I didn't know where this topic should be, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind of sound difference it would make to get an album professionally mastered versus just mixed. We used a 360/12, a 360/6, and a 660/6 for some fantastic tones; now does anyone know how much more fantastic they would sound with a little mastering? Figure the cost to be over $1,500, but at a place like Abby Road studio.

Any help from some experienced players? How much more will mastering give us?

Mastering is a great thing, depending on the original recording, but it's not only subjective but can also wreck a record. It's a tricky art.

Having said that, mastering shouldn't cost that much, unless it's Bob Ludwig doing it.

Write me off-list and I can recommend a place or two that should be less than that, with great results.

I always use Abbey Road for mastering & it makes a fantastic difference, especially when the mix is good. It turns a mix into a release. It is expensive, but every client I have worked with thinks it is well worth the money. I use Nick Webb, a mastering engineer of many years standing & a top chap doing a top job.

I have used budget mastering suites before, but once you use Abbey Road, you don't go back!

Remember that every single release you hear has been mastered. A budget mastering house can wreck your recording, but a quality mastering house WILL be money well spent.

I either try to master my albums myself or have a local producer (who's a close friend of one of MY close friends') do it.

Just out of curiosity, how much does it cost from Abbey Road?

Approx £180 per hour + VAT.

Very roughly, 6 hours per album.

That 6 hours per album assumes what, 12 songs/80 minutes (a CD's worth?) just curious...

Pricey, innit? :-)

(sorry...double post!)

You're completely right. I guess for *me* it's a lot as I make albums in my basement whenever I can get time to record when my wife is out or the kids are asleep, I'm not really trying to compete, just trying to make music I enjoy and hopefully other people will too....

Something for me to keep in mind, though, if I ever start making money once I get out of grad school! Thanks for the info!

I've found in my own experience that what mastering should do for a record depends on how it was recorded to begin with and what you're trying to accomplish. Some records don't need mastering, and probably shouldn't have it, otherwise you can bring out all the noise in it you can't hear otherwise. On the other hand, other records should be mastered, otherwise all the time you've taken to get things sounding as perfect as possible is for naught. In the cases of well-recorded albums, it makes a very noticeable difference to say the least.
Not to throw in a shameless plug for my friends, but one of my best friends, in Lake Geneva, WI, is very talented at it.