[Harp-L] Re: [hARP-/] Good cheap microphone

["G." <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 11:51:36 -0500
From: holcomb.michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Good cheap microphone
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

I've been using a Shure 520DX with a Fender Pro Jr. for a while, and I've
never really liked the green bullet.
8<
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a tie-clip microphone from Radio Shack
for about $25 - the type a presentation speaker would use.  The microphone
is a little bigger than a pencil eraser.
8<
I love it.  You can play acoustically.  When you seal your cup you get great
crunchy compression.  When you open up you play clean.  More to the point, I
don't have to think about the microphone when I'm playing, and my playing
feels a lot more fluid.  In addition, it is a lot less feedback prone than
the GB.  I can turn my Pro Jr. up to 7 or 8 instead of 4 or 5 before
feedback.
Anyway, if you are out there struggling with a bullet mic, you might want to
give this a try.
Best regards,
Mike Holcomb
</quote>

Just goes to show you don't need to spend up large to get a great rig.

  For myself I prefer the Green Bullet shell over smaller bullet mics.
The 520DX has a mylar dynamic element with a frequency response from 100Hz
to 5000Hz - this is a pretty piss poor substitute for the earlier Controlled
Magnetic elements which have a lot more beef and cut from 100Hz to 9000Hz.
Also the USA CM elements are a lot hotter than the 520DX's element.

  Having been helping out a customer who also doesn't like the size of the
520DX Green Bullet shell and disappointed with its tone, you can purchase
new JT30 shells for a reasonable price from the JT30.com shop, and CM
elements from eBay for a song, some appropriate lengths of wire, solder them
up and have a better mic than buying a 520DX new.

-- G.