Mystery dynamic unisphere-ish looking microphone [solved: Turner Balladier 766]

[Paul W]

Today I found a couple of cool dynamic ball-headed high Z mics at a thrift shop for $4.99 USD each. One's a Shure PE 585 Unisphere A, but the other I can't figure out. It's got similar styling, with a shorter body and a smooth chrome (not brushed stainless) finish. There's no printing on the band around the equator, or none left now, and the printing that is left on the ring below the ball makes no sense to me. It looks sort of like

 B  : LADE  '66

The colon there is probably not a colon (the spacing seems wrong) but the remnants of a letter or number, like the rightmost part of a Z or something (?). The apostrophe does look like an apostrophe to me, but it too may be part of a missing letter, like the upper right corner of a Z. (Even the E could be a Z with a european style crossbar in the middle. I'm seeing Z's everywhere.)

Does anyone recognize this mic or see how to make any sense of the writing?

 

[s wave]

It seems like the Shure 566 ish/type. Most have a large or small black ring. Is where it is printed '*lad* *66' metal tape or a ring? Short squat body. Rebrand or prototype for Shure 766? or pe 66? very interesting.

 

[Paul W]

It seems like the Shure 566 ish/type. Most have a large or small black ring. Is where it is printed '*lad* *66' metal tape or a ring? Short squat body. Rebrand or prototype for Shure 766? or pe 66? very interesting.

I got to thinking that the "apostrophe" doesn't look like the upper right corner of a 5 (in 566), but it could be that part of a 3 or a 7. A bit of googling later and I came up with the Turner BALLADIER 766. I'm pretty confident that's what this is, supposed to be good for high volume sources and sometimes billed as a good harmonica microphone. (Thanks for the prompt!)

BTW that printing is on a band of thin metal or possibly metallized plastic set into a wide groove near the top of the body.

According to Turner's 1970 catalog (page 9), the only real specs are 40-15,000 Hz FR and a list price of $70, which would be about $560 in today's USD.

https://www.preservationsound.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Turner_1970_catalog1.pdf

 

[s wave]

Yes I saw the Turner 766... It does look like a "7"66 and I do not think Shure had one unless it was a prototype. I think the key may be in the curved chrome near label. The PE's are more squat sometimes too. But my guess is the Turner. Pretty cool. You can ask on GS they are good too and maybe someone uses one and give a review on it. talk soon.

 

[s wave]

There are 3 of them on Ebay right now. This link has the papers may be worth giving the seller a yell? https://www.ebay.com/itm/2764590841...all&brand=Turner&_trksid=p2332490.c101224.m-1 A quote from Adam Gussows Harmonica site says it 'Turner Balladier 766 (silky smooth; great for dinner gigs where the diners want to hear/not really hear you).' Sounds like a great mic.

 

[Paul W]

There are 3 of them on Ebay right now. This link has the papers may be worth giving the seller a yell? https://www.ebay.com/itm/276459084145?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=265293&meid=6f659602b3714591afd1b99ed4b68939&pid=101224&rk=2&rkt=2&sd=134786189646&itm=276459084145&pmt=0&noa=1&pg=2332490&algv=DefaultOrganicWebV9BertRefreshRankerWithCassiniEmbRecall&brand=Turner&_trksid=p2332490.c101224.m-1 A quote from Adam Gussows Harmonica site says it 'Turner Balladier 766 (silky smooth; great for dinner gigs where the diners want to hear/not really hear you).' Sounds like a great mic.

Nice find! Thanks!