123 Studios is a world-class recording and mixing space located in the heart of South London, next to the iconic Bussey Building in one of the city’s most exciting creative hubs.
Set up by Producer and Mixer Brett Shaw (Florence + The Machine, Foals, Daughter, Lady Gaga, Clean Bandit), the studio has been the birthplace of recordings amassing over 5 billion streams worldwide.
Known for its exceptional sound quality and warm analogue character, 123 is widely regarded as one of the best-sounding studios in London — offering top-tier results at some of the most competitive rates in the city.
Production, Recording, Mixing, Mastering all available
The vision behind 123 Studios was to create a space that captures the larger-than-life character of classic vintage Neve and API consoles during recording, while offering the flexibility and precision of SSL studios in the mix. The result is a facility that houses one of the UK’s finest collections of microphones, outboard gear, and analogue preamps.
The live room is designed for versatility. Its wooden walls provide a warm, resonant tonality that can be transformed from open and expansive to tight and focused. With high ceilings, an adjustable ceiling cloud, interchangeable wall panels, and an electronic Drumbrella, the space adapts seamlessly to any session.
Our extensive range of valve and solid-state preamps delivers harmonically rich tones — thick yet clear — including vintage Neves, Red 47s, Tree Audio Branch, Coils, and Capis. These are complemented by a collection of vintage and modern microphones, such as the legendary Neumann U47, U67, M49, and the Telefunken 251 — regarded as some of the finest ever made.
The control room (7m x 5.5m) is purpose-built with natural light, near-perfect acoustic accuracy (almost flat from 20Hz–20kHz), and features a vintage SSL E-Series console, 3m tape machine, ATC SCM50ASL monitors, and an array of top-end gear.
With its large live room, high ceilings, and dedicated booths, 123 Studios is perfectly suited for full-band tracking. Backline is available at no additional cost, and sessions can be run fully analogue or digital to suit the project.
Backline available at no extra cost.
Brett Shaw (Resident Producer, Mixer)
Brett spends his time helping others make music. Over 5 Billion streams so far.
“I bought each piece of gear in the studio one by one and learned it inside out over the years. I started out with a Mackie desk and two nice mics ( a Coles 4038, a 414 and a bunch of 57/58s ). I built my own preamps before I could afford to buy proper ones (12 of them) then one by one bought another piece of gear each time I could afford it. I would like to think 123 is now one of the better studios around.” Brett Shaw
More about the studios ,,
123 Studios features a spacious wooden live room, a large control room with fully soundproofed programming and writing rooms here in South East London.
123 Studios features a spacious wooden live room, a large control room, and fully soundproofed programming and writing spaces in South East London.
At its heart, the main studio is powered by:
Recording to either Pro Tools Ultimate (HDX rig, Lavry Gold converters, 32 channels Avid HD I/O) or fully analogue to a rare 3M 79 24-track tape machine.
The 3m tape machine was responsible for classic recordings such, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours to Issac Haye’s Hot buttered Soul. Bill Withers “Ain’t no Sunshine “. Bands like the Rolling Stones “Sticky Fingers / Exile on Main Street “ , Trex “Get it on “ the Beatles (The White album and Abbey Road) , Led Zeppelin 3 4 and Physical graffiti , Chic “La Freak”, Kate Bush “Weathering heights “, Bowie Ziggy Star dust , Micheal Jackson “Thriller “ .Bob Marley, Paul Simon ,Queen, some of the MoTown catalogue , The Who all recorded on them . This one was actually in Pete Townsends Eel Pie studio , now it’s at 123.
20+ class-A preamps and DIs
One of the UK’s finest microphone collections — including vintage Neumann U47 (tube & FET), U67, M249b (M49), ELAM 251E, U87, KM84s, Bock 251, Coles 4038s, RCA 77d, AEA 44, AKG 414, D12, M160, RE20, and many more.
The SSL E series “was considered the Rolls Royce of recording consoles in its day” (George Gilbert, former chief engineer at SSL) No expense was spared while making them in the golden era of music. Vintage SSL desks are responsible for mixing more hits than any other console in history.
The space is equipped with highly accurate monitoring and a world-class selection of outboard gear, including:
- ATC SCM50A monitors
- Unfairchild compressor
- UREI 1176/1178, LA-2A, API 2500, Distressor, DBX 160x
- Chandler TG1 & Curve Bender
- Pultec EQP-1A & EQP1S3
- Neve 33102s, 1272s, Red 47
- API, Harrison, Coil Audio, Tree Audio, CAPI, Tonelux, and Clariphonic EQs
The mix room was purpose-built in collaboration with acoustician Nick Whitaker (Abbey Road, Olympic Studios, The Royal Albert Hall) to achieve near-perfect monitoring.
The live room offers flexible acoustics: high ceilings, an adjustable ceiling cloud, and an electronic Drumbrella allow reverb to shift from big and open to tight and punchy in seconds. With booths and clear sight lines, it’s ideal for full band tracking and a wide range of acoustic, vocal, or amplified sources.
The studio is great for live band tracking with booths and great sight lines, suitable for various sources of acoustic/vocal or amped instruments.
“The studio’s great. It has a great atmosphere to it. It’s very laid back and it’s very light which was a pleasure to work in. Somewhere that felt light and warm.” Yannis/Foals
Artists working at 123 studios – Gorillas, Foals, Florence and the Machine, Muru Masa, Liane La Havas, Oh Wonder, Honne, Cosha, Shy Girl, Kindness, Robyn, Still corners, Magic Gang, Swim Deep, Hawk House, Alex Burey, Cosima, Christina and the Queens, Daughter, Clean Bandit feat Jess Glynne, M.I.A , Eliza Doolittle, Keaton Henson, Rita Ora, Say Lou Lou, The Kooks, Labrinth, Julio Bashmore, Noisettes , Jamie T, Dry the river, Jack Bruce (Cream) , M.I.A, ,Babydaddy (Scissor Sisters), Aquilo, Saint Raymond, Gabriel Bruce, Roisin Murphy, Marcus Foster, Kyla La Grange, Iggy Azalia , Ghostpoet, Skepta and Ed Sheeran
Always judge a studio on the music coming out of it .
123 Studios New Live room layout
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Some tracks recorded at 123
https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/1W5eeWeY5XOfQWV7nzgOue
Foals “In Degrees” Brett Shaw Co-Production with Foals and Engineering
Florence and the Machine “South London Forever” Brett Shaw Co produce, Co write, Engineer Foals “Like Lighting ” Brett Shaw Co Produce /EngineerFoals “Exits” Brett Shaw Co-Production and Engineering
123 Unsigned
Rina Mushonga “Atalanta” . Rina’s album with Brett was given an 8/10 review on pitchfork and was several album of the year listings including The line of Best fit and independent album of the year so far lists
Brett Shaw Production, Mix , Master
George Taylor – “Give it up” has over six million plays on Spotify and is an unsigned artist ( about £30000 from one track) (Brett Shaw Production, Engineering, Mix, Master)
Bilal Kahn “Save me” went viral and has 200 000+ plays on Soundcloud and is an unsigned artist (Brett Shaw -Production, Engineering, Mix, Master)
Skaboro “Bam Bam” Brett Shaw – recorded to eight channels of analogue tape
More Big acts
Clean Bandit “Rather be ” Won the Grammy for best Dance recording
(Brett Shaw – Engineering)
Daughter (Brett Shaw -Engineering)
Banks and Steel (Brett Shaw – Engineering)
Interview with Brett Shaw
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