The perfect day to buy a box

I've been in the sound industry for -mark- 24 years as of the 19th. Over time I've made numerous industry contacts and I've met a lot of people. One fellow I ran into at a charity event we do every year, J., is in his early 20s and super-keen. He does live sound for electronic bands - meaning bands who play a sort-of underground electronica with keyboards, synthesizers and electronic effects. He says these musicians are far more demanding of their sound guys than your everyday, run-of-the-mill musician.

J. helped me out with a live event I did back in September for a blues act. Blues guys, he says, are pretty laid-back as a general rule. From my experience with hyped-up punk-dude garage bands as well as folk and blues artists, I would concur. I've not had the opportunity to experience electronica musicians, nor by the sounds of it, do I need to.

J. is in Mexico and has allowed me to use his 32-channel Soundcraft LX-7 for a couple events while he's been away. When he showed up in September to help me out at the Red and White Club, I just about fell over when I saw his board tucked into the front seat of his car - without a road case!

"AARRRGHHH!!!!", I thought.

During his absence, I came across a used case for very, very little money. I was actually looking for one for myself, but this one was sadly too small in one dimension for my application. I figured it would, however do very well for J.

I've been emailing with the girl who had this case on line and finally found a time when we were both available to do up the transaction. As circumstance would have it, it happened to be today, Boxing Day.

What a perfect day to buy a box!


This is it - the box I bought on Boxing Day!






I had, I thought, carefully measured the board and the box. I knew it was going to be a "perfect fit", at best, but what I had neglected to notice was that the fins on the plastic sides extrude past the edge of the box! ARGHH!!




The solve will be to remove the plastic sides. On more careful measurement, I've discovered that the board will fit in the box - without the plastic sides, right-snug inside the foam liners. If J. is OK with it, I will proceed. He should be, considering what I scored for him!


So here's J's board as part of "control central" at a Christmas theatre production which I may get around to blogging about sooner or later... most likely later.


It worked great for the kids because the channels are split - much like a split keyboard for a computer. There's a group of channels on the left and a group on the right separated by the sub and master controls. We sat two students at the board so each could run a section of it for their Christmas play.

As Boxing Day draws to a close, I'm pleased to say that as tradition holds in this part of the world, I did indeed go shopping for a Boxing Day bargain, and managed to also avoid the mass panic at the mall.