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When ordering from the US, parcels may be subject to import tax and duty charges, which the buyer is responsible to pay. Hello and welcome to The House of Chrome. If you are looking for something over the top, rare and potentially usable for any live event…this Astatic “Tempo” 788 model mic just might do the trick? I should start by saying that this 788 model does work and has a great sound with it’s dual impedance ability but there is a grounding issue that produced a loud buzz. It’s not grounded properly and when you move the cable around where it attached to the body it cuts in and out with the buzz. It needs to be properly grounded and that could take some time and proper equipment but this mic can be certainly fixed. I’m not a big fan of Astatic design for the moist part as I always thought their designs as were generally bland and a little boring but 7his 888 mic is absolutely an exception. I kind of think as the 788 & 888 as the equivalent of The Ford Edsel. This mic was a revolutionary design for Astatic in the 1950’s and they were trying to portray a very modern look for the growing company to compete with the heavy hitters like E.V and Shure Brothers. The 888 (as well as all the “Futura” series) was supposed to be that mic but it seems it was too extreme looking…or perhaps just too expensive. You can see on the box that this model sold for $110.00 which was a large chunk of change back in the mid 1950’s. Long story short…this mic was a short production model and didn’t seem to sell very well which is why you probably don’t see to many of these around…much like The Ford Edsel. This was an expensive, quality Astatic microphone in it’s day. That being said…this mic is in very good overall physical condition and has a nice gold black two tone scheme.. The mic has a very strong signal. It was intended to be used as a general purpose mic. Astatic states it was ideal for radio broadcasting, studio and deluxe PA applications. It has a classic “rockabilly” sound on high Z and a warm smooth tone on low Z setting and won’t disappoint once the grounding issue is resolved. The mic had a very modern flair for it’s day and looks a bit like the modern stick mics you now see. There is a little bit of wear on the painted handle. Some small scuffs, scratches and spots where the paint chipped off. The front screen looks great. The mic is free of dents or fractures. It’s appx 9 inches long and has a slender, easy to hold metal body. Let the pictures be your guide please. You’ll notice this has a very unique original mic clip that holds the mic very well and allows for a wide degree of tilt. The clip has the older RCA style threading but comes with the AD-1 adapter allowing you to screw this onto any modern desk or floor stand. The cable is just 12 inches long and comes with a quality Amphenol female XLR end connector. Simply attach any longer XLR cable of choice to the existing short one provided and you’re in business. If you like rare and obscure early American microphones…this will be a nice addition to the collection. MICROPHONE STAND SHOWN IS NOT PART OF THIS SALE…FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY. As with all my vintage microphones for sale… I can promise you will be happy with it for the price paid. If not…I have a no hassle return policy. The return shipping will be on you as I believe that’s fair but the purchase price would be refunded. Simply return in the same nice condition…period. Check my rating. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS are welcome as well. BUYER MUST PAY WITHIN 24 HOURS or will lose rights to this item, unpaid item report will be filed and will be relisted. If you don’t intend on buying this…do not commit to buy please. Domestic buyer will get priority shipping. If you have any questions feel free to ask and…thanks for looking. Country of Manufacture United States Model 788 Type Vintage Microphone Brand Astatic
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Category: Musical Instruments:Pro Audio Equipment:Vintage Pro Audio Equipment
Location: Park Rapids, Minnesota