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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc. |
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30th Mar 2023, 7:49 am | #1 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
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1950s tape recorder microphone identity
Does anyone recognise this early-1950s tape-recorder candle-stick microphone? It has no identification marks. It is enamelled metal with turned aluminium ferrules.
Unusually it has a flat top with wide chrome bezel and a 1" dia pierced metal guard rather than the more common domed wire mesh. I don't recognise it as a Brush, ACOS/Cosmocord or Ronette. Did Lustraphone make one... or is it foreign? |
30th Mar 2023, 8:06 am | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Welwyn Garden City, Herts. UK.
Posts: 1,906
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
i wonder if this is made by STC?
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30th Mar 2023, 8:33 am | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
... predating the 4021 'Apple?'
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30th Mar 2023, 8:43 am | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 3,326
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
Looks like a version of the STC ball & biscuit mic to me without the biscuit.
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30th Mar 2023, 8:50 am | #5 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,871
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
I had an STC microphone similar to that, except that the flat mesh was larger in diameter with a narrower swaged (aluminium?) bezel around it. The bezel was anodised/plated dark bronze, the microphone body was finished in black wrinkle. There was a socket at the base and I had no other fittings for it.
It came from M&B who handled a lot of ex-BBC stuff, so that was a probable source. Inside, there was some commonality with the ball and biscuit, so this may have been a precursor. It was a magnetic dynamic type and surprisingly heavy. David
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30th Mar 2023, 11:21 am | #6 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
This is quite light in weight so I doubt its an STC or Westrex. Three of the four bezel screws wont budge; the fourth is loose and has stripped the thread in the 'Bakelite' so I'm reluctant to open her up and look inside for marks.
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30th Mar 2023, 12:19 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 3,326
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
Found an interesting site on microphones. He might recognize it.
https://martinmitchellsmicrophones.wordpress.com/ |
30th Mar 2023, 8:41 pm | #8 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,723
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
It looks like a variant of the Mike originally supplied with the Scophony-Baird tape recorder in the 50s. The grille and bezel are identical. Unfortunately I can’t find mine in order to take a photo. No idea of manufacturer.
Peter |
31st Mar 2023, 10:56 am | #9 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
Could well have been supplied with an SB, as I had a couple, but don't recall seeing this mic in the brochures...
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1st Apr 2023, 7:28 am | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
... which shows a similar table-top (vs candle-stick) mic. Note the wine-glass shaped body rather than the more common orb.
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1st Apr 2023, 4:20 pm | #11 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: St Jean d'Angely, Charente-Maritime, France
Posts: 81
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
I believe this mic was made by Tannoy for the Baird tape recorder
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2nd Apr 2023, 10:38 am | #12 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
Thanks, that sounds plausible as the Soundmaster was sold, as advertised, with a Tannoy mic; albeit the only illustrations I have seen are of the stubby table-top version. The war time Tannoy field 'phones had a perforated guard. Given Tannoy's post-war financial state, and contracted war-time production of field 'phones, I wonder if Truvox/Rola-Celestion were involved...?
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2nd Apr 2023, 1:34 pm | #13 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Morden, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 1,557
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
Looks a bit Acos to me.
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2nd Apr 2023, 6:15 pm | #14 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,723
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
Rare microphones for sure but guess what? A stall at Golborne today had this Tannoy Mike on it, amazing coincidence! It was the stall next to the lady collecting the cash. The one I have certainly does not have a maker’s name on it.
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3rd Apr 2023, 7:48 am | #15 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 1,647
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Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity
Brilliant - l'm happy to concede it's a Tannoy - that's the easy bit done...
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