Is this how an RE-20 should sound?

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sound for sandwiches
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Post by sound for sandwiches » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:57 pm

Looks like an allen set screw to me. Not that it would be easy to measure, but you can get some pretty dang small allen wrenches- like .028", which is less than 1/32 of an inch. The small ones are super cheap too. You can get them here:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#allen-wrenches/=5w11de

At some point a few years ago I had the same problem (not with an RE20 but, I think, some weird guitar bridge saddles) and just bought one of each waaay tiny size I could find until one worked. Don't forget to grab some metric ones too.

(edit: I have an RE20, and I can just check which size fits and post it tonight, when I get home. No need to make this harder than it needs to be!)

David

Nate Dort
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Post by Nate Dort » Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:12 pm

I'll be damned. There are components inside that thing. I don't remember seeing them. Those may very well be the source of your problem.

To me, it looks there's a hex-head set screw in there. Like this, except much smaller:
Image

The only advice I can give is keep trying.

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jgimbel
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Post by jgimbel » Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:20 pm

nate, yeah that's the kind of thing I was thinking of, where it actually screws in past the top of the threads. I hope the top isn't messed up beyond the point where it'll come out. thanks for the mic, it's nice to see real things rather than just assumptions I have.

sound for sandwiches, it would be infinitely awesome if you wouldn't mind checking that, I'd really appreciate it. BTW I just saw your username today, love it. When I was making mine I wanted to make it something clever, but couldn't think of anything at the time, only stupid things like "DAWson's freq" or "3 pin suit". I think I made the wise choice by going with just my name. On the other hand yours is great. If I ever see someone on the street with a cardboard sign reading that, I'll make sure to give them a sandwich once I check out their mic collection.

sound for sandwiches
gimme a little kick & snare
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Post by sound for sandwiches » Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:06 pm

Glad you like my handle. It came from a friend who works at a community center/art space where I do sound a lot, mostly 1- or 2- mic spoken word things, but once in a while it's more interesting. Anyway, they have a coffee shop there and needed a simple setup for an open mic jam, and offered to trade "sound for sandwiches". Works for me!

I'll post the wrench size when I get home.

-david

BostonBassist
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Post by BostonBassist » Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:13 pm

Yes you definitely have an allen screw in there from your pic. And it will stop grill from turning of it is all the way in - the grill threads are super fine - you really only need to get a good couple of turns on that allen - try this (unless your going to try to buy one an allen tool - the 0.028 may be the exact one, can't remember where I had read the size...)-

* take some WD40 and spray it on a Qtip - then dab that in the hole where the allen is - wait a few mins and do it again - then see if you can use one of the tools you made, try angling it a bit when it is all the way in to see if you can manipulate one of the angles of the hex - literally couple turns you should be able to unscrew the top...for what you paid for the mic, it's worth the effort to get it working...

Let us know how it's going!

BostonBassist
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Post by BostonBassist » Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:20 pm

AHA! Found it, although I swear I read .028, anyway this:
http://www.radiolists.net/pipermail/bro ... 19028.html
says .035 - in any case it is one of those two - if you have no luck without one - try a jeweler/gunsmith or looks like this set has 'em both:
http://www.amazon.com/30-Allen-Wrench-S ... 605&sr=8-1

sound for sandwiches
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Post by sound for sandwiches » Fri Feb 19, 2010 4:15 pm

good thing bostonbassist dug it up, cos the set screw is missing in mine!

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losthighway
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Post by losthighway » Fri Feb 19, 2010 4:34 pm

Someone should seriously sticky this thread. RE20 is one of my favorite mics and I ditched mine when it did the same thing, cause I couldn't find adequate info about the repair.

Good job people!

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jgimbel
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Post by jgimbel » Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:57 pm

You guys are awesome. I'm actually out of WD40, and that whole hex set seems like a good thing to have since mine seem to be all over the house. I'm going to head to Harbor Freight tomorrow to see if they have a set like that there so I can avoid shipping and more time wasted. I'll keep you guys posted. I definitely don't want to keep trying as is because The head already looks kind of rough.

I have to say I'm pretty happy with how the thing sounds as is, like I wouldn't mind having a mic that sounded like that. Kind of like an SDC without harshness. I've got some cheap Nady dynamics but they don't sound like this. This is my first time using an RE-20, so obviously I don't have experience with how they're supposed to sound, but I was surprised how much it sounds like a condenser mic. It seems to pick up off-axis pretty well. If I end up having to send it in then it's going to be a bit before I can do that because of budget stuff, but I'm willing to bet I'll put it to use on something anyway. Still hoping for the foam issue though, heh. Thanks again everyone.

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