Guitar Center and Guitar Center Professional (GC Pro) have announced an agreement with AMS Neve stating that GC Pro is the exclusive U.S. sales channel for the new Neve Genesys, a custom-crafted, expandable analog recording console with digital workstation control, as well as related products.
In coordination with the recently signed agreement, GC Pro has also announced four demonstration facilities throughout the U.S., in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and Miami. An additional flight-cased Genesys console will be moved on a monthly basis to other GC Pro locations throughout the country.
In partnership with Neve, GC Pro will host a series of industry events to present the product to customers nationally. A Genesys console has already been installed in GC Pro’s West LA location, with additional demo consoles arriving in January.
At a price-point of less than $50,000, Genesys offers a base configuration of 16 channels of mic/line preamps, 16-channel DAW monitoring, 32-channel analog summing at mixdown, DAW control for Pro Tools, Logic, Nuendo and more, 8 auxiliary buses, 8 group buses, 2 main outputs, 4 effects returns, comprehensive metering, 5.1 monitoring, 2 cue mixes, talkback services and an internal power supply.
Further, Genesys has the ability to upgrade as studio owners’ requirements change — it can be expanded to over 60 channels in a straight or articulated frame, with options including motorized fader automation, recall, mastering-grade A/D and D/A converters, digitally controlled EQ and dynamics, remote mic amp control and much more.
Genesys was created by Robin Porter, AMS Neve Head of Analog Design, who with his 35 years at Neve has vast experience with the classic 8068, 8078 and VR consoles and was also the principal designer of the 88R.
“Neve is a legendary name, and Genesys represents 40 years of analog console development,” commented GC Pro Director Rick Plushner. “We’re very proud and honored to be selected as the U.S. distributor, and our division is fully behind this product line.”
Mark Crabtree, Managing Director of AMS Neve, says that choosing Guitar Center and GC Pro as exclusive sales and support partner was simple. “The staff are exceptionally well trained and their contacts in the industry are widespread,” he said. “Having store locations in key markets and allowing hands-on access to the console in well-equipped studio environments makes for a very impressive organization.
“Neve customers expect a high level of customer service before and after the sale, and we’ve seen how GC Pro has delivered above and beyond with other Neve products, so we know that with GC Pro our new customers will be well taken care of.”
“Guitar Center is excited to offer the extraordinary line of AMS Neve Genesys consoles to our customers,” stated Bill Wrightson, GC Vice President, HiTech Merchandise. “Our partnership with AMS Neve, combined with the outstanding services of our GC Pro organization and our financing/leasing options, will help make it easy to own a Neve console.”
