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You wouldn't play a cast zinc violin, would you? A steel piano? A pewter guitar? Of course not. But a harmonica microphone is part of your "instrument." Why play through a metal microphone? Experience the warmth of wood! My rare wood mics have a slightly smaller diameter than a JT30, with none of those uncomfortable bumps and ridges on the grill. And these mics are considerably lighter than their metal counterparts. A JT30 weighs between 8 and 10 ounces depending on configuration. A Shure 520D weighs a whopping 13 ounces! My wood mics weigh as little as 4 ounces including element and connector. The result is a mic that is comfortable to hold, easy to play, beautiful to look at and, best of all, sounds GREAT. Guaranteed, or your money back.
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These mics are all built with Switchcraft screw-on connectors that are typical on vintage mics. I like these connectors because they are small and secure. If you prefer 1/4", no problem. The "Type 332 Adapter" screws on securely and provides a 1/4" female jack. I am happy to add one to your order for $15. See the Ordering and Pricing page for a picture of this adapter.
More and more customers want to customize their mic, so the first part of this page is dedicated to showing you examples of what it available, along with prices for each option. Below that you will find mics I presently have for sale. Please note that wood being what it is, no two mics are exactly alike. Each mic is a one-of-a-kind work of art. Finally, at the bottom of this page are modified/customized metal mics.
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| A basic mic is $249. This includes a shell from a single block of wood, a wood grill with straight slots, screw-on connector, natural finish, custom gasket - and of course a wonderful vintage Shure controlled magnetic element. (I have other elements, and will make a shell for your element if you like. See options below.) These mics are beautiful and sound just as good as one with all the bells and whistles shown below. The mic shown is a "basic mic" made out of Canadian burl maple.
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Options:
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| Lamination: Some woods aren't available in blocks thick enough for me to start with so I laminate multiple boards together. This results in some beautiful color and grain combinations as you can see from the pictures here. Lamination takes lots of prep and time - add $29 for a standard 3-piece lamination, $39 for 4-way. The mic on the left is a lamination of Zebrawood and Macassar Ebony. The mic on the right is a lamination of Cocobolo and Purpleheart, maze grill.
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| Finish: My standard finish is a natural looking hand-rubbed finish with a satin sheen. Your skin oils will react with these mics and they will get richer/darker/duller over time. They can be restored with furniture polish and/or furnitur wax. A more durable finish uses nitrocellulose lacquer. This is the same material used to finish fine guitars and pianos. Here there are two levels: Semi-gloss has 3-4 coats. Some wood grain still shows but the wood is completely sealed and protected. Add $29 for this option. Full gloss takes 6-8 coats of lacquer and is wet-sanded and polished after a week's drying time. Add $59 for this finish.
The mic shown is a lamination of Canadian Burl Maple and Purpleheart, straight slot grill.
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| Inlay ring: The mic shown at right has a turquoise colored inlay. Add $19
The mic shown is a lamination of Cocobolo and Zebrawood, Mercedes grill.
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Grip Shoulder: Adding a "shoulder" can make the shell even easier to hold, especially for small hands. Add $19
The mic on the left is a lamination of Cocobolo and Macassar Ebony. The mic on the right is a lamination of Macassar Ebony and Purpleheart.
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| Engraving: Laser engraving adds a persnalized touch - good for your initials or .... add $49
The mic shown is made from Zebrawood
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| Stealth volume control: The end of the shell IS the volume knob. I set it up so that the wood grain lines up perfectly when the control is at full volume. Add $89.
The mic shown on the left is made from a 4-part laminate of Kingwood. You can just barely see the line between the rotating rear and the main part of the mic. The one on the right is Zebrawood, Tripoly grill.
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| Aluminum grills: These grills are machined from a solid billet of aluminum, not a casting. They are pretty, shiny and strong. They are very lightweight, and are polished to a shiny finish. Add $39.
The mic shown is made from a 4-part laminate of Kingwood. Believe it or not, it isn't the same mic as the one shown with the stealth volume control.
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| Curved/Radial Slot Patterns:
Curved slot patterns require a lot more setup time and machining work, but they are beautiful and unique. Add $29 for wood, $39 for aluminum. I do not recommend the "maze" pattern for wood grills - it is not quite strong enough. The other styles work beautifully in either wood or aluminum.
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"Mercedes"
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"Maze"
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"Tripoly"
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"Starburst"
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"Turner"
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| Elements Available:
Shure Controlled Magnetic - included in prices above
Supply your own element - deduct $75 from basic mic price
Shure Controlled Reluctance - add $195
Astatic MC-151 Crystal- add $50
Brush Crystal - add $195 (very limited quantity)
Others: Inquire.
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Woods Available:
Bolivian Rosewood
Canary
Cherry
Cocobolo
Eucalyptus burl
Figured Walnut
I recommend that you Google these woods to learn more about them.
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More Woods Available:
Macassar Ebony
Maple burl
Marblewood
Oak
Purpleheart
Padouk
Sheeoak
Zebrawood
I can often get other woods. Just ask!
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Modified and Vintage Mics
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Who says a mic can't be sexy? If the shape reminds you of anything, well - let me just say it was intentional! This is a custom "chopped" Spherex 920. I completely turned off the mic stand and cable exit blister; then I removed all the old dull plating, reshaped and polished the exterior. The grill is custom machined from billet aluminum, with the slots carved in my "4-maze" design. the grill is a tight friction fit in the shell so no screws mess up the view. A Switchcraft screw-on connector is fitted to the old cable exit hole; the "nipple" is a volume control. With a diameter of just 2.25" and a length of 2.35" including volume control, you simply won't find a more compact mic with a Shure controlled magnetic element. This mic is HOT and sounds great. $319
This mic has been sold. I can make you one like it, however! Contact me for more info.
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Shure 545 Unidyne III "Red Hot"
This is the infamous "Paul Butterfield" mic. One of the best sounding stick mics I know of. Very popular, but the originals often have heavy pistol grips and rare connectors making cabling difficult. This mic has been modified with an integrated volume control, wired for Hi-Z with a 1/4" jack for a standard cable, and a red-anodized aluminum extension. $195
This item sold on eBay on 5/8/07 for $202.50
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Shure 545 Unidyne III
This one is in beautiful shape. One of the best sounding stick mics I know of. This mic has been modified with an integrated volume control, wired for Hi-Z with a Switchcraft screw-on connector. $195
This mic is so popular I am leaving this row here for you to see even though these particular mics are sold. I can build you a 545 to your spec.
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Shure 545 Unidyne III "Red Hot"
This mic has been modified with an integrated volume control, wired for Hi-Z with a Switchcraft screw-on connector. This mic started life as a very beat up pistol grip model. I actually had to remove the original plating on the barrel; it is now polished to a gloss finish. The barrel extension is machined brass and beautiful deep red anodized aluminum (not paint) and is very durable. $195 sorry - This mic has been sold.
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Electrovoice EV920 "Spherex"
This mic has been modified to remove the built-in cable. A Switchcraft screw-on connector is fitted into the old mic stand area. A vintage Shure Controlled Magnetic element has been fitted. Feels great in smaller hands - sounds wonderful. $179 sorry - This mic has been sold - but I have more Spherex shells in stock awaiting your custom order.
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Shure Sphere-O-Dyne 533
Very rare, desireable Shure mic. Note the lower half of the sphere is solid, facilitating cupping better than a modern ball mic. Hi-Z, Switchcraft screw-on connector. This mic is completely stock and in perfect condition. $349 sorry - This mic has been sold
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Very rare "Voice of Music" crystal mic
Wonderfully small and light, easy to hold, and great tone! This is a real collector's item. Has built in cable with 1/4" plug. $249.
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| I do my best to keep this page updated, however sometimes I get busy, and sometimes I get lazy. I apologize in advance if this happens to you, but feel free to contact me - maybe I can make you something even better. Last update: May 13, 2008. |
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