Re: harps

[<gmayhew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've owned a Green Bullet for two years.  I've been happy with the sound.
The size and weight never bothered me too much.  My hands are large enough
to hold it comfortably.  I like the width of it, in fact.  A volume control
would be very useful, though.  The lack of a volume control and the
permanently attached cable are the mic's main shortcomings, IMHO.

My girlfriend gave me a Shaker mic (and an amp!  What a woman!) for
Christmas.  It sounds identical to the Green Bullet, or close enough for
blues.  It has a volume control.  It's small, light, and has a cable jack.
I like the Shaker a lot, although it does have a few flaws.

The volume control knob gets in the way of a comfortable grip.  I have
to rotate the mic in my hands to position the knob in the least obtrusive
position.

The size of the mic is just right for one-handed playing, but it feels
a bit petite when I wrap both hands around it.

The plastic housing, which is sturdy and light, provides no electrical
shielding.  If I use a reasonable length of cable (15-20 ft), hum picked
up by my body transmits through the housing and into the mic.  I can
eliminate the problem by making sure my hand is in contact with the
metal shell of the cable or with the set screw in the knob.  I intend
to somehow metallize the shell, or replace the plastic knob with a metal
one.

Those drawbacks aside, I've been playing through the Shaker more than the
Bullet.  It's a good mic.

George