Who Makes The Most Authentic-Looking C12 Basket?

[klausheyne]

A client has an unrepairable basket on his Norbert Pape C12 copy.
(For those unfamiliar with this mic, Pape used some authentic AKG housing parts, AKG passive electronic components, Five Star tubes and restored AKG CK12 capsules.)

The head basket also was AKG-made, and is indistinguishable from that of a late 1950s C12.

I am not that familiar with aftermarket housing parts for C12 "clones" and need advice where I should look for an authentic-looking replacement. The  basket also must have the same attachment points to the body as the original: three holes for three slot screws that screw into the mic frame, covered by a chrome ring.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, KH

 

[GeorgeToledo]

Take a look at the FLEA C12 parts:

http://flea-microphones.com/parts.html

The purportedly can be swapped though I haven't tried it myself.

To my memory the part on the AMI kits/Lucas CS1 is slightly different on the bottom ring sizing...though it may be able to be swapped, not sure. But it is not aesthetically dead on.

 

[tonzauber]

I had an original C12 with missing head basket, and Flea made a perfect replica. It needed some persuasion though and was not cheap, but quality is top notch.
I also had to send the mic so it could be made fit, as there was some variation over the years.

 

[AusTex64]

Klaus,

Might contact Mike Castoro at Wunder Audio. He makes a very good C12 replica and might sell you a head basket.

Good luck!

 

[klausheyne]

Thanks, all.
I tried "[email protected]" but that is a dead address.
I will try other ways to contact them.
KH

 

[Tim Campbell]

Klaus try    [email protected]  This is the email I use to correspond with Milos.
I believe Flea makes Wunder's body including headbasket.

 

[GeorgeToledo]

Klaus try    [email protected]  This is the email I use to correspond with Milos.
I believe Flea makes Wunder's body including headbasket.

Yes, this is also the reason I mentioned FLEA as opposed to Wunder (though my info about that may be out of date). 

 

[klausheyne]

Thanks again everyone. I finally made contact with FLEA and ordered the part.
KH

 

[klausheyne]

The FLEA C12 copy basket has arrived, and it is an astonishingly good recreation of the original (see comparison pictures between an original 1959 basket and FLEA's).

All dimensions are identical (height, circumference, basket weave opening size, wire size,  vertical and horizontal wire count, etc.) Aside of the surface sheen, it would take an expert to tell the two apart.

 

[klausheyne]

Picture No. 2, and thank you everyone for your recommendations!

KH

 

[pinebox]

I also have an original AKG C12 with a broken basket. Flea did not respond to an email about replacement. The mesh support arch is broken off at the base on both side. I am thinking about taking this thing off, tig welding it, sanding it nice and then chrome plating it again but it looks like pot metal, can anyone confirm? It does not seem to be magnetic, but I dont think its stainless, just plated. The basket still attached to the rim and is keeping me from getting a good look at the material in the break.

 

[Tim Campbell]

I also have an original AKG C12 with a broken basket. Flea did not respond to an email about replacement. The mesh support arch is broken off at the base on both side. I am thinking about taking this thing off, tig welding it, sanding it nice and then chrome plating it again but it looks like pot metal, can anyone confirm? It does not seem to be magnetic, but I dont think its stainless, just plated. The basket still attached to the rim and is keeping me from getting a good look at the material in the break.

Are you sure that it isn't silver soldered brass? I am currently at FLEA in Slovakia. I'll ask them about your email.

 

[pinebox]

Are you sure that it isn't silver soldered brass? I am currently at FLEA in Slovakia. I'll ask them about your email.

That would be great, thank you! If its soldered brass that could be possible, I am unfamiliar with what they would have been using in EU at the time. Soldering would be a little more difficult, I have much less time behind acetylene than I do a TIG torch, but I could have a friend do it.

 

[soapfoot]

I also think the plating would be nickel instead of chrome (it does look different)

 

[pinebox]

I also think the plating would be nickel instead of chrome (it does look different)

That's a good point, chrome and nickel look pretty close on their own until you put them next to each other. Coming from a background in old motorcycles, I guess my mind always defaults to chrome, ha!

 

[Rusan]

I am thinking about taking this thing off, tig welding it, sanding it nice and then chrome plating it again but it looks like pot metal...

If it is zinc alloy pot metal, it'll solder well using Harris Stay-Brite solder with Stay-Clean flux. It's some really good stuff, that I've used successfully on zinc, copper alloys and stainless steel. An old knifemaker's trick is to "mask" the areas you don't want soldered by rubbing them with a #2 pencil. The graphite resists both the flux and heat.

 

[Tim Campbell]

After checking with a powerful magnet it seems original C12 headbaskets are some kind of steel

 

[José Antonio Maidana]

Si se trata de una aleación de zinc, se soldará bien con el estaño Harris Stay-Brite con fundente Stay-Clean. Es un material realmente bueno que he utilizado con éxito en aleaciones de zinc y cobre y acero inoxidable. Un viejo truco de cuchillero es "enmascarar" las áreas que no quieres soldar frotándolas con un lápiz n.° 2. El grafito resiste tanto el fundente como el calor.

Sin estar yo con intención de reparar canastas de micrófono, ya que me dedico a la herrería de maquinaria agrícola, pero soy muy aficionado al sonido (por eso estoy acá), me parece fantástico tu truco respecto a la soldadura. Estoy escribiendo en español, no porque desconozca el inglés, sino porque mis dotes de redacción en ese idioma son bien escasas. Espero que el traductor de Google haga su trabajo. Saludos y gracias.

 

[garp]

Trying to solder an already coated headbasket will lead to serious discoloration of the nickel coating, a very strong solder iron will also be needed (and lot of pain !) i already repaired several broken headbaskets with simple epoxy glue and repairs are invisible and solid .

 

[pinebox]

Trying to solder an already coated headbasket will lead to serious discoloration of the nickel coating, a very strong solder iron will also be needed (and lot of pain !) i already repaired several broken headbaskets with simple epoxy glue and repairs are invisible and solid .

You would definitely need to replate it, but epoxy is not a good solution as the headbaskets need to have continuity to ground, they are half physical capsule protection, half faraday cage.