output and 12AX7s in the preamp. Uses 1 - 15" and 2 - 8" speakers.

Wurlitzer 206 Electric Piano - Update - Studio Addition

Finished and ready for tracking.

1967 Fender Telecaster - Studio Addition

A new studio addition is a 1967 Fender Telecaster. This Telecaster was in great shape when I found it, except for the fact that someone had tried to refinish the body and did a horrible job. I took the body to Jim Robinson of Robinsong Guitars as he did an exceptional nitrocellulose lacquer finish. A crap case was used for transporting the guitar to Jim and I forgot to put it in it's original case and remove the protective plastic on the pickguard for the picture. Maybe later.

Wurlitzer 206 Electric Piano - Restoration - Studio Addition

This is an extremely nice Wurlitzer 206A electric piano that after a complete cleaning and the fine tuning of a few reeds, it will be added to the studio instrument list.

Studio Addition - 1970 Fender Twin Reverb

A very clean 1970 Fender Twin Reverb has been added to the studio amplifier list.

New Addition - Orban 674A Quasi-Parametric Stereo Equalizer

An excellent, overlooked gem. For vocals, electric guitar, bass and boring synthesizer tracks are some of my favorite uses.

New Additions - '72 Gibson SG - Fender Super Reverb

This picture speaks a thousand words.

Yamaha MC2404 Mixer Restoration

This is the next project. A Yamaha 2404 MC mixer. It's in excellent operating condition with the typical scuffed up ends from working every night. I'll post more pictures when it's finished.

1967 Bassman Amplifier Restoration

Typical restoration of cleaning pots, checking electrolytic capacitors for leakage and bias adjustment. This Bassman has the heavy duty "special order" 12" speakers.

RCA 77DX Umber Finish Ribbon Microphone

Larry Levine made a huge impact on the way I record music.  I was fortunate enough to attend a couple of Larry's sessions for the Quincy Jones "You've Got It Bad Girl" album at A&M Studios.  I am honored to announce a new addition to the studio.  RCA 77DX, serial # 516, from Larry Levine's personal microphone collection.

Ampex AG-440C ½" 4-track

It's funny how things just come to you... I recently picked-up this Ampex AG-440C ½" servo 4-track. It needs a little clean-up and calibration and will be ready for service. Ever since I was about 12 years old, I've owned and used Ampex tape recorders and have accumulated a decent supply of replacement parts and get a lot of inquiries as to if they are for sale. They are not for sale and I will not respond to anymore inquiries asking if I have parts for sale.

Ampeg SB-12 Portaflex - Repair

I recently acquired this non-working 1967 Ampeg SB-12 Portaflex amp at a bargain price. It was blowing fuses. Traced the problem to a shorted power transformer.