The Police Synchronicity equipment

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(last updated: 21/8/24)

Musical equipment

Drums and percussion:

  • TAMA Imperialstar 5-ply drums (Dark Blue):
    • 14” x 22” Bass Drum
    • 8” x 10” Rack Tom
    • 8” x 12” Rack Tom
    • 9” x 13” Rack Tom
    • 16” x 16” Floor Tom
    • Pearl 5” x 14” Snare (B4514 Custom Deluxe Chrome-Over-Brass)
    • TAMA Octobans (70’s Model Royalstar lugs)
  • Additional drums & percussion:
    • Paiste Percussion Rack
    • Premier marimba – “King of Pain”
    • TAMA 14” x 22” Gong Drum
    • 5” LP Black Beauty Cowbell
    • TAMA Titan Hardware
  • Cymbals:
    • Ictus 7.5 UFIP Ice bell
    • Paiste (various)
  • Sticks:
    • Calato Regal Tip ‘Rock’ Model
  • Other:
    • Oberheim DMX drum machine: Sting’s own, provides bass drum pattern on “Every Breath You Take”

Basses:

  • Van Zalinge Z-bass (a.k.a. “Brian”)
  • Steinberger L2: e.g. “King Of Pain”
  • Fender Precision fretless (1978, natural finish): e.g. “Wrapped Around Your Finger”, alongside Z-bass
  • Fender Jazz bass (1962, natural)
  • Effects: Boss CE-2 Chorus

Guitars:

  • Fender Stratocaster (1961, red): Andy Summers’ main, e.g. “Every Breath You Take”
  • Fender Telecaster custom (1961/63, sunburst /w PAF Humbucker)
  • Gibson Les Paul Gold Top (1957): e.g. “Synchronicity II”
  • Gibson ES-335 (1958, sunburst)
  • Gibson ES-175 (1964, natural)
  • Gibson Chet Atkins CE
  • Guitarman custom 12-string: “Synchronicity I”

Guitar rig:

  • Guitar synths:
    • Roland GR-300 (x2) /w G-303 controller: e.g. “O My God”
  • Amplification:
    • Fender Twin Reverb (silverface): possibly Studio’s
    • Roland JC-60 Jazz Chorus
    • Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus: main amplifier for clean, chorused sounds e.g. “Every Breath You Take”
    • Marshall JMP 1959 Super Lead (or 1992 Super Bass) 100-watt heads (x2)
    • Marshall 1960A 4”x12” cabinets (x2)
  • Pete Cornish custom pedalboard:
    • MXR MX-101 Phase 90
    • MXR Analog Delay
    • MXR Distortion+
    • MXR Dyna-Comp compressor
    • Musitronics Mutron III envelope follower
    • Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress flanger
  • ‘The Roland Rack’ case:
    • Alembic F-2B preamp
    • Roland SDD-320 Dimension D
    • Roland SIP-300 (or SIP-301) preamp
    • Roland SPA-240 power amp (x2)
    • Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo

Keyboards & synthesizers:

  • Oberheim OB-Xa: Sting’s main synthesizer, used with DSX sequencer on “Synchronicity I” and “Walking In Your Footsteps”
  • Roland Jupiter-8
  • Sequential Circuits Prophet-5: Andy Summers’ main synthesizer
  • Yamaha CS-80: Studio synthesizer at AIR, unclear if used on any songs

Acoustic pianos:

  • Bosendorfer 7’ 4” grand piano – available at AIR Studios, as played by Sting and possibly Andy Summers
  • Yamaha 9’ grand piano – available at Le Studio, possibly used

Wind instruments:

  • Jupiter Oboe 335 (“Tea In The Sahara”)
  • Yamaha saxophone (“O My God”, assumed)

Recording & studio equipment

Microphones:

  • AKG:
    • C414 EB: vocals
    • C451E: possibly hi-hats & octobans
  • Neumann:
    • KM84: possibly hi-hats
    • U47 FET: used for bass drum and vocals
    • U87: drum ambience and percussion
  • Sennheiser MD-421: gong drum, guitar amplifiers & possibly tom-toms
  • Shure SM57: snare, tom-toms and guitar amplifiers
  • STC 4038: overheads

Outboard gear (partial list):

  • Eventide H910 Harmonizer
  • Eventide H949 Harmonizer
  • EMT 140S stereo plate
  • EMT 140M live echo
  • Roland SRE-555(?): tape echo effects
  • UREI 1176LN compressor: Hugh Padgham’s favourite for vocals

Tape Machines & digital:

  • AIR Montserrat:
    • MCI JH24 24-track 2-inch
    • MCI JH114 24-track 2-inch
  • Le Studio:
    • Studer A80 Mk. II 24-track
    • Studer A800 Mk. III 24-track
    • JVC BP-90 digital 2-track processor (mixdown)

Mixing consoles:

  • Neve A4792 52-channel (AIR Studios, Montserrat)
  • Solid State Logic SL-4000E Studio Master System 40-channel, Serial #11 (Le Studio)

Studio monitors:

  • Acoustic Research AR18S
  • Auratone 5C Super Sound Cube

Sources:

Musician, June 1983

Bass Player, April 1992

Classic Tracks: Every Breath You Take on Sound On Sound

Classic Tracks: Every Breath You Take on Mixonline

The Police 1980-83: I’ll Be Watching You by Andy Summers (photos)

Police Confidential by Danny Quatrochi (photos)

Studio Sound, March 1984 (Hugh Padgham interview)

Home & Studio Recording, January 1985 (Hugh Padgham interview)

Photo of Stewart’s AIR Montserrat setup /w confirmation from Jeff Seitz

International Musician & Recording World, July 1983

Various

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