Modding a Nady RSM-4 Ribbon Mic

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bow
  • Start date Start date
Nicely done!
I'll come looking for you if I ever need to fix my ribbons.
You think you could start a "Show Me" thread on checking and repairing ribbon tension?
 
antichef said:
The second way involves a small screwdriver to loosen a clamp on one end (in an environment with no moving air), and a q-tip that you wetten with spittle so that it'll stick to one end of the ribbon so you can pull it out until it looks good, and then re-tighten the clamp.
Click to expand...

In my experience, the ribbons usually end up electrostatically welded to the clamp. I always found that I had to completely remove the top part of the clamp, carefully peel the ribbon loose without tearing it (using a screwdriver inserted slightly into the non-ribbon end of the clamp), tension the ribbon with a wet Q-tip (using moisture to stick it to the bottom half of the clamp), then reinstall the top part of the clamp. YMMV.

I tore a ribbon on the first one because I completely unscrewed the clamp and the top half fell out of the way before I realized the ribbon was stuck to the top half of the clamp. Don't make that mistake. Unscrew it about halfway, then dislodge the ribbon, then finish removing the clamp. :D
 
Jim Lad said:
Nicely done!
I'll come looking for you if I ever need to fix my ribbons.
You think you could start a "Show Me" thread on checking and repairing ribbon tension?
Click to expand...
Yeah - what dgatwood said -- same thing happened to me, but I was lucky enough to notice the ribbon attached to the clamp before I tore it. I gently scraped/pushed/coaxed it off with an x-acto knife blade.

I have to say, I hesitate to post pictures or a how-to guide, because this is really not the right way to do it (IMO) - it's just the cheap/dirty/risky/likely-to-result-in-a-suboptimal-mic (although greatly improved over slack-ribbon) way to do it :D
 
How much of a difference does retensioning the ribbon make?

I've got one of these, and while it's not the most transparent of microphones by any stretch of the imagination, it's actually a phenominal lead guitar mic - up close on a Rectifier, it's a very easy-to-place, smooth, full sounding microphone. The slightly attenuated bass and rounded off highs work perfectly for a lead guitar tone, and while I wouldn't want to radically change the way the mic sounds, if a tighter ribbon would help it somehow I'd be interested in maybe taking a crack at it.
 
I say don't mess with the ribbon unless it's essentially unusable (i.e., you know you can't make it any worse) or you really know what you're doing (i.e., you know you can make it better). I have worked on my ribbons that fall into the first category, and myself will probably never fall into the second category.
 
DrewPeterson7 said:
How much of a difference does retensioning the ribbon make?

I've got one of these, and while it's not the most transparent of microphones by any stretch of the imagination, it's actually a phenominal lead guitar mic - up close on a Rectifier, it's a very easy-to-place, smooth, full sounding microphone. The slightly attenuated bass and rounded off highs work perfectly for a lead guitar tone, and while I wouldn't want to radically change the way the mic sounds, if a tighter ribbon would help it somehow I'd be interested in maybe taking a crack at it.
Click to expand...

IIRC, it would make the high end more responsive. That said, if it works for you and the ribbon is not banging into the magnets, I probably wouldn't worry about it. Sticking a transformer in that doesn't suck will make a huge difference, though, and is something I would heartily recommend to anyone.
 
There is one part to Bow's mod that is free and no one mentioned it yet. I have read that simply removing the inner screens adds some of that high-end/airy sound to the mic. I would like to hear a before and after comparison of just that.

I suppose this would leave the delicate ribbon more exposed to dust, dirt, and especially wind. If you do this mod you've got to be more careful of where you use it and how you handle it. Regardless of the mod, when I use ribbons on instruments that are very loud, I angle the mic downward about 45 degrees to protect the ribbon from the fast moving air.
 
The screen thing does help, I think. Be sure to leave one layer in -- I got frustrated with my ACM-3 and wound up pulling all the screen out - long story. Anyway, I still use it, but I had it set up next to (not in front of) an air conditioning vent the other day, and before I turned off the AC, I could see the ribbon flapping around :(
 
Un-Dead RSM-4

I have 2 RSM-4s. I got the first on a lark cause it was on sale for like $60!
I found it to yield an incredibly awesome classic-rock electric guitar tone (on a deafeningly loud amp).
Then when testing it out drum-tracking it wandered to near the kick's port, and the ribbon got stretched out of shape. It was S curving and touching the magnets (nasty distortion)...
Because the electric tone was essential to the project I was working on, I went out and bought a second one from Guitar Center (testing it in store before I bought it, as the warranty is over as soon as you take it out of the box!)

Later, when I had time, I preformed a quick-and-dirty re-tension on the first one, and it sounds good, not as much bass as it had initially, and I still use it as a live electric guitar mic.

I'll have to try the transformer swap for sure!
 
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