Header Graphic
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Astatic 333-6 Mic Question
Astatic 333-6 Mic Question
Login  |  Register
Page: 1

Chamsya
6 posts
Nov 08, 2012
12:30 PM
I've just bought an Astatic 333-6 mic. To be honest I bought it on a whim because it was going cheap and looked good (shallow I know). Actually I like it because it is small, easy to hold and seems to sound ok.

Do any of you historians know about these mics i.e. what they were originally made for, construction, impedance etc? Of course I have googled but not found anything much.
Chamsya
7 posts
Nov 08, 2012
2:39 PM
Dynamic - not sure, as there is no description on it. It works straight into a guitar amp, so I think that would be either dynamic or crystal.

When I was young everyone had piano-key cassette recorders - each came with little dynamic mic. They were typically plastic though, whereas this is a nice heavy grey metal and aluminium.
Chamsya
8 posts
Nov 08, 2012
10:43 PM
Ah yes, I see. In which case that's good, as it's likely to be of a tube-friendly output. Yes, it's a square section tapered tube - which makes it good for holding with a harp IMO.

I have now found this scan of an astatic catalogue, which doesn't have 333-6 but has various 332,333 variants.

www.preservationsound.com

It doesn't deflect a compass needle, which my modern dynamic mic does, so I'm leaning towards ceramic. It's not straighforward to take apart, so I may never know.

Last Edited by on Nov 08, 2012 10:50 PM
MP
2549 posts
Nov 09, 2012
1:41 PM
it has a crystal in it attached to a foil cone.
it looks like the smallest speaker cone on earth.
do not touch or it'll wrinkle and tear and be worthless.
like the man said, don't use an om meter. i wouldn't even open it up because everything will sort of fall out and is extremely delicate.

they came in black and chrome or grey and chrome.
they are tape recorder mics and sometimes still have the little stand rest for table top use.

the cord is hard wired and not very long. it should terminate to a 1/4" mono male jack.
----------
MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.

"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"

click user name [MP] for info-
repair videos on YouTube.
you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados

Last Edited by on Nov 09, 2012 1:47 PM
Chamsya
9 posts
Nov 09, 2012
2:11 PM
Thanks JD and MP for the warning about not using an ohm meter on it, I didn't know that. I assumed that a crystal would just look like an open circuit to a conventional mulitmeter.

I understand that they are delicate, and so I'm not going to get too attached to it. I can't imagine finding a replacement element e.g. a dynamic capsule small enough to fit.

Nice to know its origins though. Thanks very much for the info.


Post a Message



(8192 Characters Left)


Modern Blues Harmonica supports

§The Jazz Foundation of America

and

§The Innocence Project

 

 

 

ADAM GUSSOW is an official endorser for HOHNER HARMONICAS