Mic Mods

[Tom Ellis III <74053.3164@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Many thanks to Barry Schaede for his nice comments on our little mic business
here.  We do mod old, and only old, JT-30 shells, adding pots, mixing elements,
different paint jobs, etc.  We firmly believe that older shells have sonic
qualities that aren't matched by the newer, thin walled shells.  We also do mods
on Astatic 200S models (pot, connector crystal or other element) and many
players say they like the sound of these over the older JT-30s.  Ditto for EV
619 models, the mic used for the design of the new Kendrick Texas Crude harp
mic.  There will be a review of the latter in the next issue of Vintage Guitar.
If you have a mic that needs work or modification, you can contact me or call my
tech guy--and he is the very best you will find, a real craftsman and good
player to boot--Tim Norris, at 812-654-3128.  Tim has been the force behind many
of the mic experiments we have had tested by Primich, Hummel and a host of other
players.  Prices are very reasonable, as compared to what we've heard about from
others who do mic work.  
For those interested in a new amplifier set-up, contact Gary Onofrio (Sonny,
Jr.) at 203-397-8774.  He has been experimenting with combinations of 8s and
10s, and is now building an amp that is the culmination of his 25 years of
playing and touring with Sonny Terry. These things are probably closer to the
older amps used by the Walters and others in the 50s than anything--there
weren't a lot of 4X10 combinations around then or affordable to these guys.  I
have had a prototype model with 2X8 set-up for many months, and it has a monster
tone.  Of everything and everyone I have talked to about amps designed for harp
players, Sonny is the man (he also is a monster player).  Great guy too, honest
and trustworthy.
Finally, saw Bill Clarke Friday night and his chromatic playing was too much.
After about an hour I had to tell him that the freshness of his ideas, the very
jazz like style of his playing, and his great phrasing had warn me out.  A tape
of this show would have provided a year's worth of study.  It was the best
chromatic work I have heard in five years, and not your typical third position
type blues riffing.  Don't miss him when he comes your way.  
Thanks again for the kind comments.  TE3