jnorem
395 posts
Jul 18, 2014
4:32 PM
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It was Jehosaphat, on my "Harp Mic Musings" thread, that suggested the Astatic T3 to me. That same day I found one on eBay; which I ended up getting for $60 including shipping, and it arrived today.
I don't know how old it is, but judging by the stand I'd say it's pretty damn old. I took it off to get a feel for it, and it's perfect for me, smaller and lighter like I wanted. Then I returned it to the stand, plugged it into my little practice amp and held a harp in one hand while with the other I held in the "on" handle.
Wonder of wonders, it's loud and it sounds great. It's got balls alright.
Now all I need is for Greg to build a volume knob extension for me and I'm ready to blast. So thanks a ton, Jehosaphat!
PS - Does anyone know how to date this microphone? The serial number is B637597.
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Jul 18, 2014 4:41 PM
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Harpaholic
490 posts
Jul 18, 2014
5:57 PM
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Thats a good score for $60!
Can you post the EBay link so we can see it? I'm curious if the original crystal is in there.
They used the same crystals as the JT30
I haven't seen one sell for under $90 or so since April or May when one sold for $50. I watch all the Astatics and Shures daily looking for a deal. They usually bring over $100.
If the element is original, there should be a date or date code stamped on it in ink.
If its a riveted Conneaut Ohio tag it could be 40's all the say up to late 50's early 60's?
If its Youngstown tag its most likely 40's
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Jul 18, 2014 6:00 PM
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jnorem
396 posts
Jul 18, 2014
6:15 PM
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@ Harpaholic, I think this is a case of the seller not knowing what he had. It was said to have been used for school PA announcements, which adds up: on the base of the stand is a small metal plaque that says" "Independence MO. Public Schools":
Here's the element:
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Jul 19, 2014 11:41 AM
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1847
1957 posts
Jul 18, 2014
6:57 PM
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looks like a crystal to me
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jnorem
398 posts
Jul 18, 2014
7:02 PM
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@ 1847 Then what does the MC mean?
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Jul 18, 2014 7:02 PM
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1847
1958 posts
Jul 18, 2014
7:25 PM
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that's a good question
and i dont have the answer
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i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
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Jehosaphat
772 posts
Jul 18, 2014
7:33 PM
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It was a good buy even if the element didn't work..so that's a good bonus.:-)
The one i bought cost me 40$ with a knackered element so bought a C/M from Greg,still came out a as nice buy.
It was from an old radio hams estate,again they just thought it was just a piece of junk(most of his other stuff was)
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Harpaholic
492 posts
Jul 18, 2014
11:28 PM
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Whats the condition of the mic?What type of tag? Is that 151, 157 or 152? Could be original? I've seen 151's dated as early as late 50's.
I believe the MC stood for microphone crystal for their part numbers. They used MC designation for ceramics too as ceramics where used a few years later in the 40's.
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Jul 18, 2014 11:30 PM
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BluesJacketman
174 posts
Jul 19, 2014
12:08 AM
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That is a steal! Crystal are held in the highest regard by most harp players. Be carful not to drop it and look up how to care for harp mic with a crystal element.
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jbone
1691 posts
Jul 19, 2014
5:11 AM
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I may be wrong here but I think the mc 127 was the ceramic while the 151 was the crystal.
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tmf714
2646 posts
Jul 19, 2014
8:11 AM
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That is a 70's replacement 151 element-the date code is under the smaller rivet lead. Below are pictures of the rivet tags -first one is 1940's second is 1950's .
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tmf714
2647 posts
Jul 19, 2014
8:12 AM
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1940's tag-
Last Edited by tmf714 on Jul 19, 2014 9:15 AM
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tmf714
2648 posts
Jul 19, 2014
8:12 AM
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1950's tag-that element is a replacement MC-151/7 Crystal
from the 1970's -the date code is under the smaller lead wire- first is the month-then a 2 digit year code.
Last Edited by tmf714 on Jul 19, 2014 4:33 PM
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jnorem
403 posts
Jul 19, 2014
11:40 AM
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I can't get a good clear photo of the label on the stem, but the Astatic logo has the big A in the middle with the stylized electric bolt. Serial #B637597.
The ink on the element is somewhat smudged, but that has to be a 7, no? MC-157.
The mic is in great shape; just a few tiny blemishes and a slightly dented grille, but overall in very clean, shiny condition.
And that's all the information I have on it. You guys obviously know a lot more about such things than I ever did.
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Jul 19, 2014 11:50 AM
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tmf714
2651 posts
Jul 19, 2014
12:22 PM
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Could be a 157-but its a crystal for sure.
And if it has the lightning bolt on the tag,its from the 1950's.
A sweet mic for sure!
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1847
1963 posts
Jul 19, 2014
1:00 PM
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california job case
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i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
Last Edited by 1847 on Jul 19, 2014 1:02 PM
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1847
1964 posts
Jul 19, 2014
1:01 PM
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A typecase (don't say drawer) with every character and space in its proper place is called 'clean', while a ‘dirty’ case has characters mixed up, generally by careless distribution as they were returned. A spilled case is called 'pied'.
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i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
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Harpaholic
493 posts
Jul 19, 2014
1:53 PM
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You are correct Jbone. Astatic had many different crystal and ceramic part numbers over the years.
MC 101, 111, 126(ceramic), 127(ceramic), 151, being the most commom. The first JT30's and biscuit mic elements 1939 is the earliest I've come across and where stamped 30 and a date code, no MC designation.
I've acquired this info over the years through old data sheets that came with the dozens of old Astatic mics I purchased still in the box as well as old Astatic catalogs.
Many different crystals and ceramics like the MC 320, 324 where used in the D104's, and many other Astatic crystal mics. They tend to be too bright for harp but I've run across some decent ones.
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Jul 19, 2014 1:59 PM
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jnorem
404 posts
Jul 19, 2014
1:57 PM
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So where does 157 fit in? Is it possible that it's a mistake, that either a 5 or a 7 were accidentally put in place of a 2 or a 1?
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Call me J
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jnorem
405 posts
Jul 19, 2014
1:58 PM
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Also, could it be tha this is not the original element, that it's a replacement?
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Call me J
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Harpaholic
494 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:08 PM
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J, theres a good chance its a replacent. I aquired many Astatics with Shure elements and vice versa.
True story, about three years ago I bought an Astatic biscuit for about $70 and it had a full strength Shure R7 in it that I turned around and sold for $225 just the element.
IMO they where the greatest element on the planet for harp, problem is I've never had one that lasted more than a couple months. I have a box of dead ones.
I've only seen one other MC157 and one MC152 both non working.
Thats why I asked initially. I have not seen any data sheets on those two, but at the time I wasn't curious. because they were dead.
Maybe the printing press operator wasn't paying attention?
Now I am curious!
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Jul 19, 2014 2:19 PM
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BluesJacketman
176 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:23 PM
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Most Astatic crystal elements sound the same. Some have a mid-range presence and others don't.
Personally, I refuse to buy or use crystal elements, after having both a MC-151 and MC-101 both die on me. My current favorite element is a MC-127, the ceramic equivalent to the MC-151.
I think its original to the mic, what school would buy and have someone solder a new element into their microphone?
Last Edited by BluesJacketman on Jul 19, 2014 2:27 PM
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jnorem
406 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:29 PM
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@ BluesJacketman: I'm with you on that; I would also prefer a MC element over a crystal. But since this one works so well, I'll use it and in the event that it does stop working, I have the choice of several mics to use while I look for a replacement element.
I see what you mean about the likelyhood of a school replacing a PA microphone element. Maybe they got the guy who taught the shop class to do it!
@ Harpaholic: So you have seen another MC157, that is interesting. I looked all over and I couldn't find anything about it.
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Jul 19, 2014 6:51 PM
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BluesJacketman
177 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:33 PM
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J most MC elements are crystals. To my knowledge the only MC elements that are ceramic are the MC-127 and the MC-126 elements. Yours could very well be a ceramic element, I don't know haha!
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jnorem
407 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:35 PM
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Ah, I see. By "MC" I meant CM, controlled magnetic, like the element in my Shure 520. I don't know why I keep reversing those 2 letters.
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Jul 19, 2014 2:39 PM
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jnorem
408 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:40 PM
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Hi BJ, yes, I see. By "MC" I meant CM, controlled magnetic, like the element in my Shure 520. I don't know why I keep reversing those 2 letters.
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Call me J
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1847
1965 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:41 PM
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I would also prefer a MC element over a crystal.???
you have a mc element, and it is a crystal.
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i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
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tmf714
2652 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:51 PM
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David Barrett talks about the MC-157 on his website-I have personally never seen one,but they are out there.
Most of the T-3 1950's mics came with a 127 Ceramic element-
Last Edited by tmf714 on Jul 19, 2014 2:51 PM
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tmf714
2653 posts
Jul 19, 2014
2:53 PM
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"Yours could very well be a ceramic element, I don't know haha! "
I do know-and its not-
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jnorem
409 posts
Jul 19, 2014
3:57 PM
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Following up on something I came across just now, I took the element out and sure enough, there was the date stamp, hidden under one of the wires.
It turns out that this element was made in March 1977. Was Astatic still making the T3 then?
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Jul 19, 2014 4:25 PM
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tmf714
2654 posts
Jul 19, 2014
4:32 PM
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From my second post-
1950's tag-that element is a replacement MC-157 Crystal
from the 1970's -the date code is under the smaller lead wire- first is the month-then a 2 digit year code.
Last Edited by tmf714 on Jul 19, 2014 9:17 AM
Last Edited by tmf714 on Jul 19, 2014 4:33 PM
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jnorem
410 posts
Jul 19, 2014
4:48 PM
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You're absolutely right, tmf, my apologies, and I knew that, too. What happened is this: I remembered someone posting that here, l looked for it, but for some reason I just didn't spot it. So, I googled it instead.
Anyway, so the element is only 37 years old, so maybe it's still got a few years worth of working remaining.
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Call me J
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jnorem
411 posts
Jul 19, 2014
4:52 PM
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PS I understand how I missed that post of yours, tmf. It's the caption below a big photo, I just didn't notice it.
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Call me J
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tmf714
2655 posts
Jul 19, 2014
5:01 PM
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No sweat-it depends on the climate conditions and how the mic was stored-schools are usually air conditioned or climate controlled year round. The other factor would be the number of hits the mic takes-dropping on the floor,etc.
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jnorem
412 posts
Jul 19, 2014
5:06 PM
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Maybe it did get knocked on the floor, and that's why it has a replacement element.
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Call me J
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Harpaholic
495 posts
Jul 19, 2014
5:09 PM
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Its now obvious the element is a replacement which was common since elements where readily available at music and electronic stores during that time.
Astatic discontinued T3's in the 80's sometime. I've seen T'3's with the adhesive labels both metal and vinyl. The vinyl label T3 that I currently own had an element dated early 80's.
I probably still have that dead crystal. I've saved most of my dead crystals over the years hoping someday they will be needed to reproduce.
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Jul 19, 2014 5:15 PM
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jnorem
413 posts
Jul 19, 2014
5:38 PM
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I'm finding all this to be really interesting. All the years I've been using this gear and I never gave it any thought at all. If something broke I took it to get fixed.
So I know now that I have an Astatic T3 microphone made some time in the 50's with an MC157 element made in the 70's, 1977 to be exact. The microphone was used as a stand-mounted PA announcement mic at a public school in Independence, MO.
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Call me J
Last Edited by jnorem on Jul 19, 2014 6:59 PM
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Harpaholic
496 posts
Jul 19, 2014
9:44 PM
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Not trying to get off topic, but there is an extremely rare Astatic on Ebay everyone should see.
They called it "The Conneaut" It was produced with the 200 style grille shown and a Jetson style spiral plastic grille.
"http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ASTATIC-MID-CENTURY-ART-DECO-OLD-ROCKET-CHROME-FACE-HARP-MICROPHONE-/131246619603?pt=US_Vintage_Pro_Audio_Equipment&hash=item1e8ee87bd3
Last Edited by Harpaholic on Jul 19, 2014 9:46 PM
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jnorem
414 posts
Jul 20, 2014
1:44 PM
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Holy cow!
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Call me J
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jbone
1693 posts
Jul 21, 2014
3:37 AM
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Very art deco!
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