repairing a broken oktava mk12

[JamesR]

I know essentially nothing about repairing microphones, but it occurred to me that I could buy a replacement capsule. It seems to me that the capsule is the likeliest culprit.

I have a friend who owns an AT pencil mic, and I was thinking I could try using the capsule on that microphone in order to see if the rest of the mic works and confirm my suspicions about the original capsule. I would imagine you can't go around using screw-on capsules interchangeably because the operating specs would be different on each.

Would I be correct in guessing that this will possibly or likely damage whatever is being used in this way?

Is there any place you would recommend in particular for buying a replacement capsule?

Any response is appreciated.

[theBlubberRanch]

I had one other break on me. One of the wires inside had broken off from it's joint. It was an easy fix. The hardest part was opening up the capsule. Thanks to tapeOp, I learned that you screw the screws inwards to take the mic apart.
Find a friend who knows how to solder and open that thing up!

[JamesR]

I am somewhat handy with a soldering iron. Is a soldering iron rated at 40w overkill for work on a condensor?

[JamesR]

So I have located the problem. The terminal in between the capsule and the circuitry in the microphone's body has a lead that came loose from a solder joint. Easy fix.

I don't think my 40w will fry anything, will it?

[Brian]

It might. Depends on how long you leave it on there when you find out that little wire is resiliant and wants to spring away, and that that joint is on the teflon standoff and that it will melt too and the whole joint will separate.
IF any of that happens, which is very likely.
So, be CAREFUL.

[The Scum]

I don't think my 40w will fry anything, will it?

If you can work quick, and not heat anything up too much, you'll probably be OK. If you have some alligator clips, you can use them for heatsinks, to help concentrate the heat only where you need it.

I'd be more confident with a 25 W iron.

[Scodiddly]

Actually a 35 watt or 40 watt iron would be pretty good here - 25 watt seems a little low to me. In general you want a hotter iron so you can work fast. A cooler iron needs to be left on the workpiece longer, causing stuff around it to heat up more.

You can plug a higher-wattage iron into a regular lamp dimmer to lower the power a bit. I used to do that before I got a proper regulated iron. Maybe practice on some other stuff until you think the iron is about the right temperature and then do the Oktava repair while it's at that temperature.

[Brian]

Oh, put the pointy tip on it too, so ou don't heat up what you don't want to screwup.

[JamesR]

Yesterday I tried to bend the wire into compliance, which worked somewhat, but I think need those alligator clips to take some of the heat off of that teflon part Brian mentioned.

You guys are great! Thanks for all your prudent advice.

[Brian]

If you kill it, send it to me.

[mixedupsteve]

Yesterday I tried to bend the wire into compliance, which worked somewhat, but I think need those alligator clips to take some of the heat off of that teflon part Brian mentioned.

You guys are great! Thanks for all your prudent advice.

You can use needle nose pliers as a heat sink also. Just put rubber bands on the handles.

[JamesR]

I fixed it! I want to thank all of you very much!

Wasn't the world's greatest soldering job, but the offending wire was tricky to subdue and solder.

[Brian]

CONGRATS!! You should be feeling mighty, very mighty right now, have a cinnamon poptart my friend!