atty1chgo
362 posts
Jun 08, 2012
4:54 AM
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Please feel free to add players - and/or correct the post for accuracy.
Kim Wilson - Fat Bottom Astatic JT-31 bullet (custom)
Rick Estrin - Blows Me Away custom bullet
Sugar Blue - Astatic JT-30 bullet(?)
Carlos DeJunco - Electrovoice RE-10
James Cotton -
Charlie Musselwhite - Blows Me Away custom bullet
Adam Gussow -
Jason Ricci -
Billy Branch - Electrovoice RE-10
Joe Filisko -
Magic Dick -
Curtis Salgado -
Dennis Gruenling -
Rod Piazza -
James Harmon -
Mitch Kashmar -
Jerry Portnoy -
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2012 5:51 AM
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didjcripey
271 posts
Jun 08, 2012
5:09 AM
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from what I can gather, most or at least many of the top players have a shure controlled magnetic or controlled reluctance as the element of choice. The shell is mostly a matter of style and comfort.
I've tried many different elements, and the cm's seem to provide the greatest range of possibilities, from sweet and clean to fat and dirty, depending on how you drive it.
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Lucky Lester
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atty1chgo
363 posts
Jun 08, 2012
5:12 AM
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@ didjcripey - if that were the case, there would be no need for different microphone specifications. Every mic company does not/did not use Shure CR or CM elements.
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2012 5:14 AM
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Steamrollin Stan
432 posts
Jun 08, 2012
5:57 AM
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Steamrollin Stanley, mic telephone special.
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KingoBad
1111 posts
Jun 08, 2012
10:46 AM
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I think Adam's is a Shure PE5H... It's been a while, so I'm not sure if I remember correctly...
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Danny
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HarpNinja
2518 posts
Jun 08, 2012
11:31 AM
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JR is a SM57 (Ulitmate 57)
James Cotton is a Shure 58 most the time, right?
Sugar Blues - in the 90's - said he had a dynamic Shure element (57, I think) fitted into a bullet mic.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
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HarpNinja
2519 posts
Jun 08, 2012
11:32 AM
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Oh, yeah, I think Kim uses a mic from Greg too.
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Mike
VHT Special 6 Mods
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
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didjcripey
272 posts
Jun 08, 2012
3:42 PM
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@atty: of course there is a need for different microphone specs, for different uses in different environments and different preferences for the response and tone. My point is that the shure cm turns up in the hands of more top harp players than anything else (the sm 57 is probably a close second).
I have been through crystals, ceramics, dynamics, high Z, low Z, med Z, japanese, german, american and even australian built elements, and in my opinion (and clearly the opinion of many top players) the shure cm is a great element for harp through a valve amp.
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Lucky Lester
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nacoran
5812 posts
Jun 08, 2012
4:19 PM
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Does anyone use a ribbon mic? (He said, exhausting the entirety of his high end microphone knowledge in one post?)
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Nate
Facebook
Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
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LSC
227 posts
Jun 08, 2012
4:25 PM
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@atty: I think you're possibly confusing manufacturers with custom builders. Astatic or EV of course did not use Shure elements or Shure use theirs. Your question was, "What are the mics of choice." didjcrip's answer was correct. Most players, but certainly not all, use a Shure CM or CR element in either a stock or custom shell. It is the element that creates the tone as opposed to the shell, notwithstanding the player of course. Many players will have a variety of mics with different elements to suit different circumstances. None the less the choice is type of element not the label on the shell.
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LSC
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atty1chgo
364 posts
Jun 08, 2012
5:12 PM
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Actually, I am NOT confusing manufacturers with custom builders. That is the point of the list, to determine what the top players use. I understand that custom mics use different elements depending on what the purchaser or builder wants to use. I thought it would be an interesting list to make. And of course, supply of elements have been a factor as to their use as well. I wanted to see what they used in a list rather than hearing one million and one opinions as to what the Holy Grail of mics is. And I also understand that shells and elements are interchangeable. I just wanted to know what these combinations (if any) were.
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2012 5:14 PM
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didjcripey
273 posts
Jun 08, 2012
8:05 PM
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@atty: 'Nuff said; no worries.
I thought it relevant to the area of enquiry that many or most of the top players use CM's, in a variety of different shells. Sorry if you've had a gutful of a million and one opinions about the holy grail of harp mics, and mine was just one more.
If you just want a list, I'm sure there will be others in the forum happy to contribute. :)
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Lucky Lester
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2012 8:13 PM
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bharper
169 posts
Jun 08, 2012
8:36 PM
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What mic is that?
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didjcripey
275 posts
Jun 08, 2012
9:50 PM
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Looks a lot like a chopped turner shell (+2 ssb etc), with I expect, a shure CM or CR
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Lucky Lester
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2012 9:51 PM
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Matzen
361 posts
Jun 08, 2012
10:41 PM
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Jame Cotton played a Shure 585SA Unidyne Hi-Z Dynamic Microphone
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Kingley
2016 posts
Jun 09, 2012
1:33 AM
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Most of the players mentioned have used/use various mics when playing "amped", depending on their mood and the amp(s) they are plugging into.
Adam uses a Shure PE5H, Carlos uses an EVRE10 and Jason uses a Greg Heumann Ultimate SM57. Other than that all of the players mentioned use various mic/element combinations. None of them use any mic exclusively. To state otherwise is simply not true. What you could say with some confidence is that most of those players favour a bullet style mic much of the time.
Last Edited by on Jun 09, 2012 1:36 AM
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atty1chgo
365 posts
Jun 09, 2012
4:02 AM
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Of course we all know that tone comes from the player to a large extent, but it is still interesting to note the combinations of element with shell/stick. For instance, Adam's tone and sound (or anyone for that matter) is quite unique, and he could probably make reasonable duplications with a variety of mics and elements. But he gets it with the one he exclusively uses. It is when the tone rings true for the player's ear that he or she settles in on selections.
Which is why the general subject of tone in blues harp is so fascinating, because the variables that change the tone can and do depend on brand of harp (and the materials that go in them), amplifier (solid state or tube, speakers within, wattage), mic (shell, element) and the player, who may be doing something different with a particular tongue block, their lips, breathing, their hands, etc. We were given a vivid display of these factors at the last HCH, which exposed us all to such a variety of tones and styles - and executed with such skill. And so we continue to race for mics, amps and harps which we think will give us that tone that in turn gives us (and hopefully the audience) THE BLUES.
Last Edited by on Jun 09, 2012 4:06 AM
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tmf714
1116 posts
Jun 09, 2012
7:15 AM
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The mic Charlie is using above is a Sonny Jr conrolled reluctance with volume control.
Chuck Gurney at Fat Bottom Mics supplies Sonny's elements.
Last Edited by on Jun 09, 2012 7:15 AM
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bharper
172 posts
Jun 09, 2012
8:16 AM
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tmf714, thanks. I've seen him several times playing that mic and it sounded great. I never got the chance to ask him what it was.
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Greg Heumann
1639 posts
Jun 09, 2012
9:01 AM
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@Nacoran re: "Does anyone use a ribbon mic? " MIckey Raphael uses a Beyer ribbon on stage with Willie Nelson - whom he has played with for the last 38 years. On a few bluesy numbers in their show he unplugs it and plugs in his BlowsMeAway wood bullet.
@Bharper: Gary (Sonny Jr) supplies the amps Charlie loves - and gave him that mic. It is indeed a chopped Turner with black CR. Charlie tends to switch between that mic and one of the ones I made for him.
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/Greg
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bharper
174 posts
Jun 09, 2012
10:23 AM
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Greg, thanks for the info.
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little onion
37 posts
Jun 09, 2012
1:48 PM
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greg- i took that sonny jr super sonny i just bought to the guitar store across the street to have the tubes put in after it was shipped to me with the tubes packed separately. there is apparently a tube/amp guru called eric who works there. (i didn't know.) when i came to pick it up he said he has only seen one of these sonny jr's before... and jeez he couldn't remember the guy's name, but remembered he was a really nice guy. he concentrated for a while and said that his name was charlie something and that maybe he was kind of famous... and then after a while while i was trying out the amp he came back and kind of deadpan remembered "oh yeah, charlie musselwhite i think. is he famous or something? i don't know his music, but... yeah, what a really nice guy." doesn't know harp players but knows a nice guy when he meets one!
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little onion
38 posts
Jun 09, 2012
1:52 PM
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oh and dennis gruenling has been playing a shure 707A small bullet with a black label CM that he replaced the fried crystal element with. he apparently just replaced that mic with an all-chrome mic but didn't go into the specifics of what it is. (he just sold oiff the &)&A to pay for his CD.) he is touring now and i intend to see him in new york in early july so i'll find out what he's playing through then.
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Destin
26 posts
Jun 10, 2012
12:53 PM
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Jason Ricci - sm57
John popper - sm58
Toots - sm58
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MrVerylongusername
2382 posts
Jun 10, 2012
12:58 PM
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Lee Oskar uses a ribbon mic too - a Beyer M160
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Greg Heumann
1642 posts
Jun 10, 2012
5:03 PM
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@Destin:
Jason plays an Ultimate 57, wireless. Mic and wireless system from BlowsMeAway.
Toots is now playing an Ultimate 58. Also from BlowsMeAway.
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/Greg
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Destin
30 posts
Jun 10, 2012
9:28 PM
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Sorry I failed to mention that Greg ,
By the way you should be receiving my order this wed for my ultimate
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wheel
97 posts
Jun 11, 2012
6:45 AM
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Jim Liban - Shure 585SA
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http://www.youtube.com/user/wheelharp
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joek18
25 posts
Jun 11, 2012
8:54 AM
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Paul Butterfield - Shure 545 or Shure PE 54. Two excellent and underrated mics played by one of the great tone masters of his generation.
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