Countryman condenser mics, any info/advice??

[sentinel]

Hey, I just recently joined the forum and had an question for ya'll.

There is a local indoor flea market that has an electronics/musical instrument store inside. Usually piled high with old and semi-exotic gear. In fact I got my Sovtek MIG-50 amp there when looking for my first "pro" amp. I had never heard of them before, did some research online and took a gamble(since it was going for about $250) and have never been more pleased with an amp sound, especially at that price.

Which brings me to my question. My band is about to do some recording. We've recorded one EP before, but now we are attempting to record it ourselves onto 8track reel to reel. Some of the gear still needed are a decent, but fairly cheap(under $400 for a pair) condenser mics.

The guy who sold me my amp has a pair of Countryman condenser mics available for $150. He claims there are no model numbers or designations, that they were just made as paired sets. Says it's a steal for the price. Now, I've tried to do some research online, but the only Countryman info I can come up with is that apparently they are just making lavalier mics currently? Nothing about recording specific condenser mics... so do any of the wise folk who frequent this board know anything about Countryman mics? THey are small diaphram, pencil style, but smaller than an akg-c1000.

I'm just trying to make sure it's a decent, somewhat smooth sounding set of mics that would make for stable gear, and not just buying an $150 set of paper weights. Please, any advice is welcome.. if these aren't a good choice, anything else in that range that people could recommend?

Thanks, and I look forward to reading more posts here.
Rob

[chris harris]

If you want a pair of great SDC's for under $400, look into the Oktava mk012's or the Audio Technica Pro37r's.

[E-money]

That's funny, I remember seeing the same mics you're describing at the Pennsauken Mart in Pennsauken NJ a couple of years back.
After not finding any info on Countryman mics, I passed on them.
What part of the world are you from?

[sentinel]

E-money:
Those would be the same exact pair. I reside in Philly.. I saw them about 6 months ago and they are still there. The guy who runs the Trading Post is a stand up guy, and I don't think he'd ever intentionally rip anyone off, but alot of the stuff comes in from lord knows where... so I just want to make sure I don't get burned by circumstances.

I didn't mention the Mart by name **just** in case they really are that much of a steal... hopefully there is a TapeOp code of honor?


Yeah, the problem is I can't find ANY mention of Countryman mics on the net that isnt' related to lavalier or headset mics... it's surprising that they started as a company making mics for recording. It's driving me a little nuts because part of the fun of recording would be having an esoteric set of mics like that.

Slightly off topic : Any news on the future of Pennsauken Mart?? At this point I heard they are still going to have to close, but they keep getting extensions here and there. Man, if they close where am I going to get my entire wardrobe of work clothes for under $20?

[nacho459]

In fact I got my Sovtek MIG-50 amp there when looking for my first "pro" amp. I had never heard of them before, did some research online and took a gamble(since it was going for about $250) and have never been more pleased with an amp sound, especially at that price.

The Sovtek Migs are GREAT AMPS! And people are catching on. My buddy Mark who works for Bogner and is an amp guru loves to mod those things. I have herd some great sounding Migs, both moded and stock. I'd put them on the same level as any classic British amp. Good score! As for Countryman mics I've just herd of the E6's.

[E-money]

Small world sentinel, I'm in Chery Hill NJ.
Those mics have been there a LONG time, I went to school at Lincoln Technical Institute in '97-'98, which, at the time, was located acrross the parking lot from the Mart. Those mics were there then. Thing is, I think I remember seeing them there when I bought my first 4 track, which would have been '92 or '93.
Like I said, I came close to taking a chance on them back then, but there is virtually no info on them anywhere (or wasn't at the time). I'm guessing that they're pretty decent. The guy at the store is a good guy, he's been working there forever. You should haggle with him, let him know that you know that those mics have been there forever, talk him down. Tell him there's no info anywhere on the Web, and that $150 is a lot for an item that a) no one else seems interested in, b) no one has heard of except him, c) from a store that may not have a future (I'm not sure what the status of the Mart is, I thought it had already closed)