== I posted this also in the ”Trading/Collecting” part of the forum ==
I own a ”Shure Unisphere1” dynamic microphone, model 565 gold, which was given to me many many years ago (for free) by the late Jim Hutton (and I assume it used to be stored in the loft of Garden Lodge)
It shows ”Queen” on the front, and after a bit of research I actually found out that Freddie mostly used/preferred Shure microphones, and especially the 565 series. http://www.soundonsound.com/forum/showflat.php?Number=880076
This microphone I own, does not have an on/off switch.
Pictures: http://i58.tinypic.com/xgftv.jpg http://i58.tinypic.com/2nu7o8l.jpg
Looking at the font (”Queen”), it might be a microphone used in the Hotspace sessions? Al though I could be wrong, and the font is just generic. But the issue is that I personally have not seen a picture or video Freddie use a ”gold” Shure microphone on stage (or in the studio), has anyone else?
I am just wondering if anyone has seen a picture with Freddie using this type of ”gold” Shure 565 microphone, and to also get an idea about the actual time-frame when Freddie actually used this particular microphone (either live or in the studio) .... PS: I am assuming that it was used by Queen/Freddie because it came from Garden Lodge
@P-Tr extinction event
The microphone in the LPDA video (TOTP) has a gold colour top end, but the rest of the mic is black. The one that I have is an ”all gold colour” microphone and was owned by Freddie (as it came from Garden Lodge). Anyone else have any ideas if Freddie used this mic live or in the studio?
Maybe it's one of those commemorative pieces that companies give to their celeb clients as a way of saying "thanks for using us" or something like that...
I've never seen any photo's of Freddie using a gold one other than the half gold Las Palabras one. However I have read 'somewhere' that Freddie was given a microphone as a gift at somepoint, so maybe that's it?
@togg, I understand what you are saying, but this particular brand (Shure) and mic type (565 Unisphere) is what Freddie actually seemed to prefer using in the studio (not in all studio sessions but most likely in some of them). Also during life performances Freddie uses Shure microphones.
The fact that it mentions ”Queen” on the front, makes it look like it was especially ordered for Queen to be used live or in the studio. It would sound strange that Shure (or someone else) would give Freddie a ”working top of the line” microphone just as a gift to be put on display ... I would assume this being a class A microphone, that it was used one way or the other, but then the question arises how come it ended up in Garden Lodge?
He didnt really use them much in the studio other than maybe a guide vocal, when recording a lead vocal I highly doubt they would have used a dynamic mic, it would have been a high end neumann most of the time. Maybe he used it live? but I've never seen a shot with a Gold one
There is a LOT of mis-information relating to his mics online, he is known for using this type of mic live, but very little documented evidence is out there to confirm he actually used it in the studio. I know he liked it a lot and it's certainly possible he used it a few times in a studio, but I genuinely doubt any studio would set one up when it just doesn't capture the sound like a higher end mic.
I remember one of the roadies saying they used to have to replace the front grill wind shield a lot because his style of singing destroyed it.
Can I just say, dynamic mics sometimes get used in the studio on a lead vocal. A few years back, my fiancee recorded her album (mainly) on a condenser mic. However, on one particular song, she didn't like the sound and/or performance. Instead, she wanted to try her usual live mic, a dynamic (and wireless) mic. Typically, I would never do this, but, after she recorded with it, she had it the way she wanted it to sound.
I would hazard a guess that this could have happened at times with Queen in the studio. I'd go as far to say that maybe (as in, I don't really know!) they may have rigged up more than one mic at a time for lead vocals - a dynamic and condenser. This way, they could see which worked best for a particular song and they didn't have to do re-takes. As I said, this is all guess work and hearsay.
thanks for your feedback!
In the meantime I contacted Peter Hince, who confirmed to me by email that Freddie also gave him a gold-colour microphone. I have sent pictures to PH, and awaiting a response on the matter.
Wow. What a treasure.
I'm just curious about the outcome of this post.
Surely. ... SURELY this is ONE topic that won't diverge into vitriol and criticism.