16
inconsistent piece to piece than the 1176s, because of the tubes and the difference in
fatigue of the tubes.
"My big mentors were Andy Johns and Lee DeCarlo and Ron Nevision because they were
all Record Plant guys. I learned how to make a rock and roll record from them. Although
over the years it's become my own thing, my style still tends to be that Record Plant style,
U87s, 1176s, LA-2As, 47 F.E.T.s...it's what I like."
Mike Clink
Producer/Engineer Mike Clink (Guns N' Roses, Sammy Hagar, Pushmonkey) also comes
from the Record Plant school of recording. "I find that I actually use 1176s more now than
I ever did," he comments. "I like them because they bring out the brightness and presence
of a sound--they give it an energy. It seems like when I'm mixing I end up using an 1176
on the vocals every time. And if I want to compress a room sound I'll take a mono room
mic, put an 1176 across it and push in all the buttons."
Bruce Swedein
Bruce Swedien is a master engineer who needs no introduction. He also is a die-hard
1176 fan. "I have two silverface 1176LNs in my rack that Bill Putnam personally picked
out for me," he says. "I remember sitting at Bill's place in the Channel Islands, and talking
about the 1176 and how I wanted a pair . The next time we went over he'd picked this
pair out and they were sitting in his garage waiting for me. I love them on vocals. All of
the Michael Jackson and James Ingram vocals that everyone has heard so much were
done with at least one of those 1176s. I couldn't part with them for anything. They sound
fabulous."