I’m currently getting my home studio more organised, and along the way I’m sharing my thought process, decisions, discoveries and regrets.
I’ve had the new studio rack and the two new patchbays for a week or so now. I’ve experimented with a few possible layouts. And I’ve come to an awful conclusion: running all of this into my existing desktop interface just isn’t going to work for me.
Running Out Of Inputs
For the last three years, I’ve been using the Universal Audio Apollo Twin as my audio interface. Not only does it sound fantastic, it’s also allowed me to start learning about more professional approaches to recording and mixing, thanks to the UAD plugins that emulate classic outboard gear.
It only has two inputs. And, the more I look at my draft wiring diagrams for the new studio rack, the more I’m feeling that two inputs is no longer enough.
To get more inputs, I’m going to have to spend serious money. Unfortunately, it’s not something I budgeted for when I started the studio revamp project.
Time To Raise Some Cash
Back in 2017, when Tess and I first started kicking around the idea of doing an acoustic duo so that we could gig regularly, I bought myself a Taylor T5z. It’s a hybrid guitar with a Les Paul neck; a great help for someone like me who doesn’t get on with traditional acoustic guitars.
The guitar’s been a regular for our rehearsals, and was one of the guitars I used when we supported the lovely Adriana Spina at West Malvern Social Club earlier in the year.
Since then, it’s fallen out of use. I’ve finally adapted to playing an acoustic guitar, and Tahani (my Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster) has been relegated to being my backup. That’s left the T5z without a role.
It’s actually the most valuable guitar of the three, so the time has come to move it and use the money for this unplanned purchase.
I’m not comfortable selling it privately. It’s not just a good guitar, it’s also a bit of a work of art, and I’d feel terrible if it was destroyed in transit to a new owner. So I’m going to trade it in instead.
Whenever I’m trading in a guitar, I always take it to Andertons. The trade-in process is very straight-forward there, and they’ve never once tried to bullshit me or rip me off in any way.
Yes, I will get less money than if I sold it privately. You can’t expect a shop to offer you what you could potentially get via eBay. But, once you take out eBay fees and the hassle of shipping a fragile guitar, the difference isn’t as bad as it might seem. And I can walk out with a new audio interface, same day.
Just so happens that we’re going over that side of the country tomorrow anyways, to visit a guitar show. The T5z will be going with me, and hopefully I’ll be trading it in on the way home.