I originially posted this at the tail end of another post, but I thought I'd make a new one, just for fun.

What I'm really saying here is: If one is forced to limit one's equipment choices, usually from budgetary constraints one has to choose way more wisely.

So here goes:

You have been chosen as a contestant for the next season of of "Survivor-Recording Engineer," SRE for short.

You will be stranded on a desert island with a 24 track recorder and a mixing board. You have to record the SRE house band, which also happens to be the world's greatest band: Electric Mayhem, from the Muppets, of course. Kermit will do guest vocals.

So you have a drum kit, vocalist, saxophone, keys, bass guitar. You can record each instrument seperately if you wish. They will be doing a few ballads( "It's not easy, being green" ), some jazz, and a few rock tunes for good measure.

Here's the trick, you have $5000US to spend before your plane leaves to the isand in the middle of nowhere, and you are allowed to buy/take with you:
up to 4 mic preamp's
up to 6 mics
up to 4 channels of compressor/limiter to use as you wish

There is a canyon on the island which provides natural reverb. You get no separate noise gates, no effects, no other toys, no click track (you can depend on Animal to be solid as a rock!)...and if the recording isn't great you WILL be voted off the island.

So what are your choices of mics, pre's, compression?

Aaaaaaannnnnd. GO!

Happy choosing, and see you at tribal council
Cheers
Keith