The AM Forum

Recently I acquired a new-in-the-box  Turner 33X crystal mic. It appeared to have a standard old-school 80-75MC1M connector on the bottom. (See photo.) But it it not. It is smaller, and appears to be a proprietary Turner connector(?) An 80-75MC1F slips right over it. It's a near-miss fit, but the threads won't engage. It is not the 3/8" miniature single wire mic plug (Switchcraft 5501M)...it is larger than that. I have searched the archives of this forum and the Internet and have not come up with anything. I have a call into Oaktree Vintage mics, but have not had a response yet.

Can any advise the part number of this connector and, more importantly, a source to purchase a female connector so I can make a mic cable? Does anyone have a female of this species they can sell or give me?

Changing it to an 80-75MC1M will require drilling out the mic bottom and it seems wrong to modify such a pristine example of this classic 50's mic.

Any ideas, leads or assistance will be greatly appreciated!

73,
Frank W4FLN

Try oaktreevintage.com.

Yep. I went to Oak Tree Vintage first. I did leave a message for them, but I doubt I will get a response. Their web site emphatically states:

"We update our parts pages daily so If you do not see your unit or part SPECIFICALLY listed, or the part you are seeking was already marked "SOLD" or "SOLD OUT", please DO NOT call or Email us regarding it.  If you do not see it listed, we do not have it and we do not know when it will come in.response: if you do not see it on our website, we do not have it."

I have contacted them before about another mic and never got a response. So I am not holding my breath on my recent inquiry to them about this connector.

Frank W4FLN

Switch craft makes lots.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/310413101606?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

That one is 5/8.

--Shane
KD6VXI

Yep. I have several of the Switchcraft 2501, their version of the venerable Amphenol 80-75MC1F (5/8 thread). These slip right over the threads on this Turner mic connector. The threads do not engage. I also have the Switchcraft 5501 (3/8" thread). No joy there either...way too small.

Frank W4FLN

Would it be a half inch?   I'll look through my stash box here.....

--Shane
KD6VXI

Yes. It appears to be 1/2 inch.

Maybe these guys can help.   I only have the ones that fit heathkit test equip.

http://www.parts-express.com/brand/switchcraft/436

Pages and pages of stuff.

--Shane
KD6VXI

Take a look here for the Amphenol "75 Series" miniature version:
https://www.surplussales.com/Connectors/Microphone-5.html (https://www.surplussales.com/Connectors/Microphone-5.html)

Bob - NE

Yep. That's the Switchcraft 5501 3/8" connector. Got a few. They are too small to fit this mic.

I got a call back from Bob Paquette at the Mic Museum. He said that the Japanese were using a metric version of the Amphenol 80-75 MC1F single conductor connector in the 60's. But he was not aware that Turner ever used it. The fact that this is a "close but no cigar" fit for the MC1F indicates it could indeed be metric. Kinda like the metric PL259's we see today. Gee, this mic still had the factory tags on it. Hard to believe Turner would have used such a part. But the mic's connector is a perfect fit to the mic and looks like it came that way from the factory. But still, someone during during the past 40 or 50 years may have messed with it. Or perhaps this mic was at the end of the run and Turner did use one-off parts.

So I will try to find a one conductor connector from a 60's era Japanese mic and see if it works. Or I will modify this one to accept a 2501MP panel mount base.

Frank W4FLN

F,

You might try taking it to a hardware store and try to size the connector.

klc

Excellent idea!

My Turner S33D (with a slide switch on the side of the mount), serial #8719, has the mounting plate screws on the side rather than on the bottom (as pictured).
Both an Amphenol and a Switchcraft connector fit perfectly.
My mic does NOT have the connector switch (grounds the mic when not connected) as the picture seems to have.

VE7XF