TPC HARPMICS

 

TONE PHARM CLASSICS

I got my first harmonica as a birthday gift back in 1973, and immediately fell in love with this simple little instrument. There were so many great players to listen to growing up…..Paul Butterfield, Little Walter, Sonny Terry, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Stevie Wonder, Norton Buffalo….and many, many more. My background in audio engineering and love of “tinkering” eventually led to my interest in building custom blues harp microphones. What began as a hobby has now evolved into a near full-time endeavor for me. Bottom line….as a player and a builder, I take great pride in the integrity of these mics. I’m not going to try to hype you into buying with claims of “awesome monster tone!!!”….“huge mojo!!”….”pro quality!!!”…..and on and on. I sincerely believe that the quality, craftsmanship, and value of every custom mic I offer will speak for itself when it’s in your hands.

 

SHELLS & ELEMENTS

Of course you can usually find the tried-and-true standards here, Shure and Astatic bullets…but I love to work with some of the other shells available today, particularly the Turner desk mic family….the larger Argonne/ Olson/ Herald/ Monarch type…and ones that you see somewhat less often. I also like to offer some of the classic “pistol type” Shure dynamics, as well as a few Electro Voice crystals, stock and modified… The Shure 540 / 540s is a great  harpmic, Dave Barrett at Harmonica Masterclass favors them,  I share his sentiments on the aspect of their size and balance ….it is the main dynamic that I use. Check the pictures below for an example of the VC – 1/4″ jack modification I can do on these mics….never have to worry about that difficult to find (and expensive…typically $35 – $40) 3 pin cable anymore. Any common guitar cord puts you right into your amp. If preferred, the 540 can also be  refitted with a standard 2501 screw type connector such as found on the Astatic JT 30 and others. Makes quick mic changes a snap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elements are something I love to experiment with. You may have seen discussion on the web which might suggest that only vintage Shure or Astatic elements are worth buying or using. Of course these are the most popular…they also tend to be the most expensive. But to say nothing else is worth trying is, to me, like saying only Gibson or Fender guitars are what you have to use, forget the rest. I buy lots of old mics looking for elements to use, and test them in a variety of shells looking for the best fit and response.  And with prices going absolutely nuts these days on those vintage elements, I feel it’s important to offer mics that are usable and affordable.  If I wouldn’t use it on stage, I won’t sell it to you…and if you are not satisfied with any Tone Pharm Classic, send it back for a full refund. It’s that simple. My reputation means everything to me, and I want you to feel that the price you pay for any of my custom microphones is money well spent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BENCH NOTES:  JAN 2014

Really excited to be getting back into the swing production-wise after a bit of a hiatus. Life in general and a brutally cold Ohio winter that made my poor garage heater essentially useless, much more selling and buying than building. I did have a great stroke of fortune a few months back, at an estate sale where I found three NOS / NIB jewels in the form of Shure R7 crystal elements. Have one dedicated to a Chicago label 707A shell….available later this Spring.

I also intend on taking a slightly different approach for some of my custom work, by giving the purchaser a choice of elements in already customized shells. I do have a great selection of shell stock on hand currently, as well as some very nice “bone stock” vintage that those with a taste for the true original look will appreciate. Plenty of Shure Controlled Magnetic elements in stock, a few Controlled Reluctance, one especially nice ’51 Black Label…while the true vintage Astatic and Shure crystals continue to become more and more scarce. A few of each now on hand, but plenty of good alternatives. The Sonotone ceramic and dynamic elements are fantastic choices and offer great response in nearly any shell. Also many vintage Japanese crystals from Argonne, Crown, Primo…..lots of Turner crystal and ceramic. Stay tuned…..