Build Your Own Inexpensive Harmonica Mics--Part 1

This video is part one in a series of vids about how to make your own cheap harmonica microphones from inexpensive and realively easy to find parts. This part talks about parts and shows what they look like. A good source of new parts is Mouser.com. Search there for "Kobitone" to buy cheap High-Z crystal and/or ceramic mic elements. Another good source is electronics goldmine (search google) to buy surplus electonics parts at a good discount.
Part two will show how to drill shells, solder parts, and assemble a final mic.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• i-mic
• harp
• microphone
• building
• diy
• blues
• handy
• easy
• cheap
• good
• sound
• amplified

[PennsyltuckyBucky]

excellent series...I think this is simple enough for me to do, but not sure how to choose which potentiometer will work for this. does it matter?

[isaacullah]

@PennsyltuckyBucky The answer is yes and no. Ideally, you will have a larger value potentiometer for higher output mic elements (eg., 1 megaohm for a hot ceramic element), but I usually use something in the range of 100 kohm. Audio taper pots work a bit better as volume control than do linear taper pots, but it's not that big of a deal if you have to use linear pots...

Good luck!

[narutoismyfan]

i want a vid on HOW TO MAKE A MIC FOR "XBOX LIVE"

[isaacullah]

@narutoismyfan Sorry, this is for harmonica mics only. I've no idea about mics for xbox.

[ztj95]

what does this sound on vocals?

[isaacullah]

@ztj95 Well, this isn't a particular mic. This is a series of vids for how to build your own mics out of various types of mic elements and shells. Depending upon any of those individual components, the mic could sound good or bad for vocals. It also depends upon what you want your vocals to sound like. Some folks WANT distorted vocals, some want super clean.

[31b41a59l26u53]

Hi there,

I made three harp mics from old rotary phone speakers, they sound really good, but I could't use the mic parts of these old phones, they're giving just some noise, and no one could help me. Could you tell me, what have to do different? It would be rally helpful.

Thanks a lot!

Bálint Csanády from Hungary

[isaacullah]

@MrIndieguitar There are a couple of problems with cell phone mics. One, they are probably too small to get seated in a housing that you will find comfortable to hold. Two, it is likely that they are electret condenser type mics and that they will require power to operate (probably at least 3.5 volts). For your first build, it is much much easier to go with a dynamic element: you will have a usable mic that has decent tone and that was a relativity easy build...

[MrIndieguitar]

would a cell phone mic work? I found some on electronic goldmine,$1 for 2!

[isaacullah]

@Hensley1212 You can get okay ones at your local radioshack, or you can get better quality ones from Ebay or on of the myriad internet-based electronics sales places.