T.Bone GM55

I am musician, playing Keyboards, Saxophone and singing too. For this, in a vast part of my show I am in front of the band playing Sax & singing. The repertory for this part is mainly Blues and Jazz. As I am ever trying to present a show in the proper style it was certainly necessary to use the proper microphone for this. No other microphone could be more suitable as the “razor”-microphone, Elvis-Type.

As just in this kind of music the singer can or maybe even has to sound a little nasty or twanging, being much more proper-styled, an absolutely precise frequency response is unimportant. The show is here in first place. In the fifties the Shure 55 was the “absolute” Stage-microphone. It showed almost in every show which had been picturised that time or in the “artificial” shows included in motion pictures. You can get this microphone from Shure today still, but as the remakes (“fakes”) from FarEast have a comparable quality, or even better sound, it seems not absolutely necessary to pay the high Shure-price.

That was for me the reason to order the T.Bone GM-55 from Thomann.

The GM-55 unifies a balances sound and (as his model from Shure) an extremely robust design. The dynamics amplitude comes up to the microphones of the 50’s, little improved. The cardioid characteristic ensures good signal-levels without feedback.

Personally I use the GM-55 since 3 years. Just “for the show” there is no other microphone adequate as this one. For this, the not perfect frequency curve is dispensable.

Actual price (Thomann) EUR 49,00 ( £ 33,66)
link http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw2_t​he_tbone_gm55_elvis_mikro_prodinfo.html

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and now the real review: ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫​♪♫
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Frequency response:
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The frequency response has been improved since the first Shure 55 has been released. But it remains a twanging sound. This is the reason for that blues-harp-players use of this microphone as a “Standard”, as it takes exactly the frequencies wanted, excluding the unwanted “noisy” high frequencies.

Also for Instrument-microphoning, as for instance for E-Guitar on stage & in studio this mike is as built for.

The GM-55 glows with is warm sound. The high frequencies are not being picked up. For this you will never hear when the singer breaths. For a singing-bassman better to take another mike. The bass frequencies are very little present.

rating:
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5 Stars from 5 = 100 %
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Feedback-reliability:
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Feedback is a big problem. Every “man at the mixer” will agree.

This problem is not existing at all using the GM-55. Due to its response, where high frequencies are less present, this cannot be easily inducted.

As the super-cardioid capsule is exactly directed to the singer, no ambience noise will be picked up. You have only to take care about the stand. As the mike is seamless joined to this, noises coming there from will be picked.

rating:
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5 Stars from 5 = 100 %
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Handling:
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As told in the section above, special care has to be taken about the mike-stand. If possible, buy one with extreme good floor-dampers. This way, only the singing voice will come to the amplifier.

Also take care to NOT use any nut in-between, as the XLR-plug is located exactly beside the stand-nut. Particularly remember this if you are playing in a band where rowdies will build up the stage upfront. This microphone is really “different”

In other respects this mike is absolutely unproblematic. It never will drop down, as seamless to the stand, and … if … no problem! The cast case is such good quality that you would need a terminator in order to destroy it. It is such a quality as you could buy for lots of money in the fifties.

Fortunately you never will need to hold this mike in your hands. Would it be so, you would have a paroxysm of your arm latest after fifteen minutes. More than a pound is a good weight for a mike, I think. Shows quality.

The mike can be turned 45° in direction to the speaker/singer and 80° backwards. This allows to accommodate to different people, even without changing the height of the stand.

The switch is good visible in front of the speaker/singer

The GM 55 is sovereign and professional in any way. The handling is very good.

rating:
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5 Stars from 5 = 100 %
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Conclusion:
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I am still using this microphone for each and every performance. It is ever in front of me when singing a song where Sax is included. I do not think I will dispose this mike some day. It goes perfectly with the saxophone, with the songs delivered and to the whole show.

Exactly this warm sound delivered by it makes it definitely first choice for a singer performing material from the 50’s and 60’s. It is not unfounded that a lot of combos playing this kind of music have this mikes on stage.

I am still an enthusiastic user of this mike.

You will find some photographs of this mike, as well as a polar- and a frequency-diagram at the bottom.

rating:
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5 Stars from 5 = 100 %
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Technical Data - Specifications
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Type: ……........................ Dynamic Microphone with symmetric out
Polar Pattern: ……............ Super Cardioid
Frequency Response: ….. 50-15000 Hz
Sensitivity: …….............. -55 dB … - … 1.8mv/pa
Impedance: …….............. 300 Ώ
Phasing: …….................. A sound pressure push the diaphragm produce a positive voltage on Pin 2 Relative to Pin 3 of the output connector.
Connector: ……............ 3Pin XLR-type Gold Plated Pins
Switch ............................ yes
Self-tensioning swivel mount
Stand-Nut ……............... 5/8”
Weight ........................... 635 g / aprox 1 ½ pound
The microphone is being delivered in a plastic box with a table-stand and a 5/8 to 3/8 adaptor
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© billyjoel49 – 964 words
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