[Harp-L] Radio Shack tie-clip microphone -- what's the secret?

[Vern]

I have used about a dozen of these mics in various applications including harmonica, sax, fiddle, and mandolin pickups.   Their outputs are powerful. However the battery case is NOT a pre-amp and the output is not line-level. It needs to go into a mic input such as the one that you would use with a dynamic mic.  

1.  Use a fresh battery.
2. Try it with up and down impedance-raising transformers. Its impedance is 1500 ohms.
3. Change its location to behind and away-from the speaker.
4. Hold the mic in your hand-cup with the lead between your fingers.
5. Attenuate the highs with your amp’s equalizer.

> On Jun 30, 2016, at 9:05 AM, Peter Beck <kpfbeck at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> I’ve seen several folks mention using the now-discontinued Radio Shack
> tie-clip mic, the 33-3013, as a harp mic. I have one, and I don’t think
> it’s broken, but all I can get out of it is a very soft output and lots of
> feedback. What am I doing wrong, or leaving out, or messing up?
> 
> 
> Peter Beck
> 
> kpfbeck at xxxxx