Welcome to the DaviSound "NEWS UPDATES" Page!
ARCHIVED CHRONOLIGICAL NEWS ENTRIES FOR 2013
In reverse order with the first entry at the bottom of the page and the last at the top as each new entry is added at the top of each prior entry.
NEWS UPDATE ...November 21st, 2013... December 24th, 2013
" DaviScrooge" ...
Twas the night before ... ... ... With just about a week left in the "great" (tongue fully in cheek) year 2013, I thought I would make one last, BRIEF, entry for the year before sending it on its way and relegating this year's "News Updates" chronicles over to the "News Archives" page prior to starting a new month by month ediiton in this area for 2014.2013 has been, without any doubt, the BUSIEST year, BY FAR, of any I have ever had in all my 65 on the planet and, yet, at the same time, in most ways that count, also the most NON-productive! That is, unless you count dismantling, packing up and moving, or dispensing with, much of what you have worked around/with/in the past forty-three years as "productive".
If anyone reading this, who has not kept up with the past year's updates here, cares to read all the specifics of the longest, continuous "DaviSidetrack" on record, just scroll down and be amused beginning with the "critter invasion" that started it all by wrecking much of our facility early on at the very beginning of the past year.
But, scattered along the way there were SOME, small accomplishments for DaviSound with a little progress interspersed amongst all the upheaval, some of which were documented herein as well. We also worked in a couple of emergency rennovations and installations for local establishments with their pressing multi-media requirements and managed to keep the bills paid with the largest stream of "MasterPiece" module orders in our history!
And, while a lot of that "to do list" that was laid out in the beginning will be carried over, yet again, into another new year because of this one turning out to be the year of the "Greatest Disruption" of them all, at least half of the remaining projects are now right at the threshold for final proofing and shipping; and so, 2014 WILL turn out to be that long awaited year of progress and completions which we had antiicipated this one to be initially.
Believe it!
So, that's it for '13 and, now, BRING ON '14! We welcome the coming new year and eagerly anticipate the new opportunities that are poised with it!
Thanks to all of you who have shown your support and encouragement in so MANY ways during the past twelve months and for those of you who remain "clients in waiting" going into 2014, please know that I will be back at it in full force in the days/weeks/months ahead in 2014 (I already am actually with a completely, full working "holiday" stretch underway for this year!)
So, for now, I leave you with renewed promise for a better new year and wish you ALL a very happy one that will bring you the very best in your own endeavors throughout as well!
See you here with a new beginning in January,
Hayne
November 21st, 2013" DaviShuffle " ... ... ... Well, the 2013 calendar pages are flying away again, aren't they? Meanwhile, the "big move" I have been writing about in this section for most of this year is winding down (probably about 85% completed) and, along with it, the urgency to have it all finished. It seems there is now a lull in our plans to actually close a sale on the property until after the first of the year so, although the moving activities will continue, they will not be the top priority for a few weeks.
Believe it or not, this renewed opportunity to bury myself in "regular work" for awhile will now seem like a vacation! So, as the holidays approach us all too soon once again for another year, I will be enjoying pulling the wraps off some of those long, on-hold projects and trying to get one or two of them ready to ship by year end if at all possible.
So, once again the "shuffle" is on at DaviSound.
This theme for the month was also inspired by an email I received from one of our eternally patient, long waiting clients, who commented that after I finished his latest commission, he did not want me heading off to the "shuffleboard courts" just yet before I built him a custom mixer. Well, no worries there since I never cared for shuffleboard (or any other similar, non-constructive, time wasting activity). But, it does cause me to, once again, see the need to address, and emphasize, that I am NOT winding down DaviSound! I have NO plans for any "retirement"! DaviSound is NOT ceasing activities! DaviSound is NOT going away! Please help me put those "yeah, but ..." rumors to rest on the forums and elsewhere once and for all. From the feedback I am getting, it just seems no one wants to believe the simple truth that I keep hammering here. BUT HERE IT IS AGAIN -
DaviSound is NOT ceasing operation, only changing mode/location of operation! Please take note of that and believe it.
No doubt some of these rumors have been fed by the fact that I have recently turned down some inquiries for custom work at this time. This is NOT because of any permanent, future plans to refuse new commissions, but simply because of my desire to work down the ongoing backlog COMPLETELY before accepting anything else to add to it. As I have said here before, the goal for the future is to continue our Tool Box projects on a one-at-a-time basis (the way it used to be done in the beginning) and to continue to accept some, select, custom commissions (also one-at-a-time) of the type that will not be too complex to allow for a reasonable completion time. I want to FINALLY make "work debt" and "backlogs" a thing of the past in my life and, had we not been "DaviShuffled and DaviSidetracked" by this once-in-a-lifetime dismantling of our old facility, I think I would have accomplished most of it THIS year instead of dragging it on into yet another new year. But that is the ultimate goal and purpose around here these days in the work room and, as I say, it feels GOOD to get away from crawling around in attics, doing inventory and packing for awhile and being able to get back to the OLD grind a little more regularly once again.
Over the next few weeks I will also be adding a few long delayed updates to our website including our FAQs Page and our
DaviStories Page .Oh, and preparation for that forthcoming "DaviScavenge" / "DaviStash" used gear page does continue as well.
I hope everyone enjoys the holiday season and I will be updating again here ASAP!
Thanks!
HaynePS- I have received a couple of emails, since last month's "DaviSession" edition below, asking about my personal "consolette" preamp that was used on that session and just glimpsed in a photo or two. I have never shown it before on our website as it was simply something I "threw together" for my own personal use, years ago, for the occasional voiceover that I am called on to do.
But, for those interested, here is a photo of it taken after completion -
This unit was a prototype for my "op-amp" style (MP-T) "DaviSheen" © ™ vacuum tube circuit design. This signal chain will "eventually" be introduced in our long awaited, TB-9, all vacuum tube processor. It features a triode formed, transformerless, differential mic amp, a mixed line input, hi and lo, passive EQ (with triode class-A buffering), and an all triode version of our "DaviSmart" compressor. I have to say, it is one "smooth" performer all around!
October 30th, 2013 -" DaviSpooked ? " ... ... ... Yes, Halloween, one of my all time favorite "holidays" (ogre that I am) is upon us once again, and all too soon I might add. It finds us with the progress on our big move, (or lack thereof) just about where it was at last update. But, things WILL change over the next few weeks and there WILL be another update here around the early part of next month to show some of this "progress"!
MEANWHILE BOYS AND GHOULS ...
A little "news" of an all different "DaviSort" ...
" DaviSession " ... ... ... A few weeks ago I invited an old friend and fellow musician from the old days, Wayne Golden, out for a last look at the old studio before it goes away. Wayne, aside from being a master guitarist, is also a recording aficionado and he, along with longtime neighbor, Lloyd Brigman (steel guitar) were two of the very first musicians to ever record at the original Mother Cleo Productions studio in 1970.We had an enjoyable, but all too brief, visit that day and as he was leaving, Wayne mentioned that he thought it would be fitting to have one last "session" at the studio, as a "proper send off" so to speak, and that he would invite a few of the area musicians if I agreed. Well, it sounded like a wonderful idea to me although I told him it would have to be just a jam session since almost all of the equipment had been disconnected or moved out already. But, then, as we discussed it, I remembered my portable gear at home and told him we could "throw together" enough equipment to make a very simple, basic recording of the affair and so a date was set for Tuesday evening, October 22nd.
I was not sure who all he would be able to get to come but we had agreed that it would be a very small gathering so he invited just a few members of his old band, including Lloyd along with former bass player Harry Wicker, Drummer Steve Morris, and their more recent vocalist, Tammy Kitchen (whose beautiful voice made everyone sound good).
We only used three microphones ("basic" in the truest sense) and I brought my old, portable Sony mini disc, mixer/recorder and my own personal DaviSound "Tool Box" style tube consolette preamp (transformerless, vacuum tube "op-amp" configured circuitry with phantom powered mic amp, basic EQ and tube compressor built-in) for the vocal / center mic.
We had a lot of fun doing this but I have to say it was "bitter sweet" and I would be lying if I said it did not cause me to have second thoughts about letting the old place go. But, just a little while later, the, once again sobering, thoughts of ongoing maintenance, repairs, extra expenses and time demands, all of which I no longer need at this stage of my life, brought me back to reality.
Here are a few quick (some rather poor quality), souvenier snapshots taken that evening ...
(Willie Nelson was in town that night for a performance at the local opera house but did not make it out afterwards for our jam session ... ;-] >
The joke of the night was that everyone rode by his tour bus on the way in and took a deep breath in order to get "in the mood"! )
Lloyd and Wayne ... band members together in various local groups since their high school and college days ... can play with the best of them and both have done numerous studio sessions here over the years especially during the '70s. Their group, "Cimarrons", was the very first group to ever record at Mother Cleo Productions along with vocalist, Ryan Jones and drummer, Johnny Wilson, now deceased, both of whom were missed during our gathering but who were, no doubt, with us in spirit. Johnny also helped with the finishing touches on the big studio addition in 1971 by, single handedly, laying the red carpet seen on the floor which is still in excellent condition to this day.
So, as we wind down yet another month of roller coaster, 2013, a quick glance over the past news updates reminds us that this has been a year of reflecting and reminiscing as much as anything as we have gone through all the "dismantling" of our workplace of the past forty-three years but certainly one of unprecedented, once-in-a-lifetime, upheaval and restructuring as well.
This was Tammy's first visit to the studio but both Harry and Steve had recorded here in the past.
The rear wall looks weird with the paneling removed (see earlier post for details) but, aside from that, the room "felt" the same as always.
A far cry from the old control room right behind, this simple rig quickly set up in the studio, did what was required for the evening.
"DaviStrung"
Obviously not the text book method for stringing up a mic for an impromptu session ...
for all of you latter day digital recordists ... that mysterious substance with which the mic is tied on with is ...
quarter inch, analog recording tape!
Even the old bass player sat in on a couple of numbers for old time sake!
I am JUST beginning to document all those stored items for that forthcoming, "DaviScavenge/DaviStash/DaviSalvage" web page so maybe it will finally be up, at least, in time for the upcoming holidays.
So, continue to watch this area for much more news to come as the year contiues to tick down all too quickly.
AND REMEMBER ... DAVISOUND IS NOT IN ANY WAY CEASING OPERATION ... WE ARE JUST CLOSING DOWN OUR OLD FACILITY!
Thanks for visiting!
Hayne
September 24th, 2013 -"DaviSnarled" ... ... ... All "snarled up" is an appropriate theme for this month's entry as we CONTINUE to try and sort out, organize and move a lifetime of storage from our old DaviSound facility in preparation of vacating and selling the properties soon.
I thought maybe this process would take maybe a couple of months but, even with my typical "DaviSluggish" progress of late, I never dreamed it would be ongoing for well over four months and STILL not behind us at this juncture.
When we started the new year, 2013, my wife, Annette, and I vowed that this would have to be "Lucky 13" for us and that our typical "Murphy's Law" luck would, at least, take a one year hiatus for us. But, as "Murphy's Laws" would have it, instead of leaving us for awhile, "Old Murphy" has poured it on.
You can read about just SOME of that if you follow this year's news updates but, believe me, if I listed it all here ... the entangled, "snarled", circumstances surrounding the past several months ... no one would likely believe it as all the "catch 22" circumstances that have occurred to plague and complicate things for us here would sound just too fantastic.
For just ONE example area, just about EVERYTHING, appliance wise, that we own has broken down and needed replacing this summer from refrigerators to hot water heaters to televisions to computers to DVRs to CD players to ... (yes it DOES go on and on!).
ON A MORE POSITIVE NEWS NOTE ...
These scenes from the outside lean-to adjoining one of our storage buildings are a pretty good analog
for all the various entanglements that we have had to (literally in this case) cut our way through
these past months as we try to close down and permanently vacate the former DaviSound buildings.
REMEMBER, WE ARE NOT CEASING BUSINESS- JUST MOVING!
Here is the front view of the same shed ... no this is not "good stuff", just salvaged "junk" that had been stored
until such time that we could go through it for parts salvage. "Such time" will never occur now ... as all this "mess" will now be bulk hauled to the recycle center.
Believe it or not, this "jungle" is the result of just one spring/summer season's growth due to unprecedented,
record setting heavy rains (practically each and every day most all spring and summer!).
The vines (mostly cut away and dying by the time the photos were taken), combined with the softened earth, caused the storage shelves to collapse ...
and this is what we found when we finally cut our way in!A little of everything from classic industrial PA system components to an old, early model ATM machine, keyboards, and monitors can be seen in the debris.
The inside of the building houses a similar assortment of the more recoverable equipment that we still have to sort through.
We did make a "LITTLE" regular work progress this month amidst the quagmire ...
Amongst a deluge of MasterPiece circuit modules and new power supply work for one our mixers awaiting shipment to point out just some of it, we also finally shipped the last of several, very backlogged, refurbish projects and I thought I would post a few photos of this last piece. This is the first prototype of what was to later become our "PedOak" styled cabinetry in the larger (3RU) sized, retro styled cabinets.This prototype of the latest edition TB-5, produced in 2005 and refurbished here this summer for a new owner, was a welcome sight when it came back here, albeit a little banged up, many, many months ago.
This particular cabinet, fashioned from select Padauk with Oak sides and rear panel, was one of my all time personal favorites and I felt it was an example some of of my best work. It only needed minor restoration but we went ahead and replaced much of the interior circuitry and componentry anyway. A fine piece of work like this helps to provide the inspiration and motivation to "KEEP ON KEEPING ON", as they used to say back in the '70s! And we intend to do just that for all our old clients in waiting, and all you new ones on hold as well, just as soon as things become a little more "UN-SNARLED" down the way!
It hasn't been ALL unpleasant through this process which has, for the most part, been reminiscent of untangling a ball of twine ...
We have had requests from several of our old associates and studio musicians who heard the news of our shutting down the old facility who wanted to walk through the studio one last time ... again, these visits were emotionally "bitter sweet" but, all in all, a fitting and proper send off for the old place I think as we have several more scheduled over the next couple of weeks.We have also received lots of well wishes and supportive email from clients and friends throughout and one such note came from one of our earliest clients back in the "Mother Cleo Productions" days. Geof Allen of the BBC in London sent me this photo of his original promo/jingle tape that we produced for him way back about 1971! Though old and worn, he still has it in the original box and STILL USES the material!
Here is part of the special note that Geof included with the photo -
Hayne, Thought I'd send a picture of the old mother cleo tape box - bit more tape on the reel than you supplied, but I added some more stuff later! One other thing...your wonderful jingles and promos definitely drove me towards excellence in production in my radio career - I partly blame you for me making a number of singing radio promos for various stations along the way :-) Your ideas and skills pushed me to make better promos... Thank you! All the best. Geoff
And so, the momentous 2013 roller coaster ride continues along through the peaks and valleys of mixed emotions and seemingly incessant tasks unfolding one after another as we try to wind up this process of leaving the old "stomping grounds" once and for all.I will not even begin to try to predict anymore just how much longer it will take us to finally get the last item out of the buildings as we still have the two main storage attics to finish wading through along with several other small, but packed, sectors . But, maybe, at least that long awaited "DaviStash/DaviScavenge" page can be completed and posted before yet another month rolls around.
If you would like to reflect on more of what we have posted relating to all of this in weeks/months prior ...just keep scrolling down through the earlier updates listed below including the most recent link to one of our old brochures that was last posted just below at the end of August.
Meanwhile, thank you all again for "coming along for the ride" and returning here to our updates page.
Once again, I will be hoping to have bigger and better news for you by next month!My best to you all,
Hayne
AUGUST 29th ADDENDUM - (In memory of Maggie Lee Davis - August 29th, 1916 - May 27th, 2011 ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAA! )
I just wanted to add a few notes here out front to this month's update ...
First, although I had said in the update below that I may have changed my mind about offering the "DaviScavenge / DaviStash" web page ... your numerous emails requesting it have changed my mind again! So, please note that I WILL be adding that page with a few odds and ends, relics, souvenirs, whatever you want to call them, made available to you here as soon as possible.Secondly, our "permanent housecleaning" is turning up some old, thought lost, memorabilia and I have turned a bit of that into a new web page called DaviScrapBook
This page features some of the oldest known, albeit rather pooor quality, black and white photos of days gone by which I thought some of you might enjoy looking at. Included are photos of our first control room gear, the classic old Ampex machines. Please use the link above to check it out!
Thanks to ALL of you for your conitnued emails expressing your well wishes for our ongoing close-down of the old DaviSound facilty as we prepare to move our current operation to new, somewhat scaled down, environs in the future.
"DaviSentimental" Journey ...
Naturally it is a somewhat, "DaviSlow" (as most progress here is these days because we are so "DaviSpread", in so many varied directions now, as documented in an earlier post below) ongoing journey down "reminiscent lane" as we wind down our old DaviSound facility preparing for our, soon to be, exit of the premises for the last time.
(And we also continue to be hampered and slowed in our efforts by incessant, daily "monsoons" here as reported last month ...
Although, we actually did manage a wonderful "dry stretch" so far in August - 2 dry days in a row!)And, of course, this journey I am on now truly is QUITE a sentimental "last ride" since not only is the DaviSound studio building the place where I spent most of my time during my adult life but, too, the adjoining property is also my childhood home!
But ... we have some serious interest in the properties from some very nice folks, the longtime business neighbors next door, and it looks like we will finally have most of our "zillion" miscellaneous items, which are / have been housed in the buildings, collated and moved out by around the end of the month.
As it turns out, I may not have that expected "DaviScavenge / DaviStash" web page, talked about in earlier posts, after all. Or, if I do, it will probably be much smaller in content than I had originally expected. This is because we have already moved some key items either by local interest or by email inquiries and correspomdence. But, I do have some, few, things left that may be best presented and offered on our website and who knows what else will turn up as the "scavenge" through the attics continues over the next few weeks ... so, if interested in any "possible classics" from DaviSound ...
please keep watching this news area!And, so, the "DaviSummer of 2013 DaviSaga" continues ...
If you have been following our ongoing posts for this year all below on this news page ...
you will recall the "DaviSaga" regarding the "caged critter" that got inside and which became an unwilling/unwanted captive resident.
You will also recall just how trashed this room was from the photos we posted on this page (below) at the time.
Well, as you can see, although not "squeaky clean" from all its "residue" left behind
this "after" photo, taken during mid-cleaning and fumigation ...
shows most of the debris cleaned away and the remaining electronic items sorted for forthcoming removal.
You would truly have to see the "before" to appreciate the "after" and all the effort it took to get there!
The fireplace on this side of the room was literally covered in strewn boxes, parts and stored gear ...
all the way up to the mantle piece which was also torn loose and had to be removed.
Two tower computers and about a half dozen antique radios were badly damaged in the "critter's" rampages.
Unfortunately, the adjoining main workroom, while further along than when this photo was taken ...
has not been completely restored to order and cleaned up yet.
Also unfortunately, this area, top left of photo, is where the critter was finally found inside a parts box ...
where it had "entombed" itself by, somehow, pulling another box on top of the box it was in!
(and ruining about $400.00 worth of imported German, pushbutton switches in the process)Before doing that it had trashed this room worse than the adjoining one (and that IS saying something!).
Shown here is a damaged, fallen, shelf / rack section that had housed, among other things, the console end templates left over from an old project.We had originally thought, and reported, that the animal was a squirrel although many questioned that speculation.
But, as it turns out, it was a HUGE 'possum carcass that was found ...
you guessed it ... still "grinnin' like a 'possum" !
We buried the critter in the box, parts and all!
MEANWHILE ... ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING ....
This view of the couch wall as we are about to step up into the control room ...
shows that, THANKFULLY, the studio side of the hallway was not affected by any "furry visitors" ...
(other than yours truly that is!)
This is the last view of the "live side" of the studio just prior to removing the pine board walls ...
I promised wife, Annette, that she could have this beautiful rough sewn lumber for her forthcoming outdoor patio kitchen.This is just before moving the items out of the way to carefully pry the boards loose for removal.
The bricks on the table at left are weighting exotic lumber that is to be used for Tool Box cabinets.
As you can gather, in recent years the studio had primarily become another overflow storage area for materials.
A look at the vocal booth framing with the solid pine, outside paneling now removed.
If we do decide to post that "relics" page offering remaining items for sale ...
It should be announced here by the next news update (which, if so, may be a little sooner than the typical monthly update).Meanwhile, we will be working frantically during the next few weeks to try and "wind up the wind up" of the "good ole" DaviSound facility.
And, yes, we have managed to squeeze in a little "real work" for all you clients in waiting amongst all of this! We have shipped all the remaining refurbish projects making way for other projects in waiting to move up on the bench and made some progress on the power supply work for two of our consoles in progress here ... that, along with shipping about two dozen MasterPiece modules this past month to help pay the bills!
As always I thank "all ye faithful" for your visits here, the continued patience of all the clients in waiting and for your encouraging correspondence through all of this and ... once again in closing ...
I REMIND EVERYONE THAT DAVISOUND IS NOT IN ANY WAY CEASING OPERATION!WE ARE SIMPLY MOVING OUR OPERATIONS, PERMANENTLY, TO A NEW LOCATION AS DESCRIBED IN PREVIOUS POSTS BELOW!
Join us again next time for more news!
Best in audio to all of you,
Hayne
July 10th, 2013
"MIX-106 (WNMX-FM, 106.3) REMEMBERED! July 10th, 1989.
The anniversary of Newberry, SC's first, and short-lived (sold and moved) , FM radio station.
For those interested ... more can be seen about it HERE at DaviScenes Archives
"DaviSaturated" ... in July ...
If you think I am referring to being saturated with WORK ... you are right, of course, as that ALWAYS applies. But, in this case, I am referring to the incessant RAIN ...deluge after deluge, day in and day out, here in the southeast! As we struggle to endure the wettest summer on record in history (it has rained at LEAST once, usually two or three times heavily, every day for the past seven weeks and many days prior to that!) naturally this would coincide with the time that we are having to move "tons" of pieces of equipment, furniture, boxes of important papers, tapes, records, parts, supplies etc from the old DaviSound facility in preparation for the forthcoming property sale."Murphy" ... (of Murphy's Laws infamy) ... always has to get his say in on my behalf one way or another!
But ... SOME progress is being made at least ...
As has been explained in some detail in the ongoing news updates listed below, I am gradually moving everything either to the home work room for completion or materials/equipment in storage, as required, until a new work shop can be completed in the future. Partial view of my newly rearranged home work room in preparation for completing ALL current projects
prior to the construction of the newly planned mobile workshop to be constructed next year.
"CONSOLE CORNER" can be seen from this angle with two of our three mixers now under construction and under wraps ...
along with two recently refurbished Tool Boxes undergoing final recertification proofs of performance testing.
(I don't skimp on lighting ... all of these are custom LED variations and ALL are solar powered as are all of the electrical needs of the room)
I am just beginning to document the stored items (odds and ends) we will be selling or auctioning which will be displayed on the forthcoming "DaviStash" web page now under constuction so please keep watching for news of its readiness ... fairly soon I hope.
Since I expect most of the bigger news to be a few weeks ahead ...
I will keep this update VERY brief and present much more in my next update just as soon as possible.I do want to mention that I am getting quite a bit of nostalgic email and well-wishes from old clients these days (and I do mean "old" ... some of them way back to the '70s like the recent correpondence with Geof Allen of the BBC in England from our radio production days "way back when") in regard to our winding down of the old studio facility. Yes, it is a sad transition in a way but one that I feel will bring many positives for the future as has been well documented in these posts the past year! But, I do thank you ALL for your notes, your concerns and your well wishes. It really will be hard to walk out of there for the last time when it does happen!
I remind everyone AGAIN ... who may be reading all of this for the first time ...
DaviSound is NOT going away ... just moving in a slightly different direction in terms of location! Please refer to the posts below for more detailed information on the new plans.As always ... THANKS for tuning in and join me here again for our next episode in the ongoing, and never dull, "DaviSaga" to see what happens next!
Hayne
June 6th, 2013 -
D-Day REMEMBERED! June 6th, 1944 the U.S. Army invasion of Normandy, France
In memory of Cpl John Will Davis (3-26-1915 - 11-1-1991), Veteran of All FIVE major European campaigns, World War II.
Initially 801st Tank Destroyer Batallion / Later Patton's 3rd Army (after Battle Of The Bulge)
"DaviStrewn" ... for June ...
If you look up the definition of "strewn" you will find it means to "spread here and there" ... or to "spread all over".
Well, that certainly defines me these days. In fact, I guess it always has. I am probably the original "MULTI-tasker" with an extra emphasis on multi!Always "too many irons in the fire" ... as the old saying goes!
If you are a newcomer to our site and would like to take a curious gander at some of the many hats I have worn over my lifetime, please see our DaviSound Origins web page. One of the best compliments I have ever received was from an old cohort who told me upon reflection a few years ago, "Not only have you done a little bit of everything that can be done in the media business, you have excelled at every one of them". Well, I think that was quite a bit of an over-statement to say the least ... but I certainly appreciated him saying it and I know he sincerely meant it from his perspective.
Some of that "diversity" dating back to the earliest, professional days is reflected upon in one of my old news updates, over a decade ago when we were celebrating our 30th anniversary, here on our News Archives Anniversary area . Since it is once again June, and anniversary time (43rd this June!), I thought I would, again, include the above nostalgic link.
The problem with "multi-multi-tasking" ... although it can be done ( and done well, I might add ... even for us "perfectionists" ) is that you can put in a FULL day of drudgery, "busting it" in all the many directions, and even after fourteen hours or more of frantic laborious effort, you may only see a little noteworthy progress develop on any one particular project. So has been the case around here for the past many weeks.I have shipped two of the long awaited refurbish projects that were on the "out bench" in my workroom but the work continues for the other two we have (another just arrived recently ... an old TB-10 I had not seen for MANY many years and our first THIRD owner piece to come back here for our subsequent owner refurbish/recertification service special offer).
Meanwhile ... I move along the room ("spread here and there") to three mixers (one basically just started with component work ... one nearing the final completion stages ... and another essentially ready for almost a year except for some final additions and retrofits but soon to be shipped) ... and a list of other assorted projects in assorted stages (which you can see below from prior updates).
There has also been a flourish of MasterPiece module orders from do-it-yourselfers as of late so the soldering iron remains plugged in on the module bench incessantly all day (and most nights) where I make myself (and a once-in-awhile assistant) spend a few hours in the work rotation each day now. And, yes, we have to work new orders into the rotation along with that ever-so-slowly decreasing backlog in order to pay the current bills!
(On a side note ... I recently received an inquiry from a fellow renewable energy enthusiast who asked me, after reading that my work room is now totally solar powered, if I used inverter powered AC soldering irons or DC powered irons. The answer is BOTH. I have begun using the new 12 volt DC irons directly off the battery bank but still need the slightly heavier duty AC versions occasionally also.)
(All those many "irons" in the solar "fire"!)Next, toss in all my personal domestic duties/chores and my local obligations/responsibilities and ... I think you get the idea. Just never enough minutes/hours/days/nights/weeks/months ... to "spread all over" for each work year!
And, with a vow to get the list whittled down to near nil by year's end ... it is more frantic around here than ever before.
Then, since we "still didn't have quite enough to do" (ahem) ... this past month I had to begin yet another activity ... the slow dismantling of the old DaviSound facility (that tale is told below also in previous posts) and begin the "DaviSorting" through all the horde out in that direction to add yet another new iron into the old fire. And on that note, maybe by the next month we will have the beginnings of that "DaviStash" web page I talked about last time up and going (probably should have called it "DaviScavenge" instead!).
(Should I mention that it is also grass cutting season again?)
And so the same old "DaviSaga" continues ... lots ( I mean LOTS) of work ... a few shipments ... and a whole lot more "irons" waiting in the wings!
Stay tuned ... more "DaviStrewn" than ever before as we may be ... we should have more new accomplishments to show here much "DaviSooner" than later!
Thanks for returning!
Hayne
April 24th, 2013
"DaviShortSubject" ... ADDENDUM ...
This is just a quick ADD-ON to this month's update ...
I forgot to mention that our old HOTMAIL alternate email account is no longer active! It seems I neglected to check it within Microsoft's "magic window" timeframe and they locked me out! Worse, they would not let me back in based on their hokey little monkey-dance "recovery form" questionaire in spite of multiple attempts inserting everything correctly. What a ridiculous, and needless, hassle!And, so, there you are. Hundreds of archived emails lost forever ... at least to me, the supposed "owner" of the account!
To any and all who have used, or may still use, Davisound at hotmail dot com to send us email ...
please note that we will not be getting anything there in the future and will not be able to see anything sent there the past several months or so ...
(or any other time in the past for that matter)!PLEASE, FROM NOW ON, EXCLUSIVELY USE DAVISOUND AT DAVISOUND DOT COM AS OUR ONE AND ONLY CONTACT ADDRESS!
(YOU MAY ALSO USE THE CGI FORM ON OUR FAQS PAGE)This would be a good time and place to remind all of you that I ALWAYS answer email! So, if you have ever sent us anything and did not get a response, it simply means we did not get it for some reason. If you ever send an email and do not receive a reply within a few days time ...
PLEASE RESEND IT UNTIL YOU DO!Thanks,
Hayne
April 10th, 2013
"DaviStriding" on into spring 2013 ... ...
To paraphrase Neil Armstrong ... "Many small strides for Hayne ... one small leap for our Clients in waiting!"
Yes, I am "DaviStriding" as swiftly and steadily as possible as I walk through these "miles of backlog" still ahead of me into 2013. The good news is ...
I can now see some long awaited accomplishment behind me although there is still a "mountain or two" to climb in the road ahead.As of this writing, I am just a little further along than at last post since the current projects on the "out bench" continue to demand more time devoted to each of them than was previously anticipated. Even after some 40 years with these endeavors I STILL have not learned to accurately estimate the actual time that will ultimately be required for any given project! I have also been very busy this month looking after the expansion of two of the local area media installations that I am obligated to and responsible for.
So, when/if you scroll down for a recap of last month's post ... (remember, as of this year, we have introduced the continuing news "blog style" format whereby all "News Updates" for the year will remain on the same page for the entire year; after which, each year's collection will be moved to the "News Archives" page.) ... you can see about where things stand with that infamous backlog since, although much more work has been contributed, just a little further forward progress has been acheived since last month's post. I do expect to have some more full completions to announce here by next news update!
The "new news" this month will be about the BIG ... truly the biggest ever ... "SPRING CLEANING" ever to take place at DaviSound which is on the immediate horizon. This comes with many, MANY mixed emotions caused by our decision, evolving since the first of this year, to go ahead and permanently close down the old DaviSound studios and facility (you can read more about some of the many contributing factors to this decision in the posts below).
ANYTIME I SEE THIS STATEMENT IN IN PRINT I FEEL THE NEED TO FOLLOW UP AND ...
EMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE NOT CLOSING DOWN DAVISOUND- ONLY THE OLD LOCATION!I am simply changing my permanent work location closer to my residence and, thereby, condensing my maintenance responsibilities which will, actually, allow me to work much more efficiently, and more enjoyably, as I approach "old age" (after all, since I turned 65 this February I will be "approaching" "old age" over the next twenty or thirty years so I have to be prepared!).
Earlier this year I announced my long range plans for a new DaviSound workshop which I had first thought would be a new permanent facility located adjacent to our residence. However, now, at the creative suggestion of wife, Annette, this just may, possibly, take the form of a mobile, "DaviSolarShop on a trailer". I am giving that suggestion some very serious thought since, that way, I can either work at home or at our alternate lake residence during our planned stays there (or anywhere else for that matter!). Regardless of the form it takes, when we can begin this new future facility, I will cover much of the process here on these pages when that time comes.
However, as I have emphasized previously, the beginning of that new venture is still at least a year, if not two, away and, meanwhile, I will continue to do most of my daily work from my home work room as I have already been doing for the past few years.
The only immediate change will be the official "winding down" of the original DaviSound property (which happens to be located about 6 miles across town from our residence which is on the south of town). As a part of this process, we will be parting with quite a few old "treasures" ... many of which have been packed in the attic and storage rooms out there for many years.
This will NOT be a "quick fix", as there are many decisions to be made about the properties and many necessary arrangements along with them. And we have quite a "collection" of "treasures" ("junk"?) that we will have to dispense with as there will just not be room for all of them in our future plans. All of this will, of course, take some time and will be an ongoing process, interpersed with normal work, over the next many months for as long as it takes.
I will be working on a new web page addition for our site that will feature these items that we will, utlimately, accept "best offers" for and/or, perhaps, offer them on eBay. So if you want a "once-in-a-lifetime" chance at owning some of our stored "collectibles", you will want to keep an eye on these pages in the months ahead as we start pulling them and listing them. I also hope you will SPREAD THE WORD to your associates about these plans/listings. We are talking about, mostly, old audio equipment ... studio, broadcast and industrial ... with a sprinkling of other related items as well.
Please just make sure that when you do spread the word that it does NOT get misinterpreted that we are in any way winding down the DaviSound business ... please emphasize that we are just relocating!
We will likely be offering some furnishings, a few old analog tape machines, microphone booms, rack cabinets and other heavier items as well as the many individual smaller items.
Well, that's about it for this time boys and girls but be sure and "tune in" here again next time when we will, once again, be presenting our continuing saga of the "on going goings on" at DaviSound!Meanwhile, as always, I welcome all your inquiries and your commissions!
Thanks for reading!
Hayne
MARCH 6th, 2013
REMEMBER THE ALAMO! March 6th, 1836
Tennessee may be called the Volunteer state ...
but it was South Carolinan Colonel William Travis
of neighboring Saluda County who commanded the Alamo
and gave his life along with another small group of
South Carolina volunteers in the defense of Texas.
"DaviSpring" 2013 ...
Can it be we are FINALLY starting to catch up some
on that infamous backlog with the arrival of spring?
"The sooner you fall behind ... the more time you'll have to catch up!"
Steven Wright
Well, it sure doesn't feel like just a few more weeks until spring arrives, since it has been (and still is as of this writing) COLD down south! But it is "in the air" (kind of of ... on our minds anyway!) as it is getting close ...
at least on the calendar.There are a couple of our projects, as mentioned last month, getting close to "arrival" also with one of these new beauties being prepped for shipping early next week!
If you would like to see more ... here is the link ...
PREVIEW PAGE OF THE NEW TB7-T "Inner Tube DaviStrip"
Next we will be doing the finishing touches to the "MixMasterPiece" introduced here earlier ...
MixMasterPiece ... All WOOD - ALL TUBE ... Mixer
After that ...
It is move on down the list that we presented here last month detailing our remaining chronological work order. When you review that hefty list from last month you will see I will be continuing to "burn the midnight solar" (battery bank) continuing to catch up the rest of the projects throughout the year!And speaking of last month's, and prior month's, news updates ...
At least a few of you still frequent this page on a regular basis since I heard from quite a few of you regarding our recent updates. One even made a suggestion that I plan to adopt here, henceforth!He remarked about how he had enjoyed my carrying forward the occasional "re-runs" of prior month's updates and suggested that I present each month's updates on a single page for the entire year. That way, viewers who would wish to may scroll down to the prior months' updates for review at any time. So, that is just what I plan to do beginning with this edition of our "News Updates" section. Then, at the end of a year, we will move each year's page over to our "News Archives" page and index it by year! How is that for moving up in the "blog post" cyber world?
And so ...
in closing ... since the new TB7-T is about all the "big news" from here this month ...
I take you now back to LAST month's update directly below!Thanks again for all your emails, suggestions, comments (and NEW ORDERS!)!
Hayne
February 4th, 2013
"DaviSchedule" ...
Since I spend so much time here with these "News Updates" belaboring my perennially backlogged work schedule in general terms, I decided that now be the appropriate time to list, specifically, just where things stand with that schedule, and the status of the specific projects it entails, here early in the new year.
We, essentially, work in chronological order with all of our our projects at DaviSound based on the old "first in / first out" method thereby assuring those who have waited the longest for their investment to come to fruition are the ones whose projects are completed and shipped the soonest. Sometimes it is beneficial, for all around efficiency, to vary this practice just a bit but, for the most part, this is how it is, and has always been, done here.
Below is a complete list of the current projects in waiting in various stages of completion. I am presenting all of these "backlogged" projects in four groups beginning with the first group, of which all items are just about ready to be shipped in the immediate future (most, if not all, even before the next news update!) and ending with the fourth group of fairly recent projects just getting underway.
I need to emphasize here that there is really, in most cases, not all that much "distance" separating the projects in the first three groups.
1. Just about ready to ship very shortly -
A new TB7-T- "InnerTube" TB-7 "DaviStrip" prototype/custom project for a longtime client in the Nashville area and ...
The "MixMasterPiece" mixer that was introduced here in a photo spread last summer
(now undergoing final tweaking/proofing and supplemental outboard power supply addition).Refurbishes of a TB-12, TB-4 and TB-5 for second owner clients. 2. The next group of two of similar "vintage" just a little further back with work left remaining ...
and awaiting their move up to the completion bench-
Custom Portable TB-7 for a patient Indiana client.
"Mixer O'Tube" custom "DaviSheen" all tube mixer for a VERY patient, supportive client in Ireland. 3. The largest group ... all still just a little further down the line in the development stage -
TB7-2 Prototype for the new edition "DaviStripToo" Dual TB-7 for client in Nevada
New custom "TB-40" 40th anniversary edition DaviSound Tool Box designed by ...
and being custom created for, a longtime (and long waiting!) client in Michigan
Custom 8 channel Preamp Package for longtime friend and associate in SC
TB-6 for longtime (and LONG, LONG waiting) audio specialist in Australia
TB-1 new revised edition prototype and the VERY, VERY long awaited TB-9 all-tube compressor prototytpe
both commissioned by VERY supportive, longtime/long waiting client in California
TB-3 for another longtime client in Lousianna I think it worth mentioning that all but two of the above are repeat clients ... most mulitiple owners!
4. In the preliminary or design stages -
A custom guitar amplifier for local friend/client and a ...
New 6 channel combination DJ/recording console for a client in Norway
So, as you can see, I really have my work cut out for me for the remainder of the year but I do remind you that I am still accepting NEW ORDERS to add to this list! While it may seem that we are a long way off from catching up, I do expect most ALL of this work to be finally completed here and on the way well before this year is out and most of it much sooner than later!If you have been considering commissioning a DaviSound piece of your own, then I urge you to go ahead, place your order and reserve your place in the queue NOW to be assured of the earliest possible, increasing attention to your project as the others ahead of you are moved up and out!
My sincere THANKS, again, to all of you who have placed, and kept, your faith in DaviSound these past many months (and years)! I truly do look forward to rewarding it soon and we will introduce many of these new pieces here on the website as soon as I am able to do so.
Since my little piece about being "DaviSquirreled" last month drew more comment than anything run here in awhile ...
I thought I would repeat it once more here, again, below for those who may have missed it last month.I should also mention that there was, yet, a SECOND episode as, apparently, the little devil did NOT get out as supposed and was, again apparently, "playing possum" during my visit when the photos were taken. The place was even in a worse mess when I next returned but we will just let this unpleasant story rest there!
Repeat from January 2013 ...
"DaviStarted" FOR THE NEW YEAR ...
"DaviStartled" AND ...
"DaviSquirreled" !
I was determined to be EARLY for a change! And, so I am!
I did not quite make New Year's Day but here I am with an update just 4 days into it!SO, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
As most of you know so very well ... my theme here these past months (and, in reality, much of this entire year!) ...
has been about constantly running behind while all the time, frantically, chasing my tail on a daily basis trying to catch-up!Here is my intro from last time in that regard ...
"No, I am not, necessarily, becoming "DaviScrooge" ...
it all just came around again WAY too fast this time ...
SEEMS LIKE JUST LAST MONTH that we were doing this holiday thing, year-end wrap-up instead of last year!Once again this year, I am having to write appologetic "holdover" emails to clients in waiting and as one patient client, who has his major project carried over for another year, put it good-naturedly in his last email reply ... "It is Deja Vu all over again ... and AGAIN"!
And another client, keeping his sense of humor (thank goodness!) regarding, yet another, delay notice, sent me this little quip in the spirit of the occasion ...
"Ever the further I go ...
The further I am behind ...
from the Winchester Anthology
British Library Additional Manuscript 60577 (15th century)"
That pretty well somes up the state of my existence these days!
But, I am also ever so much closer on so many projects that there is NO DOUBT that there will be MANY new projects to display here and ship out begining in the early part of 2013 (assuming we all make it past the upcoming end of the Mayan calendar!)! "
Well, the Mayan calendar did end without consequence but I cannot say as much for one of our greatest "Murphy's Law" years on record here ...Earlier this year it was confirmed, as I had suspected for some time, that the old DaviSound building, primarily the big studio area but also in spots all over the building as well, has become victim to some mold, mildew and mild structural damage issues! We suppose this goes back to the storm/water damage problems we suffered some years ago that some of you may recall reading about here. As a result of this, and other issues besides, the building has now been completely, and permanently, closed to visitors.
I have, for quite some time, been doing almost all of my fabrication work from my home work room anyway only venturing into the old facility fabrication room for materials and to use some of the shop tools for a few moments. While the final fate of our old building, where I spent so much of my adult life, is still yet to be determined, I do have plans for a new workshop on other property to be constructed within a couple of years- (more on that in the closing below).
However, the one remaining area of "plague reprieve" left in the building, the corner where my newer office/workroom is located, has now been visited by a unique plague all it's own.
When I stopped by the building just to check on things prior to the holidays I discovered this latest of the "plagues". I found my office/personal work station out there totally "destroyed" as if by a hurricane! Only, this "hurricane" had teeth" ... and four legs (at least)!Apparently a squirrel (or several) had gotten into the attic and then gnawed his/their way through the attic scuttle way and, literally, run amuck doing extensive damage in the process before, obviously, getting back out the way they came in (or else up the chimney). I now have many days worth of clean up to do in there to try and reorganize the scattered, emptied parts bins and sort through all the clutter.
This "critter party" also destroyed some valuables including three old, "priceless" antique radios, one tower computer (knocked over and damaged in the fall), an oscilloscope and several other smaller, (some irreplaceble) breakable items.
Here are a few cell phone photos I snapped to document just some of the mess ...
You would have to "be there", as they say, to appreciate it and it really is worse than it looks here ...
This is what I gazed upon when I opened the door ...
It looks like he/they made laps around the room and down the bench.
I guess I am "lucky" after all in that they left a few of the parts bins upright!
Just a few "zilliion" small capacitors and other parts scattered in all directions and all over the floor.
Oddly ... all of this pile of stuff had been located in different areas of the room!
Obviously, the little scoundrel(s) gathered this collection up for some reason before leaving their treasure horde behind.
Swinging? .... Clawing? .... Chewing? ....
ALL of the above?
These items WERE neatly stacked in OTHER places!
One of several places where he/they stopped for a "picnic snack"!
FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO "TOOL BOXES", OR SIMILAR CURRENT PROJECTS UNDER CONTRUCTION
LOCATED IN THAT ROOM AT THE TIME!
This is just an example of the almost weekly "Murphy's Law" aggravations that have plagued us in some way or other over the past year ...
but we are being POSITIVE that this was the last big "blow-out" of that luck going out with 2012 ...
and that LUCKY '13 WILL bring new, positive things for this coming year!
In closing ...
Here below is a repeat of the section from a previous News Update
that first mentioned the new, planned, work facility coming in a couple of years ...
I would also like to mention here that all DaviSound gear
from 2012 throughout the future is now being, and will be, produced by SOLAR POWER!
Now, this is not some kind of trendish "go green" political statement ...
(although I STRONGLY believe in "going green" for all the REAL, right reasons)Renewable energy, especially solar, has been a passion of mine for many, many years. I strongly believe in it for our future and with quality solar panels now down to about $1.00 or less per watt, it is just good common sense to consider going solar NOW!
No, I am not fully off grid and do not intend to be. But, I do plan to eventually be fully self sufficient to the point that the grid connection will be maintained only in the standby mode. My home work room, where I now do about 90% of all my assembly work, is completely solar powered (as are all of my out-buildings at home as well as the old adjoining shop building outside the DaviSound facility).
I have plans to construct a completely new workshop for all my DaviSound project work on property adjacent to our residence which will feature solar electric as well as passive solar heating. Hopefully this new addition can be constructed and completed around the end of 2013 or early 2014.
But ...
BE ASSURED that the main focus here for the new year and the next many months immediately ahead is all that work and LABOR that I owe our clients in waiting! I promise not to branch off too far afield in any direction other than completing ALL of these long awaited, partially finished, projects now sitting on our work benches!I do expect to be introducing more of these readied projects here very soon so ... as I always say in broadcast terminology ...
PLEASE STAY TUNED!
Best in audio,
Hayne Davis
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