Anyone ever heard of a GILLETTE microphone?

[MJM and RSC]

I have looked and cannot find any information on a microphone recently picked up.

Worth, history, rarity, quality, etc.?

Any info would be appreciated.

[BrianWilliam]

It looks sharp....

[Spruce]

Is it really heavy?
I'm guessing "yes", in which case it's probably a ribbon...
...but I just checked all my sources, and come up with nothing...which is damn hard to do.
I think you might have something there, collectibilty-wise, as it's hard to find a nice mic that nobody has ever heard of...
Cool!!

[Bill Burch]

In case it does happen to be a ribbon microphone, make sure to NOT have phantom power turned on in your mixer or preamp when you try it out.

Bill

[almeriastrings]

Certainly looks like a ribbon design. Never heard of these, though.... I do recall Gillette did market audio tapes at one time, but I believe that was late 60's, and this mic looks quite a bit older than that... a really strange and rare bird you have there.

[MontanaMatt]

Have you tried plugging it in and rubbing it on your face?

[Bertram Henze]

Have you tried plugging it in and rubbing it on your face?

Apparently, someone has.

[BrianWilliam]

Watch out for that proximity effect!

[MJM and RSC]

Is it really heavy?
I'm guessing "yes", in which case it's probably a ribbon...
...but I just checked all my sources, and come up with nothing...which is damn hard to do.
I think you might have something there, collectibilty-wise, as it's hard to find a nice mic that nobody has ever heard of...
Cool!!

It is pretty heavy. Right around 2 pounds. It is a little over 6" tall, 2 1/4" wide, and 1 3/4" deep. It is a bottom mount...nothing on the sides.

[Billkwando]

I have looked and cannot find any information on a microphone recently picked up.

Worth, history, rarity, quality, etc.?

Any info would be appreciated.

I heard it's the best a man can get!

Also, close micing will shave off the top end!

/runs away

Have you tried plugging it in and rubbing it on your face?

[Ray(T)]

With a bit of imagination, you could turn it into a nice table lamp.

[almeriastrings]

Add a scent of 'Old Spice' and you will be ready to rock!!!

[Spruce]

It is pretty heavy. Right around 2 pounds. It is a little over 6" tall, 2 1/4" wide, and 1 3/4" deep. It is a bottom mount...nothing on the sides.

Smaller than it looked...
Might be fun to take off that screen and have a look at what's in there....looks pretty easy to do compared to a lot vintage ribbons...

[Billkwando]

This may be a totally stupid idea, but you might want to contact Gillette about the mic. While it's unlikely they would have much info, someone might take an interest (unless the company's been bought and sold a bunch of times since then) or who knows...maybe they have a display of their products from over the years in their HQ and would want to buy it? Probably a slim chance, but I know there are companies that have their own product "museum". Rickenbacker has one, for example.

Probably better chances if the company is privately owned rather than publicly traded.

or you could sell it to that guy from Penn and Teller, lol

[Eric Platt]

Depending on how bad that cord is, you may have to take it apart just to repair. Looks cool. Never seen one before.

[MJM and RSC]

This may be a totally stupid idea, but you might want to contact Gillette about the mic. While it's unlikely they would have much info, someone might take an interest (unless the company's been bought and sold a bunch of times since then) or who knows...maybe they have a display of their products from over the years in their HQ and would want to buy it? Probably a slim chance, but I know there are companies that have their own product "museum". Rickenbacker has one, for example.

Probably better chances if the company is privately owned rather than publicly traded.

or you could sell it to that guy from Penn and Teller, lol

I reached out to Gillette via their website to see if they could shed any insight on it. I an interested to see what they say.

[MJM and RSC]

I reached out to Gillette via their website to see if they could shed any insight on it. I an interested to see what they say.

So, I have contacted roughly 7 sources on this including two museums, several enthusiast websites, and Gillette.

No one has been able to positively identify it 100%. Unfortunately, I never heard back from Gillette.

These two theories are the best:
1. It was a prototype made by Gillette that was never mass produced.
2. It was a microphone used by a sports commentator on Gillette's Cavalcade of Sports. The Cavalcade of sports ran from 1942 until the early 1960's and covered the world series, the kentucky derby, etc. The microphone was made by another company for Gillette to use. The front badge was used for advertising thus it is on the same side as the cord and would be facing the camera.

Opinions?

[MikeEdgerton]

Most likely an off brand mic brought in by a retailer of some sort that for some reason liked that name. A search of Gillette trademarks brings up no such logo on any past products that I can find. Not the opinion you want but probably closer to the truth.

[MikeEdgerton]

Changing the search to Vintage Gillette logo brings up these images. I'm pretty sure they would have used their own recognizable logo if they knew it was going to be photographed.

[MikeEdgerton]

Searching under "Gillette registered trademark" brings up more than one Gillette company.

[MJM and RSC]

So, I have contacted roughly 7 sources on this including two museums, several enthusiast websites, and Gillette.

No one has been able to positively identify it 100%. Unfortunately, I never heard back from Gillette.

These two theories are the best:
1. It was a prototype made by Gillette that was never mass produced.
2. It was a microphone used by a sports commentator on Gillette's Cavalcade of Sports. The Cavalcade of sports ran from 1942 until the early 1960's and covered the world series, the kentucky derby, etc. The microphone was made by another company for Gillette to use. The front badge was used for advertising thus it is on the same side as the cord and would be facing the camera.

Opinions?

Here is an update. Still not 100% but a good theory.

I found two markings, both on the inside. They simply state "39". Gillette just happened to purchase commentating rights for the 1939 MLB World Series. The game was between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees. I live in Columbus Ohio which is about an hour and 45 minutes from downtown Cincinnati. They also commentated on the Kentucky Derby which is only about 2 and a half hours away.

[Spruce]

I found two markings, both on the inside.

Take any pics of the ribbon mechanism (if it is indeed a ribbon)??
Love to see them if "yes"...

[MJM and RSC]

Take any pics of the ribbon mechanism (if it is indeed a ribbon)??
Love to see them if "yes"...

Here is one pic of the inside...

[Jeff Mando]

Difficult to do a Google search because besides all the Gillette razor information clouding the results, there is also Mic Gillette from Tower of Power (RIP) who has a huge online presence. I'm guessing the information is out there, but you probably will never be able to access it for those reasons. I tried changing the search to: Gillette mic, Gillette microphone, Gillette ribbon microphone, Gillette studio microphone, Gillette recording microphone, Gillette broadcast microphone, vintage Gillette microphone -- all with basically no luck. In the past, I would sometimes have luck searching beyond the first few pages of results, often going into page 50, 100, whatever, if you have the time. I have done this with obscure musicians that I liked. You would think "Gillette microphone" would be an easy search, but it seems to be on par with searching for "John Smith"......

My guess would be it was an independent company having nothing to do with Gillette razors.

The label states it is a registered trademark with US Patent Office, but shows no patent number -- might be an avenue for a search through government records....

Very cool mic, by the way!

[Mark Gunter]

I would bet that this has nothing to do with the razor company. Best bet would be to track down info on the company that made (or marketed) the Gillette radios. The radios appear to have been made in the 30's and this microphone appears to be from the 30's by the look of it - you're probably right about a date of '39 corresponding with the markings.

Check out this vintage Gillette 105 Catalin radio sold in 2005 - read the text that accompanied the sale, there is this passing reference:

"In an article by Ed Lyon dated 12/88 it details the limited number of cabinets made for Gillette before they fell on hard times."

http://radioattic.com/itemshow.htm?radio=1580001#text

Seems to indicate that Mr. Lyon knows at least something about a 1930's Gillette audio company's history and has written an article somewhere that mentions it.