Zenyatta Mondatta equipment

**Zenyatta Mondatta** is the third studio album released by The Police in 1980. It was recorded at Wisseloord Studios]] in Hilversum, Netherlands.

This was their last album involving Nigel Gray as producer and engineer - initially they planned to record at Surrey Sound (like with the previous two albums), but could not do so for tax reasons, so they chose to record in the Netherlands. They recorded it within 4 weeks, between July and August 1980, with a week of concerts in the middle of recording. The album was considered a rushed effort, and during the making of the record there were record company executives around, which exacerbated the pressure on the band to deliver a hit album. It was considered a fairly rushed effort, and the band were somewhat disappointed with the results due to lack of time. They even left on tour the day they finished the record - "it was cutting it very fine", as Stewart observed.

The entire album was remixed in one day at Strawberry South in Dorking, Surrey in August 1980, the reason being the differing EQ standards between UK and European studios.

On "Behind My Camel" (an Andy Summers composition), Sting refused to play bass on it, so Andy played the bass part himself, using one of Sting's basses - probably an Ibanez.

For songs like "Don't Stand So Close To Me" and "De Do Do Do De Da Da Da", Nigel remembers the band recording with a click track (which from a close listen was provided by a Roland CR-78 CompuRhythm drum machine). The click track can be heard bleeding in the introduction of "Don't Stand So Close To Me", where Andy fiddles with the chords (with some clicks and pops) while the Moog Taurus drone plays before the main song. Playing to a click track, however, proved to make it easier for Nigel to edit the different takes together from the 2-inch tape.

## Sting

**Basses**:

* 1962 Fender Jazz
* Henk Van Zalinge Z-bass
* Ibanez MC-940NS natural custom

**Miscellaneous**:

* Moog Taurus I pedals
* Moog Minimoog Model D

## Andy Summers

**Guitars**:

* 1963 Fender Telecaster custom
* 1954 Fender Stratocaster
* 1961 Fender Stratocaster

**Amplification**:

* Roland Jazz Chorus JC-60
* Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120
* Marshall 100-watt amp heads
* Marshall 4x12 cabinets

**Effects**:

* Pete Cornish custom FX board
* Roland FV-2 volume pedal

**Miscellaneous**

* Moog Minimoog Model D synth
* Moog Taurus I pedals
* Roland SH-2 synth
* Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer

## Stewart Copeland

**Drums** (TAMA Superstar Super Mahogany, except where noted):

* 14" x 22" bass drum
* Pearl 5" x 14" Snare (B4514 Custom Deluxe Chrome-Over-Brass)
* 8” x 10” tom
* 8” x 12” tom
* 9” x 13” tom
* 16” x 16” floor tom
* 4 x TAMA Octobans (70s model Royalstar lugs)

**Cymbals (Zildjian hollow logo A series except where noted)**

* New Beat 14" hi-hat
* 8" splash
* 22” Ping Ride
* 2 x 18” Thin Crash
* 16” Thin crash

**Miscellaneous**

* Roland RE-301 Chorus Echo
* Roland RS-505 Paraphonic

## Recording & Studio equipment

**Microphones**
Drums:

* Shure SM57 (snare)
* Neumann U67 (toms)

Vocals

* Neumann U67

*other microphones unknown*

**Tape machines**:

* Studer A80 2" 24-track (Wisseloord)
* Studer A80 2-track (Wisseloord)

**Consoles**:

* Polygram custom console

## References

* Various photos (including on *Zenyatta Mondatta*LP liner notes)
* Jeff Seitz
* *Sticks*, August 1989 (most of Stewart Copeland drum setup details)
* *Everyone Stares* (2006) documentary - equipment visible in background of session footage