Shure 520D Green Bullet | Vintage Nightmare

[@harmonica212]

My Hohner Blues Blaster has maybe that issue that you said at (0:36--0:47) where I will be playing it then all of a sudden it sounds like I'm playing it acoustically and sometimes I will get sound coming from the Mic again and quits working when it wants to and my friend asked me how old is the Mic I replied 26 years old and he said no wonder Mics they make today only last 10 years and said he was not a fan of Bullet Mics because his hands were small and used Beta Mics from the early '1980s that didn't break and said if you really want a Mic that is built well, get a Military Bullet Mic from the ''50s-60s because they will last 40 years, unlike the Mics they sell today. I'm wondering if I can find the Potentiometer/pot from a '1950s-'1960s Military Bullet Mic and put it in the Hohner Blues Blaster or a JT 30 Bullet Mic so it lasts longer? I'm guessing my friend is referring to the '1950s-'1960s Sure Green Bullet Mic. He just said a Military Bullet Mic. My Mic goes FFF... FFF... When you turn the knob it has some static sound or if I am holding the Mic where you plug/connect it to it has some static. I got a new cord called Live Wire has a lifetime warranty so if it's ever bad I get a new cord. Does it sound like I need a new Potentiometer/pot would that be the issue/problem? While I have it apart I can repaint the Bullet part and re-chrome the front of the Mic and make it look new again. I'm trying to find a Vintage Mic I like or a JT 30 Bullet Mic that has been restored but they are sold. I know Harmonica player Dennis Gruenling can help you find them and sometimes sells one of his personal Mics. I emailed him but that was over a week ago and takes time who knows when he will get back to you because he is giving Harmonica lessons and getting back to other people who are looking for mIcs. I was told to have more than one Mic just in case it breaks but I have trouble finding what I want all restored. Any help would be Great Thanks. Thank You! for sharing this video.

[@ingenout]

it is difficult to say anything without looking inside the mic but if your mic is cutting you out there is definitely something going on, it sounds like a cable is shorting but as said before would need to take a peek of its guts to say for sure. Now about the potentiometer it is probably just dirty as in if you apply some electrical contact cleaner it will probably work fine again, and if not then you will have to change the pot. let me know if this helped.

[@harmonica212]

@ingenout5517, Yes I cleaned it 3 times, and worked fine for some time then eventually would cut out when I would play so I had my other friend look at it he sprayed it well with contact cleaner too. My friend said to measure the size of the CTS Pot which is one and one sixteenth but I can't find the CTS Pot I need for a 9917 Hohner Blues Blaster Mic anywhere online. When I get a closer look online it is CTS Pots for the Guitar and the only CTS Pots they have are 500K BOURNS POTENTIOMETER REPLACEMENT FOR BLUES BLASTER AND ROADHOUSE MICS for $19.00 and that is all this one guy found and said they worked well and so far has had no issues. He said the size of the CTS Pots is small but that is all they have and talked to the company that makes them into selling them. He does not know why they are so expensive. That is the price for 2 CTS Pots. My friend did not trust them and said you want Pots that are made in America. These Pots were made in England. My friend said once you measure the Pot size give it to me and I will talk to my Guitar guy. He has a guy that can possibly get the Pots we need so I will buy a bunch of them. A wire eventually did come off when I took the grill off. I was careful but the wires were rather old and I think after reading what you said that the wire was maybe loose or ready to come off. I am going to jam with some friends tonight so when I go to my friend's Shop to play I am bringing the Mic to have my friend look at it and tell him what the measurement is and give it to him. I may have messed up the XLR where the small screw is. That is behind the Hohner sticker. I was trying to get apart the XLR that was on the Mic so I could powder coat the Mic but I'm not sure how you get that off. The paint was coming off so I thought if I got it off I could powder coat it. I looked for schematics for the 9917 Hohner Blues Blaster and there are not any or any showing the Pot. When I told my friend I couldn't find any Pots he said I saw a whole bunch of CTS Pots on Amazon. I said but they are all for Guitar and some other Pots but not for what I need. I will keep you posted. Maybe you have or know where I can find schematics and Pots for the 9917 Hohner Blues Blaster Mic beside the 500K Bourns. Pots. Also, I have a 1490 Hohner Blues Blaster Mic that has the Crappy element. I don't want to lose any of the bottom end. I was hoping to find the original 9917 Hohner Blues Blaster element if I could find one so it sounds like the first Blues Blaster and not like the one with the one with the Crappy element. What do you recommend or think is the best replacement element for this Mic. Vintage Astatic MC-151 Crystal element is what I see them replacing it with. Have you seen this video Transformer Change: Shure 520 DX Green Bullet and Hohner Blues Blaster elements in harmonica mic. This is what Håkan Ehn has used in the 1490 Hohner Blues Blaster. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZ2Yda2JfZmmY6M This guy did this to his 1490 Hohner Blues Blaster and it sounds good but I don't want to lose any bottom end. My friend said if I put the Shure element in it I would lose the bottom end. Hohner Blues Blaster/Astatic JT-30 Bullet Harp mic with MC 101 Crystal Element kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJPQo3t3pM2CbdE any help would be great Thanks for your help, Dana!

[@keefmeister77]

​@@harmonica212you can get a stand-alone volume control unit, I got one for $30 on e*B*a*y and Greg Heumann sells them too. I have the MC 101 element and they tend to be weaker and more delicate than the old controlled reluctance and controlled magnetic elements.

[@harmonica212]

​@keefmeister77, What I am gonna end up doing is Greg said I can take my Hohner Blues Blaster and put the Bulletini element into my Mic and he would have to make a custom knob. This is what he said... YES! I can mod that. Only problem is that the volume control in your mic is all wrong for a dynamic element like The Heumann Element OR a Shure CM or CR so that has to be swapped out too - adds $49 to the tag, which is as follows: $159 The Heumann Element 15 Gasket to adapt it to BluesBlaster 49 New volume control --- $223 plus return shipping and possibly sales tax - depends on where you live. I have a pot that can mount where the existing one is. So it will look identical. NORMALLY people hate the existing XLR connector TOO, in which case I install a screw-on connector in the rear hole (where the VC is now) and a VC with a custom knob where the XLR connector was. Here’s how that looks on a BluesBlaster) And here’s how I do the VC if moved to the front hole. Those two jobs are $65 for the connector move (have to fabricate a custom bushing) and $49 for the VC (takes some careful machining and a custom knob.) I can do anything you want. But XLR doesn’t keep you from stepping on the cable, it only keeps the cable from popping out - which only happens if you’re using a guitar cord. If you have a proper screw-on to 1/4” cable, it won’t pop out either - and the rigid part is a lot shorter than an XLR setup. I prefer the cable in the rear so it doesn’t interfere with my grip….. @keefmeister77 I love how that Mic sounds. It is the best Mic I have ever heard. My friend has an idea to combine the Bulletini with a Mic he has if it can be done. If this works he will have the best sound you have ever heard. I'm a visual person so it is hard to describe what it will look like. What I want to do to it will blow my Hohner Blues Blaster out of the water. I'm blown away by how good that Mic sounds.

[@keefmeister77]

It would've been better just to ditch the cord and install a Switchcraft connector, that's what I did with my 520D. At least it's a 520D, a 520DX isn't worth repairing.

[@ingenout]

true that! but the budget was tight so this was the best option for the client. Thanks

[@rock-ctherockstarclown1465]

the "uh"s and poor english are fine, but PLEASE CHILL ON THE JUMPCUTS!!!

[@khansolllo]

it's a cut every word lmaoooo

[@ingenout]

Hi, I appreciate your feedback and will definitely take it into account for feature vids as many others have complained about the Jumpcuts!!!!

[@ingenout]

won't happen again, lesson learned!

[@rock-ctherockstarclown1465]

@@ingenout Might I suggest doing a few different takes and only using the take that you are happiest with. When you do have to transition, try a dissolve.

[@ingenout]

TIMESTAMPS: Microphone Repair 01:07 Microphone Test 11:16

[@ORDER4STU]

jesus fuckin christ the jumpcuts are giving me a migraine

[@MrDalegray]

The feedback from those pedals ARE HORRIBLE!

[@ingenout]

Thanks for watching until the end!