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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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Old 30th Mar 2023, 7:49 am   #1
brenellic2000
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Default 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?
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Old 30th Mar 2023, 8:06 am   #2
peter_sol
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Default Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity

i wonder if this is made by STC?
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Old 30th Mar 2023, 8:33 am   #3
brenellic2000
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Default Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity

... predating the 4021 'Apple?'
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Old 30th Mar 2023, 8:43 am   #4
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Default 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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Old 30th Mar 2023, 8:50 am   #5
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Default 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.

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Old 30th Mar 2023, 11:21 am   #6
brenellic2000
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Default 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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Old 30th Mar 2023, 12:19 pm   #7
vidjoman
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Default Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity

Found an interesting site on microphones. He might recognize it.
https://martinmitchellsmicrophones.wordpress.com/
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Old 30th Mar 2023, 8:41 pm   #8
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Default 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.

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Old 31st Mar 2023, 10:56 am   #9
brenellic2000
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Default 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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Old 1st Apr 2023, 7:28 am   #10
brenellic2000
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Default 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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Old 1st Apr 2023, 4:20 pm   #11
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Default Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity

I believe this mic was made by Tannoy for the Baird tape recorder
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Old 2nd Apr 2023, 10:38 am   #12
brenellic2000
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Default 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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Old 2nd Apr 2023, 1:34 pm   #13
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Default Re: 1950s tape recorder microphone identity

Looks a bit Acos to me.
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Old 2nd Apr 2023, 6:15 pm   #14
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Default 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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Old 3rd Apr 2023, 7:48 am   #15
brenellic2000
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Default 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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