[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 81, Issue 40

[BluzeHarp@xxxxxxx]

Patrick Lines writes:   I'll respectfully  disagree with you. I have a 60's 
545 stick mic that has a 
much more shiny  finish to it than a 55 pistol grip and definitly more 
shiny 
than the current  production 545.


A polished chrome 545?  Can you send clear photos to me or post  them 
somewhere?  
 
I've had dozens of 545's from all eras &  configurations pass through my 
hands (544's PE54's, 545L's, pistol grips,  straight sticks, DuKane's...), 
some are a bit shinier than others but I've never  seen one with the chrome 
plating that seems to be on the mic in the  video.  Certainly possible that 
yours is a rare or limited  production model I haven't seen, certainly the 
Shure Discontinued Product  database has several gaps... I'm curious.
 
As far as what mic Blind Owl was using:  There are  maybe thousands of 
different microphone models with similar  handles.  Even if the majority of 
545's had the shiny finish  it would still be erroneous to say that  it is 
probably a 545 in the  Woodstock video... waaay too many other  possibilities.  
 
To my ear the tone wasn't that of a 545.  Could easily be due to  the 
quality of the audio, or the amp or PA he was playing  through.  Mountains of 
other variables there too, but even  so the tone can't be completely dismissed. 
 Those  variables are another reason why I stated the mic  'probably' isn't 
a 545, rather than asserting the definitive  'it isn't' a 545.  
 
We also have to put this in context with the  era.  There was no online 
harmonica community back then, blues  players were pretty much on an island as 
far as gear was concerned.   The 545 didn't carry the same notoriety back 
then as it  currently does, selecting it then seems less likely than  someone 
doing so today.  Was the guy who made that  mic 'famous' (Butterfield) 
commonly known in those days  for using it?  Was he even using one by intent as 
far back as  Woodstock?  Maybe Blind Owl turned Butter on to it?  Vice-versa? 
  I don't know,  Would love some input on that regardless of how  
speculative it may be.
 
Christopher Richards  -  Twin Tone Harmonica Microphones
 
Original Post: 
> The body of the mic looks like it's plated with a shiny polished  chrome,
> Shure 545's have a duller brushed chrome finish.  Unless  there's some
> lighting thing that is making it look much shinier than it  actually is, 
> the mic in the video is probably not a  545.