I have no mic. Never have. I think its about time to get one. While I dream about my Bad@ss JT-30 I figure I can have some fun. Inspired by Isaacullah's videos on how to build a mic, I have taken on the daunting task of building my own mic.
I will share my experience with you by making a forum log or FLOG for short.
So I will be Flogging about my experience.
Please know this is not a tutorial. I don't know how to build a mic and have never built one before. I can fill all my mic building knowledge in this zero > 0.
As a matter of fact, I believe electricity is magic.
more to come...... This is going to be interesting. One of two things will happen. Strickland will have a home made mic or Strickland will get his ass kicked by wires, soldering Irons and electrical thingamajigies.
---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2010 6:23 PM
here is the basic Idea. I am starting with a fence post cap that I found and the cap to a bottle of red pepper flakes. When my wife finds the cap missing I'm gonna have some explaining to do. ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2010 5:12 PM
"Find" as many of those as you can - I have used those for years but up here they have quite making them - now they are those flat ones - Don't want anyone impaling themselves, I guess.
---------- If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
Here is a bunch of crap I bought to build the mic with. I found a Lows gift card in my wallet that still had $50 so it was like getting this stuff for free and I still had $20 left on the card. score one for strickland.
here is what I got Glue, a knob, a rubber floor protector thing that you put under the leg of a table, A grinding bit for my drill (I was going to by a Dremmel tool, but for what they wanted I could have made a down payment on my Bad@ss JT-30) a drain cover, some wire that is probably not the right size, 1/4 female Jack a volume potentiometer, a plastic spice cap, a "found" fence post cap (shaped like a Bad@ss JT-30) some screws. some spray paint (if the mic doesn't work out I can use it to tag my territory when I am out "finding" shit in your neighborhood) oh yah and a mic.
---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Thanks to much help from Isaacullah I bought this mic online for about $30. I know, its crazy to buy a perfectly good mic and rip it apart to build a new mic before you even plug it in. So step one is to dissassemble the brand new mic. Do you think I paid attention to where the wires went? Hell no I'm too ADHD for that. ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Success! I managed to connect the wires to the element I removed from the perfectly good mic and to the "1/4 jack. I plugged it into my wife's Pig-nose Amp. I was nervous that I might ruin the element or even worse Jack Up her amp. But it worked! OUTRAGEOUS!
here I have connected the wires to the element.
Here I hooked up the "1/4 jack. ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2010 6:27 PM
Hi Bro you got all the part go ahead with your project we must discover it's what us tinkers do,,Bro you mention you outlayed $80 Bills so far i've done similar things myself in my discoveries into mic building,,i put a vid together build a Microphone from a telephone issaculla added it on my request befor a Borded the good ship MBH,,check it out i just bumped it,,allso that dream mic you are looking for have i got a deal for you check out the Ebay & Buyiung Vintage Shure Bullets vid a have posted on the Foram
Last Edited by on Jan 22, 2010 6:01 AM
WoW Stick.....I'm following along....you know I got a bunch of elements that I took out of old CB mikes. Don't know if any of them are any good. @Isaacullah if I post pic of these elements can you tell what they might be like ?? ---------- Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
this thing has more conections than a pot dealer doing the Guido Pump on the Jersey Shore.
I don't know what is what. I tried about a dozen combinatins before I got utterly confused.
My dad gave me this book about 5 years ago.
It makes a handy coaster. And before you tell me to get one of these
I already got one. It came with the book. Too bad I don't read Klingon or whatever language is written on this box.
Maybe I don't need volume control, that way when Shauna tells me to turn it down I'll say "I can't" or maybe I should look for in like in Isaac's video. His only had three connectors. I don't know. I'm pissed so I'm going to bed. I'll work on it tomorrow. At least tomorrow, when it doesn't work, I can play acoustic blues and get drunk.
---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2010 7:33 PM
the blue wire goes to the tab on the jack thats part of the long tab the holds the plug. the ground goes to the other tab on the jack. on the pot connect the left and the middle tabs. connect the right to the tab on top. hope this helps. dubble check an make sure you connect to the right ones on the jack. ----------
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2010 7:52 PM
Sorry, guys that's not the way to hook up a volume pot. You don't want the center leg bridged to anything.
A pot has 3 legs. The ones in the middle of the item in the pic are the pot; the ones at the end of it are the switch.
Assuming you want clockwise rotation (looking at the top of the knob) = more volume, then:
With the pot upside down (so you can work with it) the left leg goes to element hot. The center goes to connector hot. The right leg goes to element and connector ground. Now, with the knob at full, the connector hot is effectively shorted to element hot. At volume zero, the connector hot is shorted to connector ground.
The reason to do it this way is that when the volume is at zero, the connector leads are effectively shorted together. This minimizes hum at the amp. If you look at the way an amp's 1/4" jack is wired, it too shorts hot to ground when the connector is unplugged, for the same reason.
If you want to involve the switch - use it to short connector hot to connector ground in the "off" position. (That looks like a double throw switch. One leg will be shorted to the center leg in the off position; the other will be shorted to it in the on position.)
"When my wife finds the cap missing I'm gonna have some explaining to do."
LOL! that's called " 'splainin "!
Hey, I just added a basic wiring diagram to the instructable to help you and anther fellow who is currently undertaking this project out. It's in Step 4, and should help you understand a bit better how to wire the pot. Also, go to this web site to learn all you ever wanted to know about pot wiring! This is awesome so far!
Oh yeah, those extra connectors on the bottom of your pot are for a built in switch. When you turn the knob all the way to one side, it'll click. This is the switch activating. You could take advantage of this, so that you can really actually "turn off" the mic, but if I were you, I wouldn't do that, since it's not actually very useful to do so. So Don't worry about them. Just use the three "normal" lugs. ---------- ------------------ The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
@Jon, dude that is some of the best art I have looked at in a while. I'm a visual kind of guy and you perfectly communicated an Idea though Imagery. I hate wiring schematics, because people who understand wiring can't express themselves visually and people who can draw think electricity is magic. You, Jon have perfectly bridged the gap.
@Greg thanks for the assist. I don't think I would have understood your explanation without Jon's diagram
@Isaac thanks for the motivation, help and support.
Im feeling the love y'all. Thanks for the support. It really feels like you guys are pulling for me.
now for todays update:
DIZZASTER
I checked MBH early this morning and saw an outpouring of support in the form of help. I was very flattered and could see victory ahead. It seemed too easy.
It WAS too easy.
Giddy about my future success, I grabbed the Mic shell, the element, the vol. pot and the "1/4 jack and tried to get an Idea how I can put them together once I get the vol. pot. Wired.
They don't fit!
The element is larger than I imagined and so was the vol. pot. add the jack and there isn't room in this town for the three of them. I considered, just leaving the vol. pot. out. I quickly decided that I can't leave it out. You guys put in enough time and effort to help me to make it worth the time to solve the problem. I see 2 solutions. A) get a bigger cap so as to create more volume. B) get a smaller vol. pot. Both have their drawbacks. If I go with A. I have no idea what to use for a cap. What I haven't told you guys is that I have had the fence post cap since early NOV, and It took a month to find a cap that I was satisfied with. The size is almost perfect, and nothing else has even come close. If I go with B. I will have to order a new pot with no guarantee that it will fit. I went to Radio Shack today to look for a smaller one and was told they only sell them online.
I think I'm going with option B. I'll order a new pot today and maybe it will come in by tuesday. ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Small Radio Shack vol. pot............. $3.49 8^) shipping and handling................... $6.22 B^( four letter words............................ PRICELESS
I'ts on order
Im going to get some beer.
---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
"I went to Radio Shack today to look for a smaller one and was told they only sell them online."
Wow, if this is the way they are going, that really sucks for local electronics DIY'ers. Rat Shack has been basically the only place you could get them locally in many smaller towns. If you have a FRY's electronics near you, you can get them there. They do have mini ones, but prob, just getting one that does not have the switch built in will give you a lower profile. ---------- ------------------ The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
Last Edited by on Jan 22, 2010 1:59 PM
Isaacullah's right about the profile being smaller if it didn't have the switch but that pot you have is quite small already. It's about the same as your 1/4" connector. Not sure you can get much smaller unless it's a PCB mounted preset pot? Do you really need a pot? How far away from the amp will you be playing? ----------
Thanks Isaac and TookaX2 I appreciate the support and yes the one I orderded does not have an on-off swich
While waiting for my Pot to be delivered, I decided to work on the cap. As In Isaac's video the sized are a bit off. I needed to grind out the threads inside the cap and did just that with my Dewalt drill and the grinding bit. I checked the fit and it popped right on. An hour later I'm still trying to get it back off. Even worse, I still haven't gone out to get my beer. ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
I drilled a large hole in the cap with a hole cutting bit and popped the cap off with a pair of pliers. I'ts obviously going to need more grinding before it goes back on. But now that it is off, I was able to add the drain cover and it fit perfectly. Finally! It's Miller Time! ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 22, 2010 6:39 PM
Despite the set backs it looks like this thing is going to work
I have spent the evening carving a gasket out of the floor protector thing. It fits snug inside the cap and everything is going well. I have ordered a new vol. pot. despite a price that I didn't want to pay and then with further thought have decided that I'm going to be lucky to get the 1/4 jack inside the shell much less have room for a $10 volume control. I think I am going to sacrifice volume for aesthetics. Therefore I'm going to try to cancel my Radio Shack order (I could always add one later after I'm done, if I have room)
SOME CHOICES YOU CAN HELP WITH
I think I'll prime and paint this thing tomorrow but some aesthetic decisions need to be made. I have bought to colors to paint It. The one on the left is a dark brown with a matte finish and a sandy-dry texture, the other color is black with a High gloss finish and a slippery wet finish. How do you think I should paint this?
Our choices are:
A) All gritty dark brown B) All slick hammertone black C) Two toned: Brown body (fence post cap) / Black cap (the plastic green part) D) Two toned: Black body / Brown cap
Let me know which you would choose?
Also, It needs a name. Do you have any Ideas? I like "Ghetto Blaster" because It's my Ghetto alternative to a Bad@ss JT-30
Now I had better clean up the Kitchen, Shauna is due home at 9:00
See y'all tomorrow
---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
" Giddy about my future success, I grabbed the Mic shell, the element, the vol. pot and the "1/4 jack and tried to get an Idea how I can put them together once I get the vol. pot. Wired.
They don't fit!" this is the one thing that almost screwed me.. i got lucky that where i drilled my holes, there was about a 1/16th inch of clearance between the vol pot's bottom prong (after i bent it down) and the tip of the 1/4 inch jack... just to be safe, i covered the vol pot with electric tape... the placement of the holes you drill is VERY important..i was just lucky..
isaac, you may have said something about that in the instructable, i foret..
nice mic thoughyour mic is looking good, i plan on doing another one, as i wanna try a different paint scheme.
one opther thing, when i was painting and clear coating the metal cap, i turned my oven on to 175 degrees(the lowest it would go) and baked the paint overnight... it hasnt chipped yet..
"I would paint the green part black and leave the metal parts meatl...I think they look cool as they are"
Problem is the fence cap looks like shit in real life 1/2 is spray-painted black and most of the other half is covered with overspray and as it had been sitting arround for a very long time before I "found" it, it has become very weathered. It really deserves to be painted.
on another note Big Props to Isaaculla my main muse. If you don't know what I'm talking about it all started here:
Thanks Isaac
---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 22, 2010 8:10 PM
@Jon (who said "why shouldnt they be bridged greg? cause thats how mine is an it works."
Jon - It WILL work but you're shorting out the portion of the variable resistor that should be between the element and the amp. As you reduce the volume you're increasing the load on the element more than you need to - it will suck tone. I promise - it will work better without that bridge there.
Late this afternoon (after 5pm EST) I ordered a Vol. pot. from Radio Shack online. Within 4 hours I tried to cancel my order. At 9 pm this evening I get an e-mail saying it's too late, they can't cancel the order. WTF its Friday night, we all know they haven't shipped it yet. They say I can return it if I pay the shipping. Check out my earlier post and see the value or the Item and the shipping cost. No way am returning that. here is our conversation:
Dear Sean,
Thank you for contacting RadioShack.com Order Center.
RadioShack.com strives to provide the best service possible to our customers. Most orders placed online process within minutes of being entered and enter into ship status. Unfortunately, your order has now entered the shipping process and we are unable to make changes to or cancel your online order.
However, if you are not satisfied with your purchase you may return it within 30 days for a full refund of the purchase price, less any shipping and handling charges.
If you have additional questions, please visit our online Help Desk. Thank you again for contacting us.
Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you, and thank you again for contacting RadioShack.com Order Center.
Sincerely,
Bonnie S. Customer Service Representative RadioShack.com Order Center
So I replied
B.S. !Its friday night. you haven't shipped this yet, and if you could return my e-mail so fast you could cancel my order just as fast. You know full well that the shipping on this order is worth twice its value and returning it would quadruple the price. so keep my $3 in the short term and lose me as a long time customer in the long them. Your choice over $3. - Show quoted text -
Of course I'm talking to a robot so there is no use trying to reason with it. ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 22, 2010 9:10 PM
Aside from your last post you are hilarious. As soon as I stop Rolling On the Floor Laughing I am going to pour myself another maker's mark and dedicate it to you and your journey in mic building. Once your done and have it down fast you can teach me how to build one :P .
---------- ~Ryan
"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
robots can be reasoned with. you just have to offer it something it wants. like oil. thats like food to them. or jumper cables. thats like bondage to them. ----------
Wait! no Im not! it didn't amuse me either. I'm pissed! I can't stand how companies treat their customers online or on the phone. If you want to sign up for a service, they can process your order in seconds. When you want to cancel service, they put you on hold for 5, 10, 50 min or longer (much longer). Recently I had land line phone service through Verizon, on Dec. 22 my service went out completely. On dec 28 Shauna called get it fixed and was told they would send a service tech. out on Jan 15 (you do the math) I called Cox on Jan 4 and told I wanted to switch over and they sent a guy out the next day. When we canceled Verizon they asked if there was anything they could do to keep us as a customer, When Shauna explained the situation they told her they would get a Tech right away. WTF
BTW Ryan and Jon, what's your pick for the color scheme?
Enjoy your Makers Mark, I'm savoring a Yuengling ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 22, 2010 9:46 PM
There is a story, handed down through the many generations in my family, well, OK, from my late grandfather to my mom to me. My grandfather once apprenticed to be an electrician. The first day on the job his boss had him fixing the fixture on an overhead lamp. My grandfather asked him if the current was off and his boss assured him it was. My grandfather climbed up the ladder and started to take apart the fixture and he was blown clear off the ladder. He picked up his tool belt, walked out the front door and became a machinist instead.
Ever since then my family has been cursed with a complete lack of electrical understanding. Why, just yesterday (OK, a few years ago) I nearly burnt down my mother's house with a toaster and some Eggos and a little bit of current. No, I do not think this electricity thing will take off. It is nothing more than a passing fad. If you want to make your harp louder, get a brass megaphone, do not harness the demon that is electricity.
After a beer fueled tirade about companies that have done me wrong ( and I apologize for any bad feelings) I'm ready to get back to work. I figure before I start I had better come up with a plan so here it is:
Click to enlarge
I know that a highly technical schematic (aint spell check great) like this one can overwhelm some people, so I'll break it down for you.
On the left is the "1/4 jack that has a connection for the Long Prong, the short prong and one in the middle for a ground. The original mic had only 2 wires. Because Im good at copying, I just hooked this mic up like I remembered (I really didn't pay attention when I took it apart) it had been hooked up in the original. Anyway, there didn't seem to be any ground wire. Do I need a ground wire? Does this schematic (more props to spell check) look correct to you? Also you will notice I have eliminated the vol. pot. as I don't think there is enough room in the shell for all three parts. When It comes In, I'll see if I can't add it in. Until then, I'm gonna roll without it.
Here is a quick explanation of how this mic will work:
Magic electricity will travel up the cord from the amp into the "1/4 jack. The magic electricity will then travel through the Long prong into the red wire (Its called "hot" because it is red and red symbolizes hot things like fire and stove burners). From the hot wire the magic electricity enters the magic element. The best elements have magic crystals in them. Mine is not the best. Anyway, magical stuff happens inside the element that catches sound waves out or the air and mixes them with the magic electricity to form magic electricity waves. The magic electricity waves travel out of the element down the white wire to the short prong. From the short prong the Magic electricity waves travel out of the mic to the amp via the cord. Does that sound right? ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 23, 2010 12:35 PM
"one opther thing, when i was painting and clear coating the metal cap, i turned my oven on to 175 degrees(the lowest it would go) and baked the paint overnight... it hasnt chipped yet.."
GWood, and others. I don't recommend that you use your normal oven for this. Spraypaint has some fairly toxic offgassing while it dries. Doing it once or twice in your normal oven is probably okay, but if you do it repeatedly, the nasty stuff will build up in your oven, and then be released into your food when you go to cook something in it. Most people who spraypaint, for example, custom effects pedal enclosures will have bought a separate toaster oven that they use for this process. You can get really cheap crappy old toaster ovens from the Goodwill or other thrift stores. Of course, here in Phoenix, the summer is like being in one giant toaster oven, so I just leave my paint to dry in the carport! ;)
Sean, if the volume control you ordered ends up still being delivered, then take it back to your local radio shack to return it. Tell them they better take it back or you are going to shit on their floor! :) No, in all seriousness, I think they will take it back in the store, and that can save you the shipping.
And your schematic is correct. The long prong coming out of the jack is for the hot (+) signal lead, and the short is for the cold (-) ground lead. The jack "self grounds" to the metal mic shell when you screw it on. The element will thus automatically also be grounded to the shell. And ultimately, this will all be electrically tied to the ground reference of your amp when you plug in the mic cable. This will work just fine. RELAX! ;)
your right on the oven thing, if your doing it alot.. but for a fence post cap, i think you will be ok.. im sure i will die from the first hand tobbaco smoke first. :) isaac you are right though.. dont do it alot.. same rules would apply for powder coating..
good idea on the toaster oven.. never thought about one of those.. i think brand new you can land one foe $30 or less...
edit: as for colors.. how about a royal blue.. this is a blues forum :) i did it green and orange, and love my combo.. not sure what my next one will be...
Last Edited by on Jan 23, 2010 9:22 PM
I've been enjoying this thread a lot--but, as a veteran electrician of over 40 years experience, I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't point out to you that electricity really is magic. . .
I spent most of the day yesterday sanding that damn green cap. I'm not kidding. All told I probably did more than for hours of sanding. I gave the cap and fence post a primer coat.
I assembled the guts according to plan
I gave it the old "pig-nose test", It passed with flying colors
I drilled the hole and assembled the plug
Im almost done with this thing and dreaming about throw-down jam session that is about to happen when all of a sudden DIZZASTER!
IT DONT FIT
It almost fits but it just doesn't fit. Forget about getting any kind of volume pot. in there. In this picture you can see the cap wont go all the way down. This is as far as it will go and I am actually holding it on. Also the element pokes out of the top. This Sucks. Almost. So close, Almost there. But we all know that almost only count in thermonuclear warfare and brain surgery. There is NO room for almost in Mic building. Maybe I'll have better luck today.
@Gwood "as for colors.. how about a royal blue.. this is a blues forum :)" except the colors that I bought were brown and black
@Happy " I would paint the green part black and leave the metal parts meatl" I really really considered your Idea and even sanded all the paint off. It gave it a cool brushed metal effect, but decided to paint it after all. I still haven't decided on the combination, but am leaning towards option C.
Back to the drawing board.
---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
Last Edited by on Jan 24, 2010 1:32 AM
Stickman Bro don't give up on us now all is not lost it looks as the microphone element is to long mate i know ya spent some cash on this Project,,But hay check out these Microphone Parts from www.mouser.com these parts should help any Novice Harp Builders following your Progress these parts are used by Many harp buiders these parts # are for mini transformers a volume pot and Dynamic Microphone element from MOUSER parts..10 dent pot 313-4000F..Mini Transformers 42TM-017-RC..42TM117-RC..Element 25LMO32 the Trnansformers are the ones most commonly used to Boost output of Low-z Shure elements to H-iz or other low-z elements so check these parts out,Don't give keep at it Bro...
Last Edited by on Jan 24, 2010 5:40 AM
@Stickman, that insert you've got has probably got a hollow plastic cylinder underneath which held it in the old mic casing. You can cut that down without any problems. It's probably plastic. It should all fit then. ----------
I agree with tooka - I was going to mention that a lot of times there is a bunch added to make it sit in the ball end properly. You can cut it off with a dremel fine grinding disc. ---------- If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
Not quitting yet guys. I'm just recombobulating! I was just planning to hit the thrift stores to look for a new element. A flat one. Maybe in an old phone like in Nasty's vis also was thinking of getting an external "1/4 jack and have it run out the hole. That would not be the most aesthetic answer but it did give me an Idea for another mic. I might just build 2. Thanks for the info nasty i'll check it out in a minute but right now I'm very interested in what tookaX2 said. I'll be right back. ---------- The Art Teacher Formally Known As scstrickland
