If you could take one piece of studio gear with you to a desert island, what would it be?
Through a series of mini interviews, Desert Island Gear will introduce you to some of our favourite studio pieces - through the eyes of those who know them best.
This week, we're talking to our in-house composer (and engineer) Dan Tarbuck about our Wurlitzer 270...
Getting the nickname Butterfly Wurlitzer from its striking "wings", this instrument is rare and elusive - with the beauty of a baby grand and the classic sound of a Wurlitzer. This piano has the same inner workings as the model 200 but is made of solid walnut, making for a richer sound and superior acoustics. It's easy on the eyes and even easier on the ears.
If you woke up on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, what would be the one piece of kit from the studio that would haunt your dreams every night?
D: It has to be the "Butterfly" Wurlitzer 270 for me.
What’s so great about it?
D: Incredibly warm, crunchy tone (vs the Wurlitzer 210), visually striking and very rare. Also, the solid walnut construction would provide enough firewood to sustain me for weeks, with enough left over to form a comfortable musical lifeboat.
Is there a favourite project you worked on with our Wurlitzer?
D: It's a bit of an unsung hero, actually - it tends to get overlooked in favour of the more familiar 210. I assisted on a session with Phoebe Katis where it's just her singing at the Butterfly Wurlitzer, and it's gorgeous.
It also features heavily on a song called Airport Liqueurs, where we combined the rich sound of the Wurly's built-in speakers with a direct signal to The Crypt's Pignose amp for extra crunch!
Want to see our Wurlitzer up close? Get in touch and book your session today!