Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum
Other Stuff => Other Topics => Topic started by: Platefire on January 12, 2015, 10:07:55 pm
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I found this in the same Thrift shop I found my ION strat in all for $20 but I actually talked them down to $15 on the mic.
I had no idea what it was but knew harp players like those old bullet shaped mics. The exterior had no labels or tags what so ever. I took the grill/cover off and found out it is actually a Shure and precedes the Green Bullet. The date code on it is 9-47 that is September 1947---the year I was born :icon_biggrin: The crystal element is a 99-131 that I understand is popular for a having a big fat tone for harps. The only problem in testing it I can hear my voice through the amp but get a very loud hum and best I can tell it's not in the cord so if must be a problem in the element. So I will probably just e-bay it for what I can get out of it.
I play harp but never got into the Little Walter amp thing because dealing with a guitar amp is enough without dealing with an extra harp amp, so I just use the PA mic. Here is some pixs.
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Plate
If that is the original cord, disconnect and check for shorts and opens. THe old rubber insulation (if that old) may have failed. Being stepped on, kinked, any number of abuses may have cause a problem.
Cool find!
Jim
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I did quiet a few continuity/Ohm test to the cord and its not shorting out. No continuity between ground and hot what so ever. Pretty sure the element is bad. From research I've done on it the 99-131 element is hard to find in good working condition anymore. They are very delicate and even doing a Ohm test on one can destroy it from what I understand. Platefire
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The crystal element is a 99-131 that I understand is popular for a having a big fat tone for harps.
Yes, a lot of guys prefer the crystal element over the other 1, I forget what it's called.
Someone makes a reissue crystal element that harp players like.
Yours looks to be in great shape.
Brad :icon_biggrin:
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The crystal element "should" read infinite ohms, and can not itself pick up hum.
If you hear your voice, the element works.
The cable and element-leads must be WELL shielded.
I bet there is a broken ground in cable or cable-case.
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I sold it on e-bay as is. I told them it was weak, had a hum and is sold as is. For some reason I have a hard time getting into the Little Walter thing for harp-just so much easier to use the PA mic that your already doing vocals through. Platefire
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For some reason I have a hard time getting into the Little Walter thing for harp-just so much easier to use the PA mic that your already doing vocals through.
It's a different sound. (Not to say that playing harp through the vocal mic doesn't sound very good too.)
Back in the 50's, when Walter was playing, the PA's weren't very powerful, so he probably needed his own amp to be heard over the guitars, drums and the noisy bar crowd. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Brad :icon_biggrin:
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I have used many classic mikes over the years. Some of the highly rated and most often used Shure models were also the most disappointing. My first real mike was a classic E/V 664. I tried it along side a Shure ball mike and decided I liked it better. From then on I owned nothing but E/V and I still do. I did like Beyer and AKG models almost as much but could never understand why the SM-58 was so popular. My son bought one cheap at a sale and brought it home to compare with our N/Dym E/V mikes. It wasn't even close. So dark and dull by comparison. It was easy to sell and for a good profit to someone who really wanted it. One of the most telling things is the number of times other musicians stepped up to our mikes and then were stunned by how much better they sounded through it that they were used to. My brother for one. We love our Shure mixers and consider many of their products first class, but not their microphones. Jim