Using Vintage Microphones. Pros and cons of using vintage mics in your recordings....

Vintage Microphones- are they worthwhile?

Pictured: WEBCOR crystal Microphone.

The short answer is yes!

The long answer is obviously longer... so here goes...

Considerations:

1.  Does the microphone function properly?

          If not, fix it!  Or, sell it!  It may be worth a few bucks!

2.  How does the microphone sound?

          Warm, bright, nasally, honky?       

3.  How will the microphone best suit your track?

          Maybe you need a bright/honky sound to cut through a mix!

 It may take some trial and error, but that's the fun part about learning the ins-and-outs of new(old) gear.

Vintage microphones that we come across on a daily basis are by and large either dynamic microphones, with a plastic element(very similar to todays mics) or they are crystal microphones, which have a crystal (ceramic) element.  Other microphones you may run into might be condenser mics or ribbon mics.  The former usually has a gold sputtered plastic diaphram which picks up vibrations from the air and the latter has a thin ribbon of pure aluminum to do the task.  We'll come back to dynamics, condensers and ribbons.  Today let's talk about crystal mics.  

Crystal mics are possibly the most unique, since they are no longer made (realistically)! In the 1960's, as dynamic mics became the standard, crystal mics basically ceased production.  Also, it's important to note that crystal mics have a really high impedance(generally), so they were often used to feed the first stage of  a tube mic preamp- often found on consumer tape recorders and industrial public address systems.  As such, crystal mics may not be "plug and play" with your computer sound card, but if you have a small mixer or other modern preamp with a guitar line in, then you have something to work with.

Crystal mics are now sought after mainly by harp players, since they capture the essential "Vocal range" of the instrument.  These players are generally also mating these mics to tube guitar amps of the same era, which is a natural choice.

I think they can sound really cool on other instruments, and vocals as well!  Of course, you should do thorough testing by using the mic and carefully listening to the results.

Here are a few videos of some mics that I've recorded with, and had great results!

 

 

That is a recording of a Yamaha FG160 dreadnaught guitar, and as you can see I pointed it near the 12th-15th frets of the guitar.  I think it picks up the guitar beautifully.  The bass isn't booming, the string noise isn't overwhelming.  The essence and tone of the guitar are brought forward.  For this application, the mic works!  Mic preamp is a modern "botique" all-in-one-chip style and the mic is plugged into the "Hi-Z/Guitar" input.

And The classic Shure Slim X 777:

The mic is pointed slightly off axis near/toward the cone.  The speaker is a vintage 30 watt alnico.  The amplifier is an all tube 5e3 deluxe clone.  Guitar is a single coil strat type.  This is a relatively quiet demonstration, but that was the tone I was after.  Clean, thick and creamy. So again, for this application- the mic works!  

I'm not sure I would crank this speaker to full clip and record with this vintage (now pricey!)Shure crystal mic pressed against the grill, but I won't hesitate to pull this mic back a bit and pick up a fuller room sound.  Plugged into mic preamp through the hi-z/guitar input.

The same goes for drums.  I think Crystal mics make great room mics to add ambiance to a one or two mic setup.

So, in summary, use those old mics!  Come up with a sound and commit it to tape(or digital)!  It might be exactly what your track needs!