Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone 

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

The reviews are misleading. This mic used to have bad reviews becuase the cables failed. Somehow it got reset and there are good reviews. I bought it on sale and took the risk. Guess what... it failed.

The cable is proprietry so you have to buy the same junk cable. I got around it with a switchcraft adapter, but even that was riged to fit.

There are better options unless you are handy with a soldering iron, or can tap the threads.

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

Nice little bullet mic, lighter & easier to cup than a Green Bullet. Properly cupped this is a great mic to use.

The major drawback to this mic is the cheap mic cable. Most players on harp forums have reported the cable gives out pretty quickly. Some players report that the reliablity can be increased by wrapping tape where the spring and cable meet. This stops the cable from rotating and shorting it out.

Another drawback is the screw on connector on the mic may or may not sometimes thread onto higher quality cables with screw on style connectors. That's a potential challenge, especially for gigging musicians.

If you're willing to spend a few bucks more on having a mic customizer upgrade to a quality connector, this mic would be an excellent backup mic. In my opinion, this mic has that old Chicago Blues tone everybody expects out of a bullet style mic.

Anyone that says this is a thin sounding mic more than likely is unable to properly cup a mic to get that fat distorted tone. Done correctly, this mic will distort on a clean amp setting! I would purchase another if lost or stolen...

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

Yes, the harmonica microphone is doing great!

I received it very quickly.

Thank you, and look forward to future business.

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

There is a strange love affair between a blues harp man and his mic. The JT-30R treats me right.
I could not have been happier to see the "out of print" mold for the classic JT-30 resurected by MF for the JT-30 Roadhouse. Internet bidding wars were getting well above $150 for a dead, scratched, rusting old but original JT-30 shell. Now I have crystal element blues harp tone with a pot to have on-stage control. Note, I am a blues jam junkie with a day job so pathetically throw myself into unkown jam situations on a regular basis so control of volume and feedback is important. I have highly recommended the JT-30R to my green bullet brethren, and they have all come around to dig its clear tone with crystal element responsivness that responds to how hard you blow it.

If the pot was a numbered 1 to 11 dial, 1 and 2 are unresponsive so just be careful. 10 and 11 advance the crunch substantially, so adjust your amp so you can have it cranked for your solos. Everything in between is all about the tone you can manifest with your technique. I have a small 10" speaker amp and a big 4x10 amp, both relatively new "reissue" types with classic tube configuration and the JT-30R is just right and feedback friendly with both.
On the technical side (remember I am a harp guy), the paint is wearing off where the left hand is in constant contact. The chrome grill holding strong like a big old ponitac. Cord, schmord. they are in my gig bag. I use a screw on 1/4" adapter and a cool fabric covered cord so when I step on the cord, the jack pops out instead of ripping the mic out of your hand sending the mic crashing to the floor.
A steal when on crazy sale and a must have at the usual MF price..The recent sale made it so "cheap" I bought a second one just to have it for back up. But no reason to think with appropriate care my first one won't last a long time. I have had it for over 2 years and it plays and sounds like the day I bought it.

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

I use this mic for vocals, not harmonica, so I would take that into consideration when reading this review. I've played two shows so far with this mic ductaped to a stand and It has worked swimmingly so far. I've had no issue with the chord, no issue with the sound besides a little feedback the first time (it was my first time using a harp mic and i had the volume on the mic all the way up.) I would recommend this mic to anyone who is looking for a good harp mic for vocals to get that cool lo-fi sound. I've gotten compliments on the sound alot so far and I think people really enjoy it!
As far as features go this is just your standard blues harp mic, thats what I was looking for.
I have so far played 2 shows with this mic that include thrashing around, yelling into it, and getting slobber (i use the mic for vocals) all over it. I've heard alot of bad things about the chord that comes with the mic but so far its worked fine for me. I havent even heard a crackle or glitch in the sound the entire time ive used it. For the two weeks I've had it this thing has been great!

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

Like another buyer's review, the connecter and cord were not mated good. Had it professionally repaired, and it shorted out again the first time i used it. I also have a green bullet by shure that worked great for over five years, and then shorted out up inside the shell. Got it fixed, but still had to wrap the mike and cord in duct tape to preserve connection. But thats another mic. The Astatic cord is a piece of crap, but the mic is good.

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

Great buy! Best vintage reissue mic on the market.
I am an owner of several vintage mics. Green bullet (sure blk label), astatic model A ('59 crystal)' and others. Gave this a try and was pleased how crunchy it was with minimal feedback at full volume without having to turn the tone down. I like the switchcraft connector on the body, unlike the prewired cable on the newer shure grn bullets. I play through a blues deville 4x10 and a small alamo model 3. I haven't broke in the element yet, but I like it so far. Every bit as good sounding as a vintage and at the price it's a helluva deal for the player. I bought as a back up, but have found myself using as my primary.

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

All and all I am very happy with it... First time I went to play on stage the cable went out on me (not cool), but its a simple fix for anyone with basic soldering skills (if you don't know how to fix your equipment, you have 20ft to work with and should learn)... If your cable shorts out it just needs to be re soldered... dismantle the connector, strip down new wire (itll have three cables, ground (bare wire), red (hot), and white (neutral)... loop the "ground" into the cable's connector spring, cut the "neutral" wire low and tape it off, and run the "hot" wire through the connector... solder a small bead, snip the excess wire, shape it, and you're better than new...
Volume control is always a plus
The mic is great, yet again the cable not so much
You're paying for the mic, not the cable

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

I really wished this unit would have worked right, like the look feel and sound of unit, but I need something reliable, cannot have my mic short out in the middle of a show, good thing I brought a backup mic.
like the sound, the tone was what I was looking for.
quality sucked, shorted out the first time I used it, seemed like the cord and mic were not married together.
if it don't work there is no value in buying it, I thought this company had a quality product, guess I thought wrong, will question buying more astatic prouducts

Comments about Astatic by Hohner JT30 Roadhouse Harmonica Microphone:

I bought one of these a while back. Never used it until the other day. Be prepared to trash the cable. Mic sounds good. I dont feel like paying for a new cable so I ordered a adapter for it. If that doesn't work I'll trash it. Don't waste your money.