One of the guy’s on here was thinking of getting a wood mic from Greg Can’t find the post but, here is a video of the start of the process.
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It was me. I communicated with him about sending a piece of approx. 200 year old rosewood to him so he could make a mike with a Heumann element, stealth volume control and custom grill. Since then I had to pay my homeowners insurance which went up 40% and then I saw termite swarmers in my new house so I’m holding off on a mike that will cost hundreds. Here’s some pictures he sent me of the work he did on my Turner Challenger mike, which he had to put on a lathe and also boil to get some previous glue out, all just to put on a switchcraft connector.
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WOW! So you prefer the Heuman element to the vintage Astatic crystal or Sure elements?
I’m thinking when my dream of having him make one for me comes true, I might get an Astatic crystal put in it…
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I don’t have a Heumann element so I don’t know, but I already have several Shure CRs and CMs so I want to try it.
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Luke,
It’s nice to play a good Astatic crystal element (I did for about 40 years) but they are getting older each year and have a reputation for being temperamental - dropping, heat, cold, humidity. Unfortunately, there are no tests to guarantee longevity or tone. Some are too hot, others not enough.
I guess if I had a CR or CM that I really liked, I might take a chance on a vintage Astatic crystal. If I didn’t have an element I really liked Greg Heumann’s elements have a pretty good reputation (at least here, in California). Unfortunately with elements and speakers your money is usually gone before you get a test drive.
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Just saw that a seller I have bought from on eBay is right now offering a Shure 98A86 CR element from March 1950 that is supposedly still at 1530 ohms, he has picture of it on a multimeter, $300. Didn’t know they went anywhere near that high in impedance. I do know that if you order a wood mike from Greg with a later CM element (like 99S556) then you get a price deduction from the basic wood mike, meaning a little over $200 with no options.
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Are you going to go for it keef.
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If you mean the element then no, too rich for my blood and I already have one from November 1950 but 1250 ohms, thought it was strong. I’m holding off on the wood mike til later this year when Social Security kicks in, may supply Greg with the element and/or the wood.
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Great news! Got a private offer from the seller, now only $275!
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Nice one.
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Speaking of JT-30’s with crystal elements, I have one from the early 80’s with the MC151 element about 80% strong. I like the Turner BD “Challenger” a little better, sounds alot like the JT-30 with fewer highs, both do a good job of cutting in and out of the mix easily when playing along to music, guessing that’s why Luke and others like the JT-30 so much.
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Yeah exactly!!! I loved the Bulletini when I played it at home, but when I took it to a gig, it didn’t cut through the mix, and I found the volume knob to be awkward.
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