[Harp-L] Re: Need input : Harmonica Mic's

[BluzeHarp@xxxxxxx]

Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2011 13:51:01 -0800 (PST)
From: Brian Walker  <bluesking55@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Need input re: Harmonica  mics
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:  <430896.42889.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Those 520DX Green Bullets are big and heavy  even the R198 element is very 
large. 
Shipping to and from is costly plus the  cost of parts and labor.  My 
advice save 
that money sell your 520DX and  buy a custom Turner 254 with a 99A86 
element with 
amphenal screw connector.  You can then use a Switchcraft 1/4 adapter or 
use a 
cord with 5/8 ampenal  female connector just put the cable over your shldr. 
 An 
Astatic JT30  custom painted with a 99B86 CM just sold for $125 on ebay. In 
other 
words go  smaller with better element with ampenal screw connector. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
I have to disagree in part with the above.  Many, many bullet  mic players 
don't consider the Shure 520 shell to be overly large or overly  heavy.  
Some players actually prefer a bigger mic, for example, Walter  Horton was well 
known to have often used the big Japanese  made Argonne bullet microphone 
with a crystal element, which  is much larger than a 520.  He also sometimes 
used a very small  Shure model with a dynamic element.  Not just stuff that 
was available at a  gig, they were his mic's... go figure.  No hard & fast 
rule here,  it's about individual preference.  The size of the element 
becomes  irrelevant once it's inside of a shell, as long as it fits then size  
doesn't matter. (entendre unintended... until after I wrote  it)
 
Most of the competent mic customizers will charge no more than $40 to  
install a 5/8" male screw fitting in a 520 or any of it's many variants. (my  
current fee is $36 + shipping & includes any simple labor  needed for an 
element replacement if that is also desired)
 
'ampenal', or more accurately Amphenol, is a brand name, not any  specific 
type of connector.  Amphenol is an old company that makes a  large variety 
of different connector types.  Most of the screw fittings  used in mic 
retrofits are actually made by Switchcraft & not  Amphenol.  Switchcraft is 
another high quality manufacturer  of such items.  Along the same lines, there 
were companies other  than Switchcraft that made a 5/8" female screw x 1/4" 
female  adapter, although Switchcraft made a lot more of those than anyone 
else, and as  far as I know is the only company still doing so.  Neither of  
these adapters or connectors can be properly described by using any  particular 
manufacturers name.  A lot of people get confused, especially  beginners, 
when such terminology is used.
 
Hanging a cable over your shoulder is fine, some do & some  don't, but it 
is a bad idea to let your mic dangle from the end  of most of the available 
screw fitting cables.  Unless the  cable is a heavy duty custom model it 
won't hold up to that sort of  use & will eventually quit working, usually 
mid-solo... in the worst case  you could watch as your mic with an expensive & 
fagile crystal element  crashes to the floor when the cable falls apart.  I 
make REALLY strong  ones, so do a few other good builders.  Same 'oops' can 
happen if you  connect your mic with a 1/4" jack so I like the screw connector 
cables, but only  if they are properly assembled using quality components.
 
A custom painted JT-30 with a CM for $125 is a great  deal... IF the 
element tone & output was good, if the  'custom' paint wasn't a cheap spray can 
job, if the wiring/soldering was  done properly, if, if, if...  If it went 
that cheap on eBay there were  probably some obvious issues, but it's also 
possible someone got a great  deal.  In any case $125 isn't a typical price for 
that item, more  like $180 to $250 these days for what you described.  
Looking  at that more realistic price range, an element and/or  screw fitting 
retrofit in an existing 520 shell is a viable and  affordable option.  
 
As Brian mentioned, the Turner 254 is a nice shell.  I work with  a lot of 
those and actually prefer it in many ways to a 520.  The  Turner however 
does not have anywhere to install a recessed switch or  volume pot stem, 
whereas the 520 has that handy mic stand socket to help  keep those things out of 
harms way.  Some people don't care about that,  others do... again, a matter 
of preference. The 254 or it's many variants are  good shells for a CM, but 
not so good for most full diameter crystals  (bigger diameter than a CM) as 
there is little room for a proper  gasket.  So if you think you might want 
to tinker with other elements later  on, the Turner may not be a good 
choice.  
 
Much of that + a LOT more is free for the asking in my recently  revised 
Harp Mic Buyers Guide.  The guide can be requested via my website:  www. 
harmonicaplanet.com  
 
Christopher Richards  -  Twin Tone Harmonica  Microphones