Look what I got. This is something special.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mo Facta
  • Start date Start date
Mo Facta

Mo Facta

Farts of Nature
So I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet right now. I found some country dude that worked in radio long ago that sold me a bunch of gear for $150 just get it out of his sight. The other stuff was a few Siemens console modules but particularly awesome was a pair of pre-Coles STC 4038 ribbons. Check em out:

4038s.webp

They need a bit of TLC but I'm sending them off to my tech today for a mod to XLR and possibly a re-ribbon. Can't wait to get these babies back in operation.

Cheers :)
 
Oh yeah. And am with Paul ..... You lucky bastard.
 
Ha ha, yup, that's the consensus. Lucky bastard I am.

I haven't had a chance to plug them in yet due to the fact they were modded for a permanent radio station installation. They didn't have XLR connectors. I sent them off to my tech yesterday to get modded back to XLR and possibly for a re-ribbon. I'll report back once they get returned.

Woo hoo!

Cheers :)
 
That's one of those "finds" that comes along once in a lifetime!
 
Thinking that.
I have 421n mics with a threaded base about that size.
Adapter cables were pretty cheap.
 
Lucky indeed. They are great mics!

They originally had a specific three pin connector that is also used on the old Altec & Western Electric ribbon mics. The connectors are still made by Coles Electroacoustic, and you can buy them direct (if you are prepared for a wait), or from Canford Audio…

COLES 4069/XLR XLR Connector adapter for 4038 microphone

Coles still make these mics almost exactly as they were, so you can get spares for these.

Home

Cheers
Stewart
 
bouldersoundguy said:
Those mics may predate the XLR connector. They look like they could have had Tuchel connectors when new.
Click to expand...

They do in fact although the design has not changed since 1955, according to Wes Dooley of AEA. Even the new Coles 4038s do not come standard with XLRs but instead have Western Electric connectors just like the old STCs. You have to buy a 4071 or 4069 adapter that inserts into the butt of the mic.

The guy who modded these mics used a connector that looks similar to an XLR but is smaller. He mounted them by fitting a small piece of pipe into the butt and then clamping them down with retaining screws. The connectors have screw-ends so they must have been hung permanently at a radio station. As a side note, South Africa did not get TV until 1976 (we got black and white and colour TV at the same time!) so radio was a big part of our lives until then. I'm sure there's a lot of kit like this sitting in garages and basements all over the place from that bygone era.

I sent them out to my tech, who received them yesterday. You should have heard him. He was as giddy as a school boy. He basically wouldn't take no for an answer to do a complete overhaul on them including a custom paint job. I personally would like to keep them a neutral colour but a champagne colour might be nice. He said he has buddies that work at audio body shops and would get them painted with high quality metallic auto paint. Might be a nice, unique way to go. Or maybe a metallic green like on the old AKG C12's?

Luckily we found out that the original transformers are still in tact. One of the mics' ribbons was shot so that was his cue to get all excited about re-ribboning and overhauling both mics. Luckily he's got .6 micron ribbon laying around so it shouldn't be too difficult he says.

So yeah. For $150 plus about another $150 I should have two restored STC 4038s. I'm beaming. And so is he!

Cheers :)
 
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>Luckily he's got 6 micron ribbon laying around so it shouldn't be too difficult he says.

6 micron is much too thick for these I'm afraid. You'll lose about 10dB sensitivity. You need 2.4 or lighter for the Coles.

> $1500

How much!!! I hope that's a typo!

(Perhaps we don't charge enough, but we would be (well) below half that, with the right foil and parts, even with powdercoating in the right finish.)
 
Sorry, yes, it's a typo. I meant $150. In our currency it's 1500 so my fingers got confused.

And I also made a typo with the ribbon thickness. I did indeed mean .6 micron and not 6 micron so we're on the money.

Thanks for the correction.

Cheers :)
 
And of course Am with Rich who is with Paul on this one. Lucky, lucky, lucky.

Green huh? Would they lose their antique value by restoring the finish?
 
Green red blue black. Antique value meh.
They will live on and be put to use for years.
Good on ya say I.
You have a provenance, photos, original bits. Go for it.
 
Holy cow! What a score! Put up some clips once they have been restored. I know Steven Albini likes coles mics and makes a mighty fine record.
 
We settled on gun metal black - sort of the like the originals. Don't wanna go too flashy with them as I prefer classy and understated as opposed to loud. I also ordered some 300 Ohm output trannies from Coles, which will triple the output compared to the stock 30 Ohm ones.

One of the ribbons was, unsurprisingly, shot. My tech, Dewald Visser from Dewaudio, is the local certified Pearl Microphones distributor and technician and he's totally passionate about this stuff. Gem of a guy. He's almost more exited than I am! He already re-ribboned one of the mics and dismantled it. Here are some pics of the work so far for those interested in the inner workings of these mics:

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Cheers :)
 
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