Historic Beatles' Abbey Road Console Hits the Market After 50-Year Journey
The legendary EMI TG12345 recording console, famously used to record The Beatles' "Abbey Road" album, will be available for sale on Reverb starting October 29. This historic piece of music equipment was custom-built for EMI Studios in 1968 and played a crucial role in shaping the distinctive sound of one of music's most influential albums.
After the Beatles' recordings, each band member continued to use the console for their solo projects, including John Lennon's "Instant Karma!" and George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass." The console was so highly regarded that Harrison attempted to purchase one for personal use, but EMI declined, fearing competitive replication.
Following five decades of disuse, the console underwent an extensive five-year restoration process led by former EMI engineer Brian Gibson. The team successfully recovered 70% of the original parts and carefully reproduced the remaining components to maintain authenticity.
"It sounds so good that it holds up against any modern console, and in many respects, it's probably better," said Dave Harries, who worked on numerous Beatles recording sessions. "Because in those days, it was built to a different standard, cost no object. EMI built this to be the best in the world."
The EMI TG12345 was the first of only 17 consoles ever made by EMI, making this particular unit a unique piece of music history. Its recent testing at the former Decca Studios in London confirmed its legendary sound quality remains intact.
alt text
alt text
alt text