Guess I'll have to break open the lathe and make something. I may be a lot of things, but I am NOT a master machinist. Capable after a bit of remembrance.

Yeah a small shaped charge of C-4, just take it from your fishing tackle box!

You are absolutely correct! I can definitely blow s*%^ up! Why am I trying to fix it? Henceforth I resolve to return to my true nature.

Hate and Discontent all around!!!! Ooorah!!

Try contacting this guy via myspace or his website. Richard is THE man for AKG repair and a very decent guy. If anybody can point you toward the right tool, this is the guy. He didn't want to relocate when AKG moved operations to Cali., so he's still in the Nashville area.

http://www.myspace.com/landaudioservices

http://akgmicrepair.com/

Let's save the 'splosives as a last resort!

Those links are very groovy. Thanks Hawk! I'll contact Mr. Land directly.

However, is the face of someone who leaves 'splosives as a last resort?!?

No sir it isn't.

I believe that this is the face of someone who doesn't know the meaning of the expression "When all else fails..." There is no fail...especially when explosives and heavy ordinance come FIRST...

But, okay, the AKG specialist is certainly a more "useful" solution to the problem as long as you want them to work again...

That is a man who clearly enjoys the raw power of gunpowder!

And I like senseless destruction as much as the next guy. I'm just saying I wouldn't blow up a $200 mic capsule just yet. I'd put an M80 in a watermelon to see if that satisfied my bloodlust while I tried to locate the appropriate tool.

If I couldn't find the tool after a reasonable search, I'd want to kill that mic with my bare hands - or at least hand tools. Then blow up whatever is left!

You do realize we're jesting, joshing, joking...right?

Besides, if we were going to blow up a mic for the fun of it, wouldn't we use a B***inger and a much more physical means of violence (a la Office Space and the HP printer...)

On the other hand, I do have lots of these C391's. Perhaps a bit of NO2 or black powder and a length of PVC pipe and a pencil microphone of some type could be a bit o' fun.

A revision of the spudgun!

Bring me your tired, your weak, your MXL 603's!

If you're going to start launching mics that work, you could put one of these AKG snapon wireless modules on it to record what that whole adventure sounds like from the mic's POV.

Although this raises some questions that may need answered - purely for the sake of pseudo-science.

1) what is the muzzle velocity of a pencil mic?
2) how much powder could the mic & capsule survive before they scatter / before the mic element is ruined?
3) provided it survived the initial compression, could a budget wireless transmitter lock onto a receiver at that speed?
4) even though radio waves travel at near the speed of light, would there be anything comparable to a subtle doppler effect in the UHF signal when the transmitter went flying by the receiver positioned downrange?

Those are all very interesting questions you've posed.

I'm thinking that Chris needs to hold an RO retreat where we can all perhaps do some fishing and also do some scientific study of these perplexing and understudied phenomena of the audio arts.

We'll all just tell our wives we're "hiking the Appalachian Trail" - or something....

What could possibly go wrong?

On a more serious note-H-Mr. Land has already returned my email. I like him already.

Sadly, I may have to find a new candidate for the micspudgun.