Shaker Dynamic Handmade Harmonica Mic 1/4" Jack
Can you provide any feedback on the Shaker Dynamic Handmade Harmonica Mic 1/4" Jack? Thank you
Hi Greg and kurtmari99. Hope you don't mind. There's a lot to the "you get what you pay for" dictum. If you really don't need a mic yet (e.g., you're still playing just at home or mic-less with acoustic players, or using a local venue's vocal mic - which worked/works just fine for folks like Sonny Boy Williamson, Rice Miller and Phil Wiggins), save money for the best quality you can buy later. That said, some years ago I bought a Shaker 1/4" Dynamic. Then this year Greg did an Ultimate conversion to an SM57 I'd been using for mic'ing banjo. The latter is absolultely fantastic for my purposes, and is now my go-to. (And I've played a loaned Bulletini, and loved it as well.) But I'm an odd duck. My public performance includes a theater company's cabaret shows, where I'm known as "Mr. Spare Parts," as I show up with a bag that includes guitar picks, 1/4" and XLR cables, capos, spare banjo, guitar and ukulele strings, a roll of gaffer tape, clothespins for windy venues, and even an extra black bow tie, for when others in the band call out, "does anyone have ...??" I just worked a show using my Blows Me Away Ultimate-ized SM57 (thru' a HarpTrain 10's line out into the sound board via a Lone Wolf Blues DI box) and it was perfect. But being the cautious sort, I also packed my Shaker and a spare cable, just in case a bulldozer appeared during a performance and ran over my Ultimate 57. Props to Shaker for creating some nice products at lower-end prices, but the downsides of the Dynamic Shaker are less-than-optimal output, and tone that's OK, but isn't as good as some other mics. Bottom line, as noted above: If you don't need a mic right away and can save a few bucks every month, Greg's products are excellent (and an excellent value). If you need a mic tomorrow (or tonight) and have only $100 to your name, the Dynamic Shaker will work. David's mic review series is really, really interesting, and he talks about what mics might work best for different folks. (E.g., some of the new or old bullet mics are great - albeit expensive - but might be a tough size if you have small hands, where some of the newer mics, like the Bulletini or Greg's Ultimates with a 2" Bulletizer cup might feel too small for others.) Welcome to the wonderful world of harp mics. I you're lucky (or unlucky) you'll pursue old ceramic mics, or vintage ceramics refitted with newer elements (e.g., Dennis Gruenling's wonderful rebuilt Shures, Astatics and Turners at badassharmonica.com - mortgaging your house in the process). Or you'll check out Greg's wonderful products. Or you'll hit the jackpot, and find an as-new vintage Turner BX for $10 at some grandkid's estate sale with a label that says, "not sure what this is." Enjoy!
Thank ou for the reply and feedback. Much appreciated
Thank you Greg How do I get more info if I am interested in purchasing Bulletini?
Hi, Kurt
You can check it out on the Bulletini Mics page of my web site. Be sure to look at the Accessories section - You will need a screw-on to 1/4” cable or adapter to use this mic.
If you'd like to order or simply have more questions you can email me - greg@blowsmeaway.com. I will need to know where you live so I can figure shipping. Then I will send you a PayPal invoice that you can pay with your PayPal funds if you have an account, or a credit card if you do not. Cheers
For fun, playing through my Shaker Dynamic this afternoon while practicing stuff at home. Forgot to mention in my 8/1/21 post that one of the knocks on this mic is it's low output. But that's because it's a Low-Z-wired mic. If you plug it into a guitar or harmonica amp just using a 1/4" to 1/4" instrument cable, it's going to be really weak. So aside from my my Shaker Dynamic I also have a RapcoHorizon cable, with 1/4" male on the mic end, and XLR male on the amp end, which I then plug into a Low to High-Z converter with female XLR to 1/4" male. It really brings up the sound. But of course, the cable and the converter add enough to the cost of the Shaker Dynamic that one could buy a much better High-Z mic and use one's spare guitar cable. (Tho' I don't count the cost of the converter, as I have a couple of them in my junk drawer for use plugging Low-Z vocal mics into guitar amps.)
Hi, Rob
Yes, you're right. However a) the mic is marketed with a 1/4" connector and implies high impedance, anbd b) it is difficult to find off-the-shelf impedance matching transformers with 1/4" in and out - so the vast majority of customers are simoply going to be disappointed, irritated or both. In the end - the mich just doesn't (in my opinion) have very good tone to begin with. So it ranks very low on my list of mics I would recommend.
Greg: You're right about the tonal deficiencies of the Shaker Dynamic. As for trouble finding adapters and converters: Some folks collect vintage sportscars. Some, impressionist art. Some collect vintage amps and mics. As for me, thanks to a lot of related hobbies over the decades I have a drawful of cable adapters, impedence converters, splitters, and stuff I acquired so long ago that I either have no idea what it actually does, or know for certain that it's for a 1950s 45 RPM record player that no one has one of anymore.
Hi, KurtAre you aware that Dave Barrett has an excellent series of mic reviews on this site? I'm glad he does, because he answers your question in this pdf and in this video
Because I sell mics it would be easy to accuse me of not being objective - but my honest opinion is the same as Dave's.
Frankly - it just isn't a very good mic. There are many he has reviewed trhat fare better. I'm proud that my Bulletini microphone is one of his top rated microphones. I know it is more money. However I made the mistake of chasing gear when I started before I knew much - and I ended up with stuff that just wasn't very good. Turned out it was a waste of money. My grandma used to say "I'm too poor to buy cheap things." I now know what she meant. I think going with good gear is relly important. Otherwise it is too easy to blame your tone on your gear. A really good player can get good tone out of just about any gear but wen you're learning - you need to know what role YOU play in the equation. I'll never forget when bought my 1st amp that was made for harp players - that I'd heard others sound great through - it really motiviated me to find out what ELSE there was to getting "that tone" -- because I knew it wasn't the amp!