Dusty Condensor mic, . . help!

[studiodrum]

Hey guys, . . I have an MXL-v67G condensor mic that I have been using as an overhead to record drums. Unfortunately, I did a 'Microphone No-No', .and left the darn thing hanging up over the drums for a few months WITHOUT a cover!! (I know, I know, . I should be whipped with a wet mic cord for that) Trust me, . I wont make that mistake again.

Anyway, .there some dust that has accumulated on mic, . and I was wondering what the best way to clean the dust off, . or in . .this type of mic, . .or did I already ruin it cause of the dust build-up. . .? Thanks guys. . .Ray

[David Katauskas]

You could always try putting in the dishwasher.

[Dani Pace]

A little dust on the outside is no big deal, just wipe it off with a (very) slightly damp cloth. For getting dust out of the inner parts, get a can of compressed air, the kind like you use to blow out your computer, and use a series of short blasts of air to knock the dust right out. Never spray any kind of cleaner into a mic. If the screen is really dirty, remove it and clean it with windex (or your favorite brand of cleaner), let it dry thoroughly before you replace it. Those cans of compressed air come in handy for blowing the dust out of a lot of things, it's a good idea to keep a few around, dust is an enemy to anything electronic.

[noisedude]

I don't think I'd be spraying compressed air onto the diaphragm ... that sounds like asking for trouble to me. Can you imagine the SPL you'd need to create that much force? They're not designed to withstand blasts of air like that.

Take it to a repairer or return it to the manufacturer and pay for them to clean it ... whatever you do, don't mess around with the capsule yourself.

Nik