Shaker MIcrophones

[panamaharp]

This is in response to BeelzeBob comment on my A Bluesier Blues upload.  Yes, the Shaker is not the best microphone out there... I really wish it was,  because I love the ergonomics of the mic, but the sound its just not there (at least for me).  That being said, it is extremely convenient to use with t the Vox AC30 plug amp.  I can carry the whole set up in may car and record during my lunch break.  The XLR version is very convenient to use with the wireless systems available out there, except the sound is not as clean as a Shure 58 or as dirty as a JT 30, somewhere in between, but it really does not hit the spot.

Gus "panamaharp" Olmos

[Beelzebob]

Hey Gus,

I forgot there is more than one kind of Shaker, I was thinking of the Madcat, is that what you have?  I guess by now you have heard about the Bulletini, that seems to be the answer for a small mic with a jt30 sound.  $179, too expensive for me, but selling like crazy.  I love the sound you're getting out of that amPlug, pretty excellent for modeling!

[panamaharp]

Hi - I got the original Shaker.  Yes, I'm very happy with the Vox amPlug. I bought it for my guitar but I think it sounds pretty good with the harmonica (got to try different mics).  Extremely portable and has gain, tremolo, chorus, reverb and delay...all that for less tha $40 !. 

The Bulletini looks great and is getting awesome reviews.  I may need to sell some gear to give it  a try.

Gus

[Rick]

I had a shaker once.  Not the madcat one.   I think it was rather dull sounding and I sold it.

[Matt]

... I love the ergonomics of the mic, but the sound its just not there (at least for me).

I agree.

[Gorfalamu]

I have two Shaker mics, one crystal, one dynamic.  They both sound like poo through pa or clean amps.  BUT put them through a Kalamazoo or something similar and they can be downright nasty, especially the crystal.

The volume control is key to the mic's performance.  At low to mid levels it's very clean; cranked up all the way it breaks up nicely and, through a tube amp, with nice gravelly tone.  I use a Boss 7-band eq to tame the high end squeal inevitable with full volume; I shut down the 16 k know all the way and that takes care of most feedback issues.

[Rick]

I'm glad you got a sound out of them you liked.

When I said that the mic was "dull" sounding, what I meant was that all the highs seemed to be filtered out of it.  Along that vein of thought, so maybe if you had a very bright sounding amp it might be a solution.