I’ve had a lot of fun over the years with a 424 mk1, which I picked up at a garage sale for very little, probably 20 years ago.
I recently used it again for a period, and this time invested in some other analogue gear, preamp, decent mic, few reverb and delay effects, compressor.
There was something about the limitations that just made it more fun. And the simplicity of having just a few pieces of gear to experiment with.
It’s unfortunate that they’ve become such expensive items to buy. I’d never pay $1000 for one, which they seem to go for on reverb.
Limitations force you to explore deep. You don't learn how to make one tool work well when there are 1000 more to try. A couple settings and move onto a different effect means you don't learn what this effect can do in all combinations of settings, and you won't even remember you have it as an option when you get around to recording and it would fit. Pros who record all day should know a lot in depth, but it takes years to develop the sense of what effect would be good and how to use it. So for someone who isn't an expert a couple good choices lets us focus on the art.
I recently used it again for a period, and this time invested in some other analogue gear, preamp, decent mic, few reverb and delay effects, compressor.
There was something about the limitations that just made it more fun. And the simplicity of having just a few pieces of gear to experiment with.
It’s unfortunate that they’ve become such expensive items to buy. I’d never pay $1000 for one, which they seem to go for on reverb.