7 replies to this topic

[billybloozebro3]

I got a hohner blues blaster harmonica microphone for christmas and it was purchased off of ebay and im not sure if it had been used before, but i have heard that they sometimes have issues but i was wondering if anyone knows the problem with this model, and if they know how to fix it. thanks

[FatJim]

Are you using a Hohner cable? The Blues Blaster uses a 'pin 3 hot' XLR cable. A normal microphone cable will not work unless you resolder some of the connections. In spite of having an XLR connector, the Blues Blaster is an unbalanced mic - so it only has a single 'hot' output wire and a shield/earth.

Easiest way to check is to open up the jack plug end and look at the wire that goes to the tip (this is the shorter lug, without the cable grips); make a note of the colour.

Now if you can open up the XLR connector, look at where that wire same wire goes. It should go to pin 3 (the bottom one, see picture).



The only other 'wire' should be the twisted ends of the copper braid around the other wire. At the jack end this connects to the long lug with the cable grips and at the XLR end it should connect to Pin 1.

If you don't fancy soldering yourself - Hohner do make a correctly wired cable.

Let us know if your cable is wired correctly - there are other reasons that the mic won't work, but the cable is the most common problem.

[billybloozebro3]

Thanks, i'll give er a shot. how would i go about opening up the jack plug end? i dont think i can because its a cheap cable. if i cant open it i'll just buy the right cable. Thanks again!!

[FatJim]

I wouldn't worry too much actually. Since pin 1 is always the shield wire just open up and look at the XLR end. If pin 2 is soldered to a wire, unsolder it and solder that wire to pin 3. Job done!

[Harper-Chris]

You should use a adapter and a guitar-cabel!!!
http://www.harphouse.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=308
Sounds much better and is easier to handel, belive me!!

[HumanBiped]

Also, what are you playing it through? My Hohner Blues Blaster doesn't work when I plug it directly into my mixer, but it does work when I plug it directly into my little Peavey amp! Also, I have a Fireball harmonica mic that I just picked up, but it won't work when I plug it into my Peavey amp, but works when I plug it into my mixer! And, my Green Bullet microphone works into both! Interesting.......

[Harper-Chris]

HumanBiped said:

Also, what are you playing it through? My Hohner Blues Blaster doesn't work when I plug it directly into my mixer, but it does work when I plug it directly into my little Peavey amp! Also, I have a Fireball harmonica mic that I just picked up, but it won't work when I plug it into my Peavey amp, but works when I plug it into my mixer! And, my Green Bullet microphone works into both! Interesting.......

You should use a Impedance matching device...

[Harper-Chris]

http://www.harponline.de/index.php?lang_id=en_GB&js=false&page=index&PHPSESSID=6d97d7f2ffcf6fa5c4f77b27e81a3cc0

(you will find it under "Accessories", miscellaneous")