04 Sourcing
Sourcing
The bureau finds rare instruments, equipment, and components, down to the part numbers. It vets the seller, inspects the item on arrival, services it if needed, and delivers it working.
Machine Age has sourced rare studio and hi-fi equipment since 2004, when it opened as an analog studio in Pittsburgh. Over the same years it has tracked down, bought and sold synthesizers, electric pianos, guitars, microphones, turntables, hi-fi components, and more.
How a search runs
01
Brief
You describe what you need: make, model, variant or part number, condition, budget, timeframe.
02
Search and shortlist
The market is searched and sellers vetted. You receive a shortlist with findings.
03
Purchase, inspect, deliver
On your approval the item is bought, inspected, serviced if needed, and delivered.
Fees
| Commission | Of purchase price, covers the search | 10% |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection and service | Bench time, parts at cost plus shipping, plus 5% | $75/hr |
Sourced
Found, brought into working order, and put to use in studio and listening setups.
E-mu SP-1200
Restored and upgraded by Bruce Forat: output boost, sample-input monitoring, new variable-brightness display.
Ursa Major SST-282 Space Station
Early digital reverb and multi-tap delay; seven years in the Machine Age rack.
Roland SVC-350 Vocoder Plus
Rackmount analog vocoder from a long-held collection, all knob caps intact.
Alvarez 5043
Japanese D-35 copy from the lawsuit era: solid top, back, and sides, three-piece rosewood back. Setup by Acoustic Music Works.
Akai S612
Front-panel manual looping; original factory disks included.
Mellotron M4000D
Martin D-35
Sourced to a specific production year.
Martin D12-28
Twelve-string, sourced to a specific production year.
EMT 938 turntable
Machine Age Studios
Machine Age opened in 2004 as an all-analog recording studio. Every piece of its recording equipment was sourced by us.
Neve 8108 console
Neotek Elite console
Ampex MM1200 16-track
Ampex ATR-102
EMT 140 plate reverb
EMT 244 digital reverb
Altec 604 Big Red monitors
604 coaxial drivers with Mastering Lab crossovers.
McIntosh MC7200
On hand
Items on hand are listed at Machine Age 2nd Hand.