What to look for in old/used mics?
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Posted on Jan 06, 2005 12:46 am
grAFItti
Member Since: Dec 05, 2004
My dad says before i order my stuuf of MF I should check out this place Called Apache something. he says they have aisles of recording stuff for sale that is used or old and they have no clue wat it is. So it's a good chance i can find something decent (mic wise) way cheaper than wat you would pay. Anyways, are there certain things I should be looking for when i go there?
p.s. sry for the long post ;b
thanks
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HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Jan 06, 2005 05:55 am The name "Electravoice" . heh
Man I wish I'd find a place like that ! Everyone's so gear-savvy 'round these parts . Really though, anything made by them or Shure should've been made to last . Otherwise, check the connector-pins, and make sure they're not loose or all coroded, etc... I'd steer away from any really-old condenser mics, without the chance of hearing how they sound, just 'cause they're much more sensitive to storage conditions . Happy hunting !
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jan 06, 2005 01:05 pm Yup Graffitti, I gotta agree with Hue. I pick up a lot of chatter on boards about used equipment. A lot of folks seem to do real well with that. Bigger studio's upgrading, just getting tired of some equipment, etc.
Me, I'm terrified of the prospect. The web thing of 'sight unseen' is a place I can't go. Even walking into a place where it is in front of me is a scarry proposition. I would want to bring in a mixer and a set of headphones and play with the thing first.
I guess if I had the time fix stuff up, you know, a lot of patience, it might be fun to take on an occasional 'great deal'. I've got one in my garage. It's an old off the wall board that looks like it might be a nice rig. One band I recorded droped it off 'freebee' as a token. Been there 6 months and I havn't even fired it up. Guess it got hit by lightning. Could be anything from a 'fry babby' to something real simple.
Jan 06, 2005 03:21 pm thanks you guys for the advice cuz i had no clue what to look for. Me and my dad are going today.
thanks
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jan 06, 2005 04:08 pm Good luck! and please let me know how it turns out and how you went about the whole thing!
Jan 06, 2005 04:21 pm Go for it buddy.
I bought a second hand ZoomRT123 drum machine for less than half the price. I also bought a second hand shure mic (A prolouge) for £10 on Ebay - not quite as good but not THAT far off and sure a good solid backup for my SM58..its just a little noisier.
I also bought a couple of other bits and bobs including an active bass and also some other wee things.
If ye can get a good price, its worth the risk. weigh up price/value and risk and ye wont go wrong.
Good luck to ye
Coco.
Jan 09, 2005 10:57 pm Hey guys, sry to dissapoint you but i didnt find anything good. All of the stuff was old, really old. Me and my dad looked for a while but didnt find anything we could use either. What you said walt gave me an idea. My moms best friends brother is a producer at warner brothers or something. His studio is pretty big. Theyve been recording some good bands like Authority Zero. Anyway, maybe i could ask if they ever wanted to recycle some of theyer equiment id be glad to take it off theyre hands. But i bet theyres some kinda process they go through huh?
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jan 10, 2005 12:05 am Hard to say Grafitti,
Every place is different. I've seen companies where managers run the business and bean counters balance books and they could give things away that where no longer used or of any value. Other companies run by bean counters telling managers what they can and can not do, will often destroy the stuff as it is too expensive to give away.
I would surely ask!
Jan 10, 2005 06:28 am Don't be afraid of picking up a bargain on ebay, simply coz if you're paying next to nothing, well you aint exactly running a huge risk on whether you'll like it or not. Look hard, use some tricks and find a bargain.
Just before christmas i picked up an ElectroVoice mic on ebay for less than 10 euros (10 bucks). It was misspelt and posted under Ibanez guitar effects.
Keep your eyes open!
As for picking up companies' old gear, it's definitely worth a go, but remember that most studios like to hang onto all their own gear even when buying new, a lot of clients like using "vintage" stuff coz it's so "cool", and moreover studios know that a longer list of gear is more impressive to the client. But definitely worth a try!!!!
