brownett
1 post
Mar 09, 2010
7:55 AM
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Probably 25 years ago I bought a mic because I wanted to play harp. I stored it away and never got around to learning. Yesterday while in the attic, I found it. I know nothing about blues mic's so I don't know what I have. It is a 520D serial 1000. It's never even been plugged in to an amp. (I never got around to buying an amp) Never played on before. It's still in pristine condition just like I bought it. I don't have the box, must have lost it along the way.
What do I have?
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Oxharp
192 posts
Mar 09, 2010
8:06 AM
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Take a picture.
open it up and look at the element, take a picture
post it on MBH, some one will tell you.
I bet its a dual impedance CM assembled in Mexico.
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Oxharp
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toddlgreene
997 posts
Mar 09, 2010
8:10 AM
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You might have a very sweet harmonica mic, that's what! Does it have a built-in cable that terminates in a 1/4"? If so, and you play harp at all, either hook up with someone who has a p.a., a guitar amp, or any instrument amp at all, and give it a whirl. Start at low volume first so you don't get killer feedback, then gradually creep it up. At least then you'll know if it's working at all or not. If it doesn't, DON'T throw it away; you can get another element for it.
EDIT:
I have one from around 1990, and as Oxharp states, it is probably a Mexican made dual-z. I had mine wired hi-z, and it's a damn fine mic.
BTW, welcome to the forum. Visit the how-to page and tell us about yourself.
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Todd L Greene. V.P.
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 8:12 AM
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Greg Heumann
351 posts
Mar 09, 2010
8:22 AM
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Yes, the "D" in 520D stands for dual impedance. The shell is a little smaller and lighter than the current 520DX shell and the element is way better.
That mic isn't as valuable as the original 520's which had single impedance elements but it is still worth $125-175 in the condition you describe - and makes a very decent harp mic.
Sooner or later the built-in cable will fail, inside the mic. They all did. And its a pain to store like all mics with built in cables. This can be fixed by removing the cable and installing a screw-on connector. Doing this properly requires the services of a pro but isn't expensive (I don't know what others charge but I do it for $35.)
Once you have the screw-on connector you can also insert an in-line volume control between the cable and the mic - nice to have as well.
/Greg
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BlowsMeAway Productions
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 8:23 AM
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praefect
15 posts
Mar 09, 2010
8:23 AM
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brownett, I have a similar story, mine is 15 years without playing, got the mic out again, bought a brand new epiphone valve jr and a bunch of Lee Oskar and got back to it.
I played everyday for about 6 months and I love it.
praefect
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brownett
2 posts
Mar 09, 2010
8:40 AM
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How do I post pictures?
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toddlgreene
999 posts
Mar 09, 2010
8:41 AM
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Once I get my 'gig money machine' running a little more frequently(hopefully very soon), mine will be going to Greg for the cable removal and maybe a volume pot.
Question for Greg or anyone else who has done this: Will installing a volume pot to a 520D give it more bottom end, similar to what is done with a MC151 when a 1 meg to 5 meg pot is added?
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Todd L Greene. V.P.
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 8:45 AM
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toddlgreene
1000 posts
Mar 09, 2010
8:47 AM
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brownett-look here. You'll need to upload the pics to Photobucket or some other online photo storage site, unless you have your own site.
how to page
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Todd L Greene. V.P.
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 8:48 AM
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nacoran
1373 posts
Mar 09, 2010
11:18 AM
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Nate
Facebook
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 11:26 AM
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nacoran
1375 posts
Mar 09, 2010
11:28 AM
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You have to stick it in the middle of a little bit of HTML, but I got your back. Nice looking mic!
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Nate
Facebook
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Maciekdraheim
71 posts
Mar 09, 2010
12:02 PM
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Hey! You've got a very nice Evaston USA made Shure 520D! That's a real deal and it looks way cool! You're mic is probably from the early 70., check more info on www.greenbulletmics.com . Few days ago I've received my Shure 520D, but a Mexican made one. The one I've got is great, and your might be even better! Those CM elements doesn't go wrong, so it should be working as new! To bad I don't have anything like this on the attic.
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 12:03 PM
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rharley5652
100 posts
Mar 09, 2010
1:34 PM
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Brownett,.
bet it doesn't have the Mexican element and is a USA made element,. as as it has the brushed nickel grille,.could be wrong??
I believe it's a early model in between when Shure made the switch from stamping dual impedance an started stamping serail #'s,..
Open that baby up and let use know ?
"still worth $125-175" ????
In the new old stock condition that this baby is in ,.I've seen them go for $300-$400 Bucks on ebay !!
Ohh yea,..even if it has the Mexican element,.still has great tone an bring ya big $$$ @ least $250
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Simply Unique Kustom Mic's By Rharley
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 1:40 PM
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brownett
4 posts
Mar 09, 2010
2:38 PM
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Thanks everybody.
A little more history on 520D #1000:
While my wife and her mother were shopping, I decided to kill time at a music store in Fort Smith, Arkansas. A buddy of mine worked there and I told him I was just starting to learn blues harp. He told me when I was ready to buy a good mic and amp let him know. I was almost out of the door when I asked him what he had. He showed me the 520D/1000 and said it had been in the store for a while but no buyers. I told him I'd take it. I can't remember how much I paid! I went home and packed it away and forgot about it til Sunday.
It's been packed in the same box unopened and has been to Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, Arkansas and now Oklahoma.
Crazy!
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rharley5652
101 posts
Mar 09, 2010
3:35 PM
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Brownett,..
Type Shure Bullet Microphone into ebay search ,.ya'all see what there going an getting for one's no where near the shape your babies in,..
If your not going to play with it ,.an want to sell it,.
List it on ebay for $350 or best offer an see what ya get for it.
A rare find if she's been in storage all them yrs>
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Simply Unique Kustom Mic's By Rharley
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 3:36 PM
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Greg Heumann
353 posts
Mar 09, 2010
6:43 PM
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@Todd re: "Will installing a volume pot to a 520D give it more bottom end, similar to what is done with a MC151 when a 1 meg to 5 meg pot is added?"
There's a rule in physics. You can't get something for nothing.
There is no such thing as any passive (unpowered) component that can ADD anything. It can only take away. If a volume pot takes away high frequencies you might say it boosts bottom end, but technically you'd be lying.
Now that we have THAT out of the way - I would not expect adding a volume pot to cut much in the way of highs with this element. It shouldn't on a crystal either, but crystals are more sensitive to using the wrong value pot - too low an impedance will indeed suck tone from them. That's why replacing the wrong pot with the right one on a crystal may improve tone.
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/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 6:44 PM
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jbone
288 posts
Mar 09, 2010
10:14 PM
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my second harp mic was identical to that one brownett. it served me well for several years. keep it away from pawn shops and ebay!! mine was wired hi-z which made it a killer mic with a tube amp. i had a fender princeton back then. also tried it in a fender hot rod deluxe but never could tame the feedback. i know more now.
currently i havr a very similar mic i use often, a shure 707a. the original crystal was fried so i put a shure 99b86 in it and it's a very desirable mic for tone and body.
incidentally, i must take this opportunity to tell you about greg heumann's work on another mic. i bought a electrovoice m43u military mic about 18 months ago, and it needed modding. it was brand new old military stock, not a scratch on it. i sent it to greg to have a transformer installed to make it hi-z, and also a volume pot and screw on connector. greg did excellent work on it and left not one scratch during the work he did! it's one of my all time favorite mics along with the brown bullet and a custom crystal mic i have. so when it's time get with greg. you will have no regrets!
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rharley5652
102 posts
Mar 09, 2010
11:12 PM
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jbone,.
why would ya tell brownett to keep it away from pawn shops and ebay!!
His original post was :
Probably 25 years ago I bought a mic because I wanted to play harp. I stored it away and never got around to learning. Yesterday while in the attic, I found it. I know nothing about blues mic's so I don't know what I have.
Sounds to me he's looking at selling it.
Kinda like Pawn Stars,.here's what I have,. whats it worth?
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Simply Unique Kustom Mic's By Rharley
Last Edited by on Mar 09, 2010 11:47 PM
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brownett
5 posts
Mar 10, 2010
6:07 AM
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Heard back from a couple of emails I sent yesterday...
Shure told me the earliest it could have been made was 1981 but "The actual date of manufacture cannot be determined". The final year the 520D was produced, the retail price was $125. I didn't pay $125, I know that. I was helped out by Tom's Mics too.
rharley, I really don't know what to do with 52D/1000?? I'm torn between keeping it, donating it to a blues museum, or selling it and letting a bluesman have his way with it.
So, I won't screw anything up if I open it up?
Btw, I was trying to recall it's history last nite and remembered that when my wife and I got a divorce, It actually set by the road in another box that was going to the landfill. I checked again just to make sure there wasn't anything in there and took the box out along w/ other stuff. It was saved.
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rharley5652
104 posts
Mar 10, 2010
11:55 AM
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Brownett ,..ya can't screw it up by opening it up,.just unscrew the 2 screws,then pull the grille off,look at the back of the element ,.it'll give ya all the Info you need to know ,.
It'll say USA or Mexican made ,.in red it'll say 99S556,.an most important there will be 2 red digits after 99S556 ,.these are it's date code & will let ya know when she was made ,..let me know the 2 letters ,..I'll figure it out for ya ,.
If ya don't play harp ,.I'd say sell it and let a bluesman have his way with it.
Ya say :I didn't pay $125
Point is,. in the pristine shape that your mic is in it will bring you a good price I'm sure,.and it's worth every penny ya get for her,..
It'll cost ya >35 cents to list it on ebay for 30 day's ,.fixed price w/best offer,..
Like I said it's rare to find one in the shape yours is in.
Man,.I wish I were a picker the day ya set that box on the side of the road,..it'd been long gone by the time ya came back to check ,.LOLO
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Simply Unique Kustom Mic's By Rharley
Last Edited by on Mar 10, 2010 11:56 AM
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Maciekdraheim
72 posts
Mar 10, 2010
1:16 PM
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This one is sure US Made, as stated on the tag, looking on the grill which is I think nickel plated, not painted and two vent holes, one smaller and a bigger one with a rubber plug. As rhaley says, the letter code on the element will allow you to date the mic.
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rharley5652
109 posts
Mar 10, 2010
2:09 PM
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Brownett ,.. CM,.USA made,..T=1980 // L=December has the 39K resister installed to knock out the hi freq ,.
ya got a winner there Bro.
Just look how clean the back side of the element is ,.no corrosion what so ever ,.
If the element is strong ,..$300-350 easy I'd say
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Simply Unique Kustom Mic's By Rharley
Last Edited by on Mar 10, 2010 2:14 PM
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