I keep telling myself not to buy anymore harmonica microphones but then I’ll see something like this. It was listed on eBay for $165 + tax + $15 shipping but I talked him down to $150. It is my favorite shell for CRs and CMs, a chopped Turner 250 type (251 actually), modded with a volume control, Switchcraft connector and cool purple paint with clear coat, all new work. The 99B86 element from early 1961 reads 1072 ohms and is what Greg H. calls a “Premium CM Element”, as the earliest ones made between 1958-ish and 1962-ish tend to have more output and robust tone than the many CMs that were made afterward (alot of people don’t know this, and sellers like Greg and Erik at House of Chrome charge more for one). I already had two mikes with 1961 elements and they’re brighter than this one but all really powerful. The only way to beat these is to get an earlier and still strong CR element, but that would probably cost more than this whole mike. Looks great in the case now that I managed to stuff 18 excellent microphones inside. It came with a name: “Space Truckin” (still love that song).
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How many of those do you actually play.
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All and more
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There are worse addictions to have. Go ahead and indulge. I’ve got 2 vintage bullet mics not sure of the dates but they’re from school PA systems, probably 40s or 50s. One is a Shure the other an Astatic. Interesting story: Rod Piazza offered to swap me one of his mikes for the Astatic, one night in a club, but I figured if he wanted it , it must be a gem so I kept it.
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Got pictures of these mikes? Curious now.
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There are pictures on the show us your equipments thread on this site.
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I see an old Shure 520 or a 707 or something like that. Guess that JT-30 has a sweet element inside for Rod to want to trade for it.
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Sorry to hear that, I spied some of his YouTube videos, he had some killer chops.
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I’m still hooked. Just got the silver Turner Challenger today (already had the brown one, original dynamic element). The latest one has a stupendous Shure white label CR element from 1954, 1079 ohms. The older the better (usually) with these old elements, and I only have one older (1950), so I was hoping it would be my 2nd best mike and that’s about what happened. Very powerful, terrific tone. On eBay for $169 + tax + $12 shipping but I talked him down to $155, way too cheap.
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I used to have identical 1938 Astatic 200’s (one each in Malbec and teal), handle chopped off, vc installed at rear, and 1949 Shure CR black label elements in both (almost identical tone). Fit my hands just right. I was playing often and always had the back up mic and two amps in the car.
I stopped playing regularly in 2015, kept the teal and sold the Malbec. I think it went for $550 back then, which was close to what I’d put in to it.
About 7 years ago I picked up a chrome 1940’s RCA mi-6226 bullet mic. Relaxing in a Royal Crown bag in a drawer it’s still tomorrow’s project and will probably stay that way.
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I think you and me are in the same navy but on different ships; you’re cruising on the surface in the flagship aircraft carrier and I’m on the bottom in the stealth submarine snooping around for treasure everybody else missed. Here’s my first harp microphone, also an Astatic 200 (screws easily off the base). It was $20 at a thrift store, not working. I bought a 99A86 CM element from 1973 for $50 from Erik at House of Chrome and the Spoors gasket for $14. Not in the same league as your 200’s but a great microphone nonetheless. I love the look of yours but I wouldn’t change mine for anything.
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