puri
128 posts
Sep 23, 2013
6:48 PM
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Hi all, I've got this one mic that I've been using for a few years now - an ev638. It's a good mic but I've always feel the need to get my hands on some sort of bullets for lesser weight and more comfortable shape. To make a good move from a vintage dynamic element should I get a (mic with) CM, CR or Crystals? Which one is your favorite & why? Thanks!
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Jehosaphat
552 posts
Sep 23, 2013
9:36 PM
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Well i've only ever owned either Dynamic or CM,but i have done a lot of research before buying one.
The difference between a CM and a CR is not a simple choice of one is better than the other per se.
A good CM is better than an average CR but a good CR is better than a good CM.(generalising here)
Trick is how do you know that the good CR is worth the premium you'll have to pay for one?
Answer:you buy it from someone like Greg Heuman because he rates them for you and you takes your choice dollar wise.
Crystals 'can' be the best of the lot for a honkin' blues mike,but and it's a big but, where are you going to find one that works.They're fragile and the good ones that have survived are worth a lot of money.
I've only ever played through a genuine crystal bullet once in my life and it really was an awesome mike but my kids would of gone without food to buy it.
Ok exaggeration but you know what i mean.
It's an odd fact that after all these years of using bullets I'm hankering after a shure 57 bulletiser
Our tastes and needs can change sometimes.
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jbone
1363 posts
Sep 24, 2013
3:25 AM
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My mic stable is not very large but I have a dynamic or 2- a Shure 585 most notably, which I like a lot- and EV m43u with an impedance change to high z, which is a nice hot mic, a classic Shure bullet with a CM element, which is that dirty greasy round tone so favored by many, a custom Ruskin mic with a very good crystal element, which has such a beautiful bell like tone but is typically lacking bass response, and also a small, light, crystal powered Astatic 332 mic, which is also a very clean, clear tone with not much bass to it. These last two mics are best used IMHO with lower harps like a low D, A, G, and low F. They do sound really fine with low keys and should not be overlooked.
My late favorite is the Shure 585. It has very good overall response and I even sometimes sing through it.
It has clarity and yet also a depth to the tone which works well.
It does depend what kind of music I'm playing what mic I use. For the gritty hard hitting Chicago and delta styles a CM bullet is hard to beat, and I include the m43u in that as well. Greg Heumann modded that mic for me and it's a total work horse mic that sounds really great. It was originally a low impedance element but Greg added a transformer inside the shell to boost it to high impedance.
For more swing/jazz material I do like the crystals and the Shure 585 for the better mids and highs they provide.
Trying different elements, in different shells, is a cool thing if you can afford it. Some of my mics have been cheap and one was even free!
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Kingley
3162 posts
Sep 24, 2013
11:21 AM
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Puri - It's easier and cheaper to find a good CM than it is to find a good CR. My advice would be try a CM 99A86 if you want to try a good bullet mic element. Although personally these days I prefer to use an SM57 or 545.
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MP
2929 posts
Sep 24, 2013
12:30 PM
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you may have a wider range of tone if you hold out for a CR instead of a CM. CMs are indeed greasy and have a lot of midrange crunch but that's pretty much all you get. One sound. As a general rule, CRs tend to be smoother and closer to a good crystal sound.
I used crystals for many years and they are my fav element but they just don't last. a year, two years, toast. i use CRs now. Very durable and they don't fail on you.
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MP
affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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2plankr
46 posts
Sep 24, 2013
8:22 PM
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My advice is to buy an element from Greg at "Blows Me Away" mics. That way you know it will work 100%.
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1847
1119 posts
Sep 24, 2013
11:30 PM
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a friend of mine uses a ev element in his green bullet
may even be the same model you have an ev638
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some folks... if they don't know you can't tell'em
i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
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blueswannabe
284 posts
Sep 25, 2013
8:19 AM
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I have had CM's that are better than CR's. A CR doesn't automatically mean good. Some CM's break up really nice, some have lower bottom ends, some better mids and highs. There are those that say that a CM before 1965 is better than a CM after 1965. Others say Mexican CM's are just as good and some are better. All of the above are generalizations and There are exceptions. The bottom line is that the CR/CM element overall is a good and durable element for harp.
With regards to crystals, don't waste your time and money...Crystals are way too fragile and tempermental with regards to climate. All the crystals that I have owned ( which have been vintage astatic) have weakened over time due to humidity and temperature. They are not practical, although they do sound nice. And if you drop the mic, forget it, it's gone. If you have one, plan on not having one because they are short-lived(and die faster depending on temperature and handling).
An SM57 is also great for harp and even better if you can learn not to rotate or rattle the head of the mic. Greg makes those bulletizers that I have heard work quite well.
Get an element from a harp player you trust.
EV's I have found to be brighter and cleaner mics.
Also, The only way to get the sound you want is to have great acoustic tone. All roads lead to personal acoustic tone.
There is no magic bullet.
Last Edited by blueswannabe on Sep 25, 2013 10:15 AM
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puri
129 posts
Sep 25, 2013
6:17 PM
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Thanks guys, I'm tryin' to sum up everyone's suggestions. It seems to be something like "it doesn't really matter, just get whatever I like and I eventually will ended up with all kinds of mic anyway!" and only then that I'll be able to tell which one I like ha ha :)
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528hemi
405 posts
Sep 25, 2013
6:43 PM
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Puri,
I'v had an Re-10,Ev 638, Shure 533A, Astatic crystals,
and now have 4 mics.. 2 CR black labels, 1 CR white and a CM from a shure 440Sl.
They all sound different but I like them all depending on which amp I am using.
What it comes down to is the match between your amp and the Mic and the tone that you like. The Ev 638 is a middy mic with highs rolled off. I love that mic with a bright sounding amp. The white CR I have has an all around real nice tone ( my mic to gauge all the rest) I have a Black label CR with hotter output but brighter and like it with my Bassman reissue. The CM also very Hot and brighter. That CM is better then a crappy CR and close to a very good black label CR. Check Gurney told me never to get rid of it. It is a freak and has very good feedback resistance. Another Black label CR I own is abit darker and not as hot.
I can turn my amp up 1 more number to match the output of the hotter elements. Hotter also does not mean better. I've had real hot mics that were very bright and thin so dont go by how hot the mic is.
Bottom line is if you buy off ebay from someone that does not test and own lots of different elements it is a crap shoot.
Bottom line is if you really like the tone of th EV 638, get in touch with someone that has many mics and is honest and can choose one that is a not to bright and you should be happy. IF you havea bright amp you can dial out alot fo the brightness with your tone adjustment as well.
The one bright amp I have that I loved the EV 638 I now use a CR and still dial the tone all the way down and it soudns awesome.
hope that helps.
528hemi
Last Edited by 528hemi on Sep 25, 2013 6:46 PM
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puri
130 posts
Sep 25, 2013
8:27 PM
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That helps 528, thanks. I think the reason why I bought the 638 was just to get the middle of the road mic that's not too old school or too modern to start with and I like it's fine apart from it's shape & weight. I'm looking for some sort of bullet because I think it's time to actually try & have one plus it'll be easier to hold especially when I'm using chromatic harp. My priority is actually cupping not the element, I'm pretty sure that I can drive any element but the problem is I have long skinny fingers and found that the (heavier)mic with smaller diameter can give me hand fatigue pretty easily. I'm curious to see if my tone would benefit from a better cupping with the more comfortable mics and the elements is the bonus if I can get a good one.
Anybody out there have skinny fingers? What's your favorite shell?
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jbone
1366 posts
Sep 26, 2013
2:53 AM
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A Shure 707a shell is somewhat smaller than the green bullet shell. The EV m43u shell is even smaller but would need some mods to be a great hi z mic. Different than stock connector and a transformer to boost impedance. Both can be done by Greg H.
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shbamac
376 posts
Sep 26, 2013
5:15 AM
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Only the earlier 707A's are the small shell. All the rest of the 707A's are the same size as the green b's.
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NiteCrawler .
242 posts
Sep 26, 2013
5:27 AM
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Another suggestion for the small hand/skinny finger issue might be a turner cx/bx with a shaved fin for less finger discomfort/and better cupping.You can get a shure cm/cr element in those with the right gasket.Just a thought.
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slowblowfuse
69 posts
Sep 26, 2013
5:45 AM
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Turner shells are perfect! Even with the fin still there.
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Skinny Dog
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Barley Nectar
68 posts
Sep 26, 2013
8:19 AM
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The guy has LONG skinny fingers. He does not need a small shell. A standard GB shell would work fine for him. The GB is not a light weight mic though. The old Ruskins were light but Frank hasn't made a mic in years. His chrome bullets were made from a Harley turn signal shell. These are smaller than a GB though. About the same as a Turner shell IIRC.
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TetonJohn
130 posts
Sep 26, 2013
10:21 AM
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To the extent that hand fatigue may be related to the weight of the mike, get a wooden (bullet) shell from Greg H.
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garry
441 posts
Sep 26, 2013
11:09 AM
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my gigging mic is an Ultimate 545, but i recently acquired a very nice jt-30 with white CR. love how it sounds, especially with my lil-buddy-modded vht. in my case, i didn't know any of this elements stuff. but following the dicatate "if you don't know camels, know your camel dealer", i bought the mic from a friend. i brought my gigging amp to his place, and we sat around for an hour or so trying different mics until i decided which one i liked best.
the next thing i did was to have Greg make me an adapter, with volume control, to allow me to connect the mic to my Samson wireless transmitter. sweet.
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