[Harp-L] Favorite Mic

[Steve Power]

Recently aquired Greg Heumann custom. Burl maple, Turner grill, and best of all, a 1951 CR black label element. I particularly love how light it is. Being smaller it's a little easier to cup than the 520 the element was harvested from. The removal of the resistor and the way the element is sealed result in a mic that sounds even better than the original 520. I have two other 520s, one CR and one CM, but the custom is my main mic. I just need to find a name for it. Greg's craftsmanship and customer service are both superb.

[Hal Iwan]

Hello all

My favorite harmonica mic is a Teiso(Japan '60s) that has a medium ohm,
white label CR in it. It is a hair on the small side and has no room for a
volume pot due transformer. It to is very light weight and has a real nice
red sparkle powder coat paint job by Johnny Ace in Rochester, MI. Funny
thing was I tried to sell it at 2010 SPAH.

Hal

[paul hoffman]

Green bullet with a U.S. cm element I put in it. Always come back to this mic.......although I do like the idea of something a little smaller and have tried quite a few different mics.....I always return to the same one.
Paul

[Rick Davis]

My favorite harp mic by far is the Front & Center mic:
http://www.frontandcentermics.com/

Ronnie Shellist introduced me to the mic. Nic Clark uses it as well.

Ronnie talks about the F&H mic here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXGv8S2r1Xc

Ronnie plays my rig at Ziggies Blues Jam in this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oKcv6JIOT8

Great tone, amazing feedback rejection, and beautiful workmanship. Only
$170.00.

-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Blues Allstars
Denver, CO

[Scott Harris]

I've for 2 Turner 254's, one with a CR and one with a CM. Love them both. I just picked up a JT 30 with a CR that is fantastic. All done by Fred Bosley out of southern California.

Scott Harris
President
sc...@mustangmktg.com
805 / 498-8718 x105
www.mustangmktg.com

www.facebook.com/mustangmarketing

[Bluz...@aol.com]

Don't get too stuck on what someone else likes, be it an amp, mic, or a
particular harmonica.

As a harp player your body becomes coupled to the instrument... lung
cavity, size & shape of your tongue, throat diameter and length + many other
factors make you and your needs UNIQUE. I have no doubt that those who have
posted on this topic are sincere, they (myself included) have found what
works well for them, but it may not be a good fit for you.

If you're looking for a mic I believe it's best to find a competent vendor
who offers a wide variety, one who is more interested in finding the right
mic for YOU, rather than selling what they have on hand at the moment, or
pushing a limited product line as a 'one size fits all' solution. This is
not to say that some of the small product line vendors don't make a nice
mic, just that you should look at some objective information before making a
purchase.

My free Harp Mic Buyers Guide is available for the asking at my website...
harmonicaplanet.com. The Guide will help you make an informed buying
decision. Greg Heumann also offers info on his blowsmeaway.com website, still
more from Dave Kott at greenbulletmics.com. Numerous mic photos on Dave
Barrett's Harmonica Masterclass website, although a lot of what is posted
there is contributor comment rather than a reflection of Dave's expansive
expertise. Visit all of these places and you'll have some hard facts, minus
the hype & misinformation that is offered by the numerous unscrupulous mic
'builders' out there.

Christopher Richards
Twin Tone Harmonica Microphones
www. harmonicaplanet.com

[Abe Thomas]

Greetings from India.

While we are on the discussion of microphones...... Lady Gaga was just in
India performing in New Delhi last week. Not sure if her microphone would
be suitable for good tone on harmonicas... but... it will surely get a lot
of attention on stage :) ... Here is a picture: http://wapo.st/MicGaga :)

And here is the related article: http://wapo.st/GagaMic :)
~~
Abe Thomas
Director Business Development
Suzuki Music India
http://www.SuzukiMusicIndia.com <http://www.suzukimusicindia.com/>
a...@SuzukiMusicIndia.com
*Instrumental in Music Education*

[Mund...@aol.com]

My favourite harmonica mic "thus far", was a Beyer M-60 ribbon mic. I
bought it new, in about 1965, and it was my MAIN harmonica microphone, In use
on the road for more than twenty years.... But nothing lasts forever, and it
simply wore out and fell to bits!
These days I mostly use a modified Astatic JT-30 "Crystal Balls", purchased
from Kevin's Harps about 15 years ago... I did have two but one got
lost/stolen.... I did have to replace the crystal, last year.
Otherwise, I quite like my Audix Fireball V...
The old favorite, the Shure SM58, has been in my experience the most
reliable "general purpose" mic ever sold to the public, and I VASTLY prefer
that, to the Shure SM57 for "my" harmonica sound...
If I was to chose just ONE mic "to own", as my ONE AND ONLY microphone for
harmonica, it would be a Shure SM58, with on/off switch.
But, I play both chromatic and diatonic harp, and am not greatly into that
really overdriven sound these days.... I think a crystal mic is probably
much the best for that.
Last week I bought a VERY cheap, plastic, Chinese built, "dynamic" mic,
for just ONE Pound (GBP), brand new.... (about 75 Cents USA) It sounds
great.... But I doubt it will last more than one or two gigs before self
destructing...
Different strokes for different folks....
TRY before you buy.... And use what works for YOU.
John "Whiteboy" Walden
Just now... In England.
_http://johnwalden.freevar.com_ (http://johnwalden.freevar.com)

[Splash!]

----- Original Message -----
> The old favorite, the Shure SM58, has been in my experience the most
> reliable "general purpose" mic ever sold to the public, and I VASTLY
> prefer
> that, to the Shure SM57 for "my" harmonica sound...
> If I was to chose just ONE mic "to own", as my ONE AND ONLY microphone
> for
> harmonica, it would be a Shure SM58, with on/off switch.

----
Amen, brothers and sisters! I still have my 1st one after more than 40
years...?? 1968? And a Shure transformr Hi-Lo with 27ft cable and 1/4"
plug. That was my main mic for years.

but that 545 and VHT ? Pure synergy.
I guess it's because I'm still a horn player at heart. And when I get those
tones that sound like a horn coming out of my amp, I start to think like a
horn player and not a harmonica player. It opens up an additional realm of
possibilities in my mind.

When life asks you to jump in...
Plug it in. Play. Turn the knobs.

Splash!

[John Kally]

I have a bunch of mics I've acquired over the years, but truly most of them sit in a box or a drawer or some dark corner someplace in the house (not the garage, due to what happens to crystal elements out here in the AZ heat). I actually only use two regularly, one is a vintage brown Shure bullet with an old astatic cartridge I got from my friend Bill Tarsha , and a 545 I got years ago from Johnny Mastro (the Mama's Boys) off ebay a long time back. Both have volume controls, although I usually have them open all the way most of the time or dialed all the way down when I'm not playing. I have found it prudent to take both out when I'm playing usually I start out with the bullet but switch to the 545 if it looks like I'm going to be getting louder (or playing chromatic, which seems to fit the 545 better to my ears). Also, in the unlikely event of one giving me trouble (when that happens, it's either an internal connection or sometimes a problem with the plug), I can alw!
ays switch to the other very quickly . I keep thinking I'll get one of those "ultimate" 545s since mine is the pistol grip one and is pretty bulky, but I've gotten so used to it that I just haven't bothered. Maybe some day.

[Richard Trafford-Owen]

Well, up until recently, my favourite mic was my Crystal Balls (Astatic). I'm
slowly coming to terms with the fact that the crystal has gone. Thanks everyone
for the advice. I have not completely let go yet. I've taken the element apart
and once I dissolve away the glue on the diaphragm, I'll be able to see if the
crystal has just slipped and can be easily fixed. Not sure what mic I'm going to
look to to get a nice crunchy sound, but there seems little point in trying to
replace the crystal since it is so hard to get them. A little piece of history
is slipping away.

For a clean sound (non blues), I love my SM58. I also use a cheap Radio Shack
lavelier mic that I hold in my hand by slipping it under my wedding ring. This
allows me to get a lot of dynamic hand sounds and also percussive sounds.

[Mund...@aol.com]

Just get a replacement hot NOS crystal.... And fix that mic! My
"Crystal Balls" JT-30 was repaired last year, (Crystal replaced) by Mark
Overman, of California USA. His phone number? 408 639 2222... OK, I was staying in
Arizona at the time... Mark Overman fixed my mic and it has worked just
great ever since. He charged a fair price and I got my mic back after just a
few days.
I am a VERY satisfied customer.
John "Whiteboy" Walden
Just now, back in England.... But not for long!
_http://johnwalden.freevar.com_ (http://johnwalden.freevar.com)



In a message dated 11/8/2011 6:11:17 A.M. GMT Standard Time,

[Mund...@aol.com]

Shure SM-58 or SM-57?
Well.... I have owned both.... And FOR MY SOUND the SM-58 is much better.
The SM-57 distorts more, at least to my ears... And it seems much less
responsive.... It's great for amping drums.. But IMHO... Not harmonicas... But
"Your Mileage Might Vary". Perhaps my one was a "Friday afternoon" example?
The "57" DOES give a more overdriven sound to the harmonica, but if one
requires that, a Green Bullet or Astatic JT-30 (for me) is a much better
bet...
But... Just like the late Duchess of Windsor said "You can never be too
rich, or too thin"... I believe a harmonica player can "Never have too many
microphones or amplifiers" <Grin>
Just now, I have only a few mics, a Crystal Balls Jt-30, An SM58 (The SM57
vanished when I re-located overseas...) Last month, I bought an Audix
Firebird V... (Haven't used it much yet.... Will report in due time!) And I
have recently bought a new $1.50 US Dollar Chinese "Dynamic mic" (One English
Pound from "The Pound Shop")
The "Pound Shop" mic sounds great... But just like many other REALLY CHEAP
microphones that I have bought, I expect that will fall to bits (probably)
very soon.
John "Whiteboy" Walden...
For now... In England.
_http://johnwalden.freevar.com_ (http://johnwalden.freevar.com)

[Mike Curtis]

The Crystal Balls I have has a low value pot. If yours does (under a meg),
toss it and install a 10 meg to 30 meg linear taper (NOT audio taper - those
are for tone controls) pot. All Electronics has these.

You're probably aware that Astatic has discontinued the MC151 crystal
cartridge. The MC127 ceramic is still available (I believe). They have a
sound similar to crystal elements, and my experience with them is that
they're indestructable..

If you use crystal or ceramic mikes, never run it into an input of less than
1 megohm. It will sound thin and tinny. There is a simple fix. Build a
buffer amp for it. You'll need a cheap 741 op amp (should be WELL under a
dollar), a pair of 9 volt carbon zinc batteries (cheapies), 2 battery clips,
a pair of 1/4" jacks (I recommend stereo, so unplugging either one cuts
power.

The output is connected to the inverting input. This clamps gain at unity,
and REPLACES ALL POWER LOSSES IN THE INPUT. This make the input impedance
INFINITY. Your crystal/ceramic *loves* this, and now has a big fat sound,
as well as that "natural distortion" these are noted for having. If you
need a volume control, either get a 10-30 meg linear taper in th mic, or
install it AFTER the buffer.

-Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Trafford-Owen" <richardtr...@yahoo.com>
To: "Harp-L" <har...@harp-l.org>
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2011 10:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Favorite Mic

[Buck Worley]

Richard-
I have heard more than 1 account of MC151s that have come back to life after storing them in a warm (not hot) humid free spot for a month or longer.

Mike-
Do the old fenders have 1 meg inputs? Sorry for such a stupid question. The amps that I use the most are a 1959 champ, '66 princeton and a '66 bassman AB165. I usually use vintage JT30/mc151s. I have several and I know that some are hotter than others when "new" albeit one has lost some response just from lots of use and has been exposed to heat and humidity. With those mics, I always use a vintage switchcraft VC (discontinued part#320 I think). Usually I run to a Boss 7 band eq and a DD2 or echoplex EP2. I am not a tech but know just enough to be dangerous.....Do you know what pot the switchcraft VC has and does the switchcraft VC solve the 1 meg input situation even if the amp does not have 1 meg input(s)?

> The Crystal Balls I have has a low value pot. If yours does (under a meg),
> toss it and install a 10 meg to 30 meg linear taper (NOT audio taper - those
> are for tone controls) pot.

Didn't Tom of Tom's Mics in Dallas build those Crystal Balls mics years ago? I remember when he sold them. One would think he or whomever designed and built the mic would have known about this especially since those were marketed as harp mics unlike the old JT30s that were marketed as radio or dispatch type mics.

Also, I have 2 JT30s where on the back of the element, in raised letters/numbers cast into the aluminum is "MC127" but they both have a sticker that says "MC151". I was told that Astatic/CTI accidently broke the mold for the MC151 so they built the MC151 on the MC127 base plate (for lack of a better term). I was not aware that the MC151s were out of production.

Anyone know where I can find a Shure R7 crystal element? Last time I saw anyone offering these was Greg at blowsmeaway a few months ago and he only had 4 or 5 that got snapped up before I could get one.

Regards,
Buck