The Police Outlandos D'Amour equipment

Outlandos D'Amour is The Police's debut album, released in November 1978 on A&M record label.

It was engineered by Nigel Gray and Chris Gray, and recorded at Surrey Sound Studios in Leatherhead over the course six months - sporadically between January and September 1978 as The PoliceWiki states. To save money and costs, the band would record at Surrey Sound whenever they could - i.e. during studio downtime or if an artist had cancelled their session.

Production-wise, like how most Police records would be done, the trio would record the basic tracks by doing live takes (with bass, drums, guitar and guide vocals), and would then record overdubs and proper vocals with a few harmonies.

To begin with, they were working with 16-track, sometimes re-recording over used tapes due to lack of money to afford new tape. In May/June 1978, Surrey Sound had upgraded to 24-track, with new MCI equipment - the rest of the Police songs recorded from that point onwards for the album were recorded on 24-track. But only equipment from before the upgrade is listed here.

Sting
Basses:
 * 1962 Fender Jazz

Amps - possibly the following:
 * Marshall Super Bass 100-watt amp head (or Fender Dual Showman Reverb amp)
 * Fender Dual Showman 2x15" cabinet

Sting's bass parts were recorded both direct and via the bass amp. The bass amp was recorded with a microphone going through the wall and into the amp (probably a PZM mic as per Chris Gray).

Andy Summers
Guitars: Amplifiers:
 * 1963 Fender Telecaster custom
 * 1956 Gibson Les Paul Junior ("Next To You" slide guitar solo)
 * Ampeg amp
 * Fender Twin Reverb

Microphones Guitar amps were miked (possibly) with two Electrovoice RE20s, and a Neumann U87 at least three feet away as an ambience mic.

Stewart Copeland
Drums: Cymbals:
 * TAMA Imperialstar Light Blue drum kit
 * TAMA Imperialstar King Beat 5" x 14" Snare
 * Zildjian

Microphones Drums were miked by Nigel and Chris Gray with the following: AKG D-12 (kick), Beyer M260N or Neumann KM84 (snare), Beyer Soundstar X1 or Beyer M201's (3 on toms) and AKG C451E (hi-hat and two for cymbals).

Microphones
Drums:
 * Kick:
 * AKG D-12
 * Snare:
 * Beyer M260N or Neumann KM84
 * Hi-hat:
 * AKG C451E
 * Overheads:
 * AKG C451E (x2)

Guitars:
 * Electrovoice RE-20 (x2, possibly)
 * Neumann U87 - 3 ft. away from amps, ambience mic

Other
More information on the Surrey Sound Studios page

Outboard gear:
 * Audio & Design (Recording) SCAMP units
 * EMT plate
 * Rebis parametric EQ

Tape machines:
 * Ampex MM1100 16-track
 * Revox A77 Mk. III (x2)
 * Studer 2-track

Misc. studio equipment:
 * Alice 20/16 desk
 * Broadwood
 * Electrovoice Sentry III or Tannoy Reds monitors