Can anyone tell me the current approximate value of a stereo pair of
Stephen Paul modified U67s?

Also, would one of these microphones, without its mate, be worth half
the value of the stereo pair, or would it be worth less?
Thanks,

Shiverbones

"Shiverbones" wrote in message
oups.com...
Can anyone tell me the current approximate value of a stereo pair of
Stephen Paul modified U67s?

Also, would one of these microphones, without its mate, be worth half
the value of the stereo pair, or would it be worth less?
Thanks,

It's like anything else, IMO - depends on the market at the time... if you
find someone who wants a pair, you'd be better off keeping them together &
selling them as such. If you offer them up at a time when you can't find
someone interested in that, you might have a hard time selling them at all
as a pair, but you might be able to find two individuals looking for a
single mic each.

Just out of curiosity, which mod do the mics have (3-micron? sub-micron?),
and how much are you planning on asking?

Neil Henderson

As the owner of a Stephen Paul-modified U 87 in pristine condition (it
glows in the dark and imparts new sexual vitality to everyone in its
vicinity) I have an interest in this type of question, too. I was
hoping to see other replies especially since I don't have extensive
knowledge of the used market.

That whole concept is misleading, of course--there is not one single,
unified and open market for used studio equipment. Rather, "the used
market" has a few semi-public areas and many, many private grottoes and
recesses. The market in which a buyer perceives himself to be
operating, or in which a seller portrays himself as operating, has a
lot to do with determining the price at which something sells. And
"vintage" top-brand microphones are not necessarily in the same market
as other used studio equipment or even other used microphones.

On eBay (though eBay is almost certainly atypical of the rest of the
used "vintage" market--deep mystique is rather hard to come by there),
I've seen eight or ten modified U 67s and U 87s come up over the past
three or four years, including several modified by Stephen Paul.
Following those transactions from afar, if the microphones sold at all,
I couldn't see that as a rule, they got much higher auction prices than
stock microphones in similar overall condition. Any "differential" that
I've been able to notice has been maybe one or two hundred dollars at
most.

But I haven't exactly tracked this with scientific precision--I only
see what's on the surface. And I have no idea how much this carries
over to other venues or modes of selling a mike. What often sells on
eBay is the "time machine" illusion--a miraculous, pristine U 47 or M
49 that was in some retired engineer's private locker untouched for 50
years, for example. The idea of someone modifying a classic microphone
can easily go against that myth; the usual narrative is that "Neumann
doesn't make 'em like they used to"--but with older models, that's much
harder to claim, of course.

If anyone has other/further information, I would certainly like to know
about it.

In article .com writes:

On eBay (though eBay is almost certainly atypical of the rest of the
used "vintage" market--deep mystique is rather hard to come by there),
I've seen eight or ten modified U 67s and U 87s come up over the past
three or four years, including several modified by Stephen Paul.
Following those transactions from afar, if the microphones sold at all,
I couldn't see that as a rule, they got much higher auction prices than
stock microphones in similar overall condition. Any "differential" that
I've been able to notice has been maybe one or two hundred dollars at
most.

I'm not surprised at that. There are about an equal number of people who
believe that a modified mic is better than stock and who believe it's
worse than stock - not that it sounds worse (or better) but that it's
no longer a standard and can go in and out of popularity faster than
the stock item. It's the sort of thing that you'd best decide to keep
if you like it, and these days gear, even microphones, gets
horse-traded a lot more than it used to. (largely because there are
new horses and new traders every day)



--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Kevin Kelly wrote:
A couple years ago I mentioned to my friend Michael Tapes that the vocal
recording on the Mary Chapen Carpenter album that had just come out was the
biggest, cleanest, most emotionally intact vocal recording chain I'd ever
heard. (apologies for the hyperbole) He apparently transferred the compliment
to George Massenburg who had recorded it, and was told the song I liked the
most was Stephen Paul (capsule) modified U67.
Well that set up my current colon twister: Do I rework my only U67 the same
way, or keep it stock so that when I croak my kids get a few more bucks.The
stock mic now sounds pretty damn good, but it's ever so slightly darker than I
remember. Then again, I'm a good deal darker than I remember.
You can file this post under "no help at all".

I don't think you _can_ rework the capsule the same way, now that Stephen
is dead.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Scott Dorsey wrote:


I don't think you _can_ rework the capsule the same way, now that Stephen
is dead.


Well then, the price of the Stephen Paul modified microphones should be
on the rise..

On 12/16/04 9:30 AM, in article
, "Kevin Kelly"
wrote:


Well that set up my current colon twister: Do I rework my only U67 the same
way, or keep it stock so that when I croak my kids get a few more bucks.The
stock mic now sounds pretty damn good, but it's ever so slightly darker than I
remember. Then again, I'm a good deal darker than I remember. You can file
this post under "no help at all".


If it sounds darker than you remember, than perhaps all you need is a
capsule cleaning.

This is one one of those "don't try this at home" procedures, so find an
expert.


Allen
--
Allen Corneau
Mastering Engineer
Essential Sound Mastering
Houston, TX

Joe Sensor wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:

I don't think you _can_ rework the capsule the same way, now that Stephen
is dead.

Well then, the price of the Stephen Paul modified microphones should be
on the rise..

The price for ALL this stuff is continuing to rise insanely. Not as fast
as it did before the asian currency crisis and the later collapse of the
dollar. But remember, this was originally a $200 microphone.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Isn't his partner still working?
My friend has this mic,with the mod by Steven.
It made me sound like Orsen Wells!
Quite an amazing piece of work!

Tom

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
Kevin Kelly wrote:
A couple years ago I mentioned to my friend Michael Tapes that the vocal
recording on the Mary Chapen Carpenter album that had just come out was
the
biggest, cleanest, most emotionally intact vocal recording chain I'd
ever
heard. (apologies for the hyperbole) He apparently transferred the
compliment
to George Massenburg who had recorded it, and was told the song I liked
the
most was Stephen Paul (capsule) modified U67.
Well that set up my current colon twister: Do I rework my only U67 the
same
way, or keep it stock so that when I croak my kids get a few more
bucks.The
stock mic now sounds pretty damn good, but it's ever so slightly darker
than I
remember. Then again, I'm a good deal darker than I remember.
You can file this post under "no help at all".

I don't think you _can_ rework the capsule the same way, now that Stephen
is dead.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 16 Dec 2004 11:07:47 -0500, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

Joe Sensor wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:

I don't think you _can_ rework the capsule the same way, now that Stephen
is dead.

Well then, the price of the Stephen Paul modified microphones should be
on the rise..

The price for ALL this stuff is continuing to rise insanely. Not as fast
as it did before the asian currency crisis and the later collapse of the
dollar. But remember, this was originally a $200 microphone.

And bacon used to cost 20 cents a pound.

Al

Scott Dorsey wrote:
I don't think you _can_ rework the capsule the same way, now that
Stephen
is dead.

I think, that given the crippling effects of arthritis, Tony has likely
been doing the actual work there for the past few years. If so, the
service is likely still available.

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In article writes:

recording on the Mary Chapen Carpenter album that had just come out was the
biggest, cleanest, most emotionally intact vocal recording chain I'd ever
heard.

was told the song I liked the
most was Stephen Paul (capsule) modified U67.
Well that set up my current colon twister: Do I rework my only U67 the same
way, or keep it stock so that when I croak my kids get a few more bucks.

Depends. Are you recording the next Mary Chapin Carpenter record? If
so, then definitely get your mic modified, or even better, borrow or
rent George Massenberg's. He's the one who made that choice.

For what it's worth, when she was a local girl recording at Bias
Recording studio, I'm pretty sure they had settled on a stock U67 for
her vocals. I recall Bob Daswon (the engineer) saying that he read
something in a review of the then new big studio condenser mic from EV
(the RE-2000 I think) that it had a sound like the Mary Chapin
Carpenter records, so he got one to try on her and it sounded nothing
like the recordings he had made in the past. (not nearly as good, of
course)

stock mic now sounds pretty damn good, but it's ever so slightly darker than I
remember.

That's why we have high frequency shelving EQ. Turn the knob and see
if that gets you there.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

This is indeed the case... Tony has been doing everything for a number of
years and still continues doing the capsule work that SP Audio made
famous...

--Ben

--
Benjamin Maas
Fifth Circle Audio
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.fifthcircle.com

Please remove "Nospam" from address for replies

"Haolemon" wrote in message
oups.com...

Scott Dorsey wrote:
I don't think you _can_ rework the capsule the same way, now that
Stephen
is dead.

I think, that given the crippling effects of arthritis, Tony has likely
been doing the actual work there for the past few years. If so, the
service is likely still available.

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

That's why we have high frequency shelving EQ. Turn the knob and see
if that gets you there. BRBR

What? ... and amplify the self noise that used to be so conveniently masked by
the tape hiss?

(tongue firmly implanted in cheek)
Kevin M. Kelly
"There needs to be a 12-step program for us gearheads"

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
Kevin Kelly wrote:

I don't think you _can_ rework the capsule the same way, now that Stephen
is dead.

Honestly, though, hasn't Tony been doing most of the actual handwork on the
mods for the past few years? Yeah they're Stepehn's specs, but AFAIK, it can
still be done - and by someone who has been doing it, yes?

Neil Henderson

Would anyone be willing to venture a US Dollar number for the
approximate (ballpark) worth of said Stephen Paul modified U67s? Let's
say they have had one owner and have had very light use in the 30ish
years in the hands of this owner. They have been very well taken care
of. The owner says he had the "cheapest" of the 3 (?) possible SP
modifiications.

-Shiverbones

7 grand for the pair.

Al

On 19 Dec 2004 13:31:09 -0800, "Shiverbones"
wrote:

Would anyone be willing to venture a US Dollar number for the
approximate (ballpark) worth of said Stephen Paul modified U67s? Let's
say they have had one owner and have had very light use in the 30ish
years in the hands of this owner. They have been very well taken care
of. The owner says he had the "cheapest" of the 3 (?) possible SP
modifiications.

-Shiverbones

I think that might be a little low, bro

Tom


"playon" wrote in message
...
7 grand for the pair.

Al

On 19 Dec 2004 13:31:09 -0800, "Shiverbones"
wrote:

Would anyone be willing to venture a US Dollar number for the
approximate (ballpark) worth of said Stephen Paul modified U67s? Let's
say they have had one owner and have had very light use in the 30ish
years in the hands of this owner. They have been very well taken care
of. The owner says he had the "cheapest" of the 3 (?) possible SP
modifiications.

-Shiverbones