Discussion:
green bullet
(too old to reply)
Harpman
2008-11-11 18:46:07 UTC
Permalink
Hi Everyone, I'm back into one of those"will another mic sound better"
modes. I have 3 mics already and do perform publicly(see
http://www.reverbnation.com/frontporchblues ) Some of you know me for
the 10 yrs. or so I have been here and have gone through this discussion
before. I came across a "green bullet" mic site the other day and it got
me thinking. Yes, I know your tone is dependent largely by your playing
and not machinery, but has anyone strongly believed that a green bullet
made a significant improvement in their tone? This summer, the 85 yr.
old who got me into harmonica in 1964, visited us for a few days and
said I had the best tone(acoustically) he ever heard.Not bragging ,but
can a green bullet carry that quality over to an amp? Where is Silk?
Where is Adam? Where have all the old timers who use to be here on
almost a daily occurrence gone? We had tons of fun,great advise, lots of
disagreements and a little cursing. Now it's boooooring. Come back you
old geezers and stir the pot. !! Anyone know about SPAH? If not look up
the organization on line. I went to 2 conventions in St. Louis,Mo. and
the 2009 convention is scheduled for Sacramento-YES, I will be going as
I live only a 2 hr. ride from Sacramento.If you are anywhere within easy
reach of Sacramento, Ca., by all means go. It is 5 days of non stop pure
fun harmonica in every genre available. Evening performances are by the
best harp players in the world.In the future you will see who the harp
players will be who are the teachers and performers,just keep checking
the site. Classes all day by the same best players. For a good discount
on the convention, join SPAH.Relatively cheap yearly fee.Well worth the
money. Well, that's it for now. Lets see some action here!I know you
are not into winter hibernation. Keep harpin and having fun. Allen
T-Bone Bruce
2008-11-12 19:23:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Harpman
Hi Everyone, I'm back into one of those"will another mic sound better"
modes. I have 3 mics already and do perform publicly(seehttp://www.reverbnation.com/frontporchblues) Some of you know me for
the 10 yrs. or so I have been here and have gone through this discussion
before. I came across a "green bullet" mic site the other day and it got
me thinking. Yes, I know your tone is dependent largely by your playing
and not machinery, but  has anyone strongly believed that a green bullet
made a significant improvement in their tone? This summer, the 85 yr.
old who got me into harmonica in 1964, visited us for a few days and
said I had the best tone(acoustically) he ever heard.Not bragging ,but
can a green bullet carry that quality over to an amp? Where is Silk?
Where is Adam? Where have all the old timers who use to be here on
almost a daily occurrence gone? We had tons of fun,great advise, lots of
disagreements and a little cursing. Now it's boooooring.  Come back you
old geezers and stir the pot. !!  Anyone know about SPAH? If not look up
the organization on line. I went to 2 conventions in St. Louis,Mo. and
the 2009 convention is scheduled for Sacramento-YES, I will be going as
I live only a 2 hr. ride from Sacramento.If you are anywhere within easy
reach of Sacramento, Ca., by all means go. It is 5 days of non stop pure
fun harmonica in every genre available. Evening performances are by the
best harp players in the world.In the future you will see who the harp
players will be who are the teachers and performers,just keep checking
the site. Classes all day by the same best players. For a good discount
on the convention, join SPAH.Relatively cheap yearly fee.Well worth the
money.  Well, that's it for now. Lets see some action here!I know you
are not into winter hibernation.     Keep harpin and having fun. Allen
Hi Allen,
It depends on which "green bullet" you go for: An older 520 or 520D
with a high impedance Controlled Magnetic element will do you well,
the new 520DX is not so good. The secret with a good electric sound is
a good acoustic sound, without a doubt. I have a 1963 Shure CM in a
JT30 shell that's hot and sounds great and has a gritty tone, but my
preference these days is for a Electro-Voice EV630. Cleaner, not quite
so hot, but feedback resistant. It's a pistol type mic and too heavy
for some, but I love it...
Regards,
Bruce
Harpman
2008-11-12 19:40:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by T-Bone Bruce
Post by Harpman
Hi Everyone, I'm back into one of those"will another mic sound better"
modes. I have 3 mics already and do perform publicly(seehttp://www.reverbnation.com/frontporchblues) Some of you know me for
the 10 yrs. or so I have been here and have gone through this discussion
before. I came across a "green bullet" mic site the other day and it got
me thinking. Yes, I know your tone is dependent largely by your playing
and not machinery, but has anyone strongly believed that a green bullet
made a significant improvement in their tone? This summer, the 85 yr.
old who got me into harmonica in 1964, visited us for a few days and
said I had the best tone(acoustically) he ever heard.Not bragging ,but
can a green bullet carry that quality over to an amp? Where is Silk?
Where is Adam? Where have all the old timers who use to be here on
almost a daily occurrence gone? We had tons of fun,great advise, lots of
disagreements and a little cursing. Now it's boooooring. Come back you
old geezers and stir the pot. !! Anyone know about SPAH? If not look up
the organization on line. I went to 2 conventions in St. Louis,Mo. and
the 2009 convention is scheduled for Sacramento-YES, I will be going as
I live only a 2 hr. ride from Sacramento.If you are anywhere within easy
reach of Sacramento, Ca., by all means go. It is 5 days of non stop pure
fun harmonica in every genre available. Evening performances are by the
best harp players in the world.In the future you will see who the harp
players will be who are the teachers and performers,just keep checking
the site. Classes all day by the same best players. For a good discount
on the convention, join SPAH.Relatively cheap yearly fee.Well worth the
money. Well, that's it for now. Lets see some action here!I know you
are not into winter hibernation. Keep harpin and having fun. Allen
Hi Allen,
It depends on which "green bullet" you go for: An older 520 or 520D
with a high impedance Controlled Magnetic element will do you well,
the new 520DX is not so good. The secret with a good electric sound is
a good acoustic sound, without a doubt. I have a 1963 Shure CM in a
JT30 shell that's hot and sounds great and has a gritty tone, but my
preference these days is for a Electro-Voice EV630. Cleaner, not quite
so hot, but feedback resistant. It's a pistol type mic and too heavy
for some, but I love it...
Regards,
Bruce
Bruce, Thanks for the info. Is there a good source for older green
bullets or does one have to search around the internet? Do you know what
a good price range is for the older models you mentioned, without
getting ripped off? Thanks. Allen
Ralf K. Buschner
2008-11-12 23:55:35 UTC
Permalink
Hi Allen,
Post by Harpman
Bruce, Thanks for the info. Is there a good source for older green
bullets or does one have to search around the internet? Do you know what
a good price range is for the older models you mentioned, without
getting ripped off?
since all these things become more and more expensive and there seems to be
no ceiling, i'd have a look at second hand shops, flea markets and similar.
Even if you can find a nice bullet shell - it may be a steal, if it goes for
some few bucks. To get a nice CM element in eBay or from a CB radio mic
would be much, much cheaper than to buy a working bullet mic with nice
painting in eBay.

And since you live in the US, where those mics are coming from, it's even
easier than here in Germany, not to mention of Eastern Europe! ;-)

Seeya,
Ralf
T-Bone Bruce
2008-11-16 08:55:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by T-Bone Bruce
Hi Allen,
Post by Harpman
Bruce, Thanks for the info. Is there a good source for older green
bullets or does one have to search around the internet? Do you know what
a good price range is for the older models you mentioned, without
getting ripped off?
since all these things become more and more expensive and there seems to be
no ceiling, i'd have a look at second hand shops, flea markets and similar.
Even if you can find a nice bullet shell - it may be a steal, if it goes for
some few bucks. To get a nice CM element in eBay or from a CB radio mic
would be much, much cheaper than to buy a working bullet mic with nice
painting in eBay.
And since you live in the US, where those mics are coming from, it's even
easier than here in Germany, not to mention of Eastern Europe! ;-)
Seeya,
Ralf
If you get a Controlled Magnetic element from a CB mic or similar, you
can get a repro shell from www.builderofstuff.com complete with gasket
and fittings to put it in. The greenbullets website has the codes so
you can tell if a seller is offering a high, mid or low impedance
element. The low impedance elements go cheaper, and a small impedance
matching transformer from Radio shack or similar installed in your mic
can make them much better. If you see a 520D, without the volume
control it should have a CM in, even if it's Mexican made it'll be OK.
Harpman
2008-11-17 01:10:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by T-Bone Bruce
Post by T-Bone Bruce
Hi Allen,
Post by Harpman
Bruce, Thanks for the info. Is there a good source for older green
bullets or does one have to search around the internet? Do you know what
a good price range is for the older models you mentioned, without
getting ripped off?
since all these things become more and more expensive and there seems to be
no ceiling, i'd have a look at second hand shops, flea markets and similar.
Even if you can find a nice bullet shell - it may be a steal, if it goes for
some few bucks. To get a nice CM element in eBay or from a CB radio mic
would be much, much cheaper than to buy a working bullet mic with nice
painting in eBay.
And since you live in the US, where those mics are coming from, it's even
easier than here in Germany, not to mention of Eastern Europe! ;-)
Seeya,
Ralf
If you get a Controlled Magnetic element from a CB mic or similar, you
can get a repro shell from www.builderofstuff.com complete with gasket
and fittings to put it in. The greenbullets website has the codes so
you can tell if a seller is offering a high, mid or low impedance
element. The low impedance elements go cheaper, and a small impedance
matching transformer from Radio shack or similar installed in your mic
can make them much better. If you see a 520D, without the volume
control it should have a CM in, even if it's Mexican made it'll be OK.
Thanks for all the info. Allen

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