Michael and James join me to talk about the legendary Green Bullet microphone
Michael is the Director of Corporate History at Shure
What does the job ‘Director of Corporate History’ involve?
Shure will be 100 years old in 2025 and started out as a philanthropic organisation, which is still follows to this day
The Green Bullet is celebrating it’s 75th anniversary in 2024
Shure’s first bullet shaped mics were released in 1939
James Waldron runs SimpleMics.com, which rebuilds vintage harmonica mics from new and vintage parts
greenbulletmics.net is a fantastic website written by Dave Kott, which James saved and keeps going
History of the Green Bullet, model 520, and recently discovered the name of the person who designed the first bullet microphone (not Green Bullet)
Bullet shape was designed after car headlight, not a bullet
The Streamliner was the first bullet shaped mic, released in 1939, which was a ribbon mic
Bullet shape was not designed to hold, it was just the cool design of the time
Shure had no idea the Green Bullet was being used as a harmonica mic for many years
The Green Bullet was originally designed for two way radio, public address systems, and uses like that
One of Michael’s first tasks when he started at Shure in 1976 was to discontinue the Green Bullet, until he was inundated by letters from harmonica players
Photos show the Green Bullet was being used by harmonica players very early in it’s life, from 1949 or 1950
Shure were unaware of the Green Bullet harmonica use as they focused on profitable phonograph cartridges
One of the reasons for the popularity of the Green Bullet (and JT30) is that they were cheap
Green Bullet was originally designed for speech, and one is featured in the TV show MASH
Green bullet was originally designed for speech, not harmonica
Photos from south side of Chicago show the Green Bullet being used for vocals as well as harmonica
Little Walter is the first person credited with playing amplified harmonica
Did Little Walter definitely use a Green Bullet?
James has a photo of Junior Wells using a Green Bullet
Some of the early Green Bullets had crystal elements (the model 7 and 707), and James has found a small number of them working
Shure and Astatic sourced their crystals from the same place (Brush Development), although they constructed their mics in different ways
No definitive records of the first use of the Green Bullet, or which of the classic players used it and when
May well have recorded using Green Bullets in the studio in the 1950s as no digital effects to add in post production back then
Green Bullet is very durable and hard wearing, with elements used being developed in a military setting
Difference between Controlled Reluctance (CR) and Controlled Magnetic (CM) elements is very minor
The Black label and White label elements produced for the Green Bullet
Michael thinks Shure maybe just changed the name from CR to CM because it was easier for customers to understand
Another difference between CR and CM is with the bobbin
Can people who own a Green Bullet tell if they have a CR or CM element?
Each element will sound different, whether it’s CR or CM, for various reasons. So best way is to try before you buy
Individual mics sound different, just like instruments do
The player will also make the mic sound different
Difference between the Black and White label elements, and are the black ones better?
Some of the later elements made in Mexico (520D model) are also great elements
Most harmonica players would say the Black label elements have a better bass response
Different suppliers and components will make the mics differ over time
Does James think Black labels are better?
Recommend buying a mic from a reputable supplier so you know you’re getting a good one
Meter readings are not very useful and different aspects that affect sound of a mic
The Green Bullet is high impedance, with a higher decibel output level in order to drive guitar amplifiers
Other Shure mics which are used for harmonica, which are ‘moving coil’ mics (not a CR or CM)
Paul Butterfield was one of first players to use the Shure Unidyne 3 mic
Green Bullet 520DX is dual impedance, and the 520D can also be converted between low and high impedance
One advantage of low impedance is being able to use a longer cable, high impedance mics should not be used with cables longer than 20 feet
James made some mics for Roger Daltrey of The Who fame
Impact of using wireless systems with mics, with more modern ones with guitar jacks having high output which doesn’t impact mic output too much
Wireless mics can impact the tone of the mic though, as the distortion is applied through the wireless mic transmitter, rather than directly from the mic
Shane Sager (who plays harmonica with Sting) uses a wireless system with an impedance transformer
The Green Bullet 520D model moved from manufacturing in the US to Mexico from 1985
Mexican factory is 100% a Shure facility, with Shure employees
James has found many great elements from those created in the Mexican factory for the 520D model, and generally are more consistent
The Mexican produced 520DX model is a moving coil / dynamic mic, with Shure trying to make it sound as much like a CR as possible. The 520DX is the only Green Bullet Shure has built since 1997
The shell of the Green Bullet, made out of die cast zinc
Addition of a volume control on the 520DX was a great move
The Green Bullet shell makes it heavy
Shells made out of other materials, such as wood, with Michael questioning whether they resonate as well as die cast zinc
Importance of the air tightness of the shell
The pin holes in the Green Bullet are used for barometric leak, which maintains the pressure in the mic, such as if you take it on an airplane
Volume controls being added to a mic will impact the output level, which has to considered against the advantages of having a volume control (such as cutting feedback and playing louder in a solo)
Shure have released a video, featuring Sugar Blue, which highlights why the Green Bullet became popular with harmonica players
People often switch up the mic they use
James thinks crystals are so fragile that he insists customers pick them up by hand (he won’t post them)
Shure đơn’t manufacture crystals now because they are so fragile. They last built mics with crystals in 1969-70
There are some cheap crystal elements available from Japan, but the quality is debatable (although Dennis Gruenling does sell them)
A guy contacted Shure recently who had discovered some Shure mics with crystal elements
Some people like singing through a Green Bullet, with Elvis Costello singing through a 520DX
Michael thinks Bob Dylan plays harmonica through a 520DX sometimes
How to best look after a Green Bullet: with one suggestion is not to store them in the back of an amp due to the powerful magnets of the speakers
Green Bullets are virtually indestructible, with the wiring the only real area likely to become damaged
The glue on the element microphone can sometimes fail on the very early models. James has a contact who can repair this issue
