Posted 10 years ago
Dadinator247
(1 item)
Presumably one of the earliest and rarest of RCA microphones, the serial is fairly low and it supposedly was used in 1929; but wasn't introduced to the market until 1932 according to places I've checked online elsewhere.
Anyone have any other ideas about this microphone? Worth anything, etc.? Opinions only, not requesting anything formal on its perceived monetary value, if any.
Thanks!
Your RCA 77-A microphone is worth between $3,500 and $4,500. It has been re-finished in a color that is not the original, so I'd say it is closer to the lower end of this price range. I would recommend you test it and in case it does not work you send it to a specialized repair shop. These old microphones are quite simple and the repair bill would set you back by approximately $200 plus shipping costs but it would add value to the microphone.
No, the microphone is very original and has decidedly NOT been refinished to any other color; that finished is untouched. The posted picture is the 'before' appearance to boot. It has been carefully restored however and works like new. Clarence did it (and if you don't know who he is - you probably don't know microphones; especially RCA brand).
I am however also intrigued you think it's not an original color. This the same color I've seen on many a microphone from the same era. We have since concluded that it is in fact a 'pre-release' unit given the relationship between the original owner and the General. Thanks for your comments.
The white balance setting of a digital camera may trick the colour accuracy of a photo. The computer monitor can also distort the colours if not properly calibrated. What I am trying to say was that the colour I see in your pictures is lighter and greyish than the RCA production finish. It would be nice to see a photo of your restored microphone under a different light.
My statements are based on the fact that I own three of these RCA 77A microphones at the moment. Two are undisturbed while the third one was re-finished by the late Jerry Silvia of Silvia Classics following the original RCA finish specifications. The tree look the same colour wise and they are darker than what I see on your photos. Jerry had a large cabinet with the original factory blueprints and service instructions for all the RCA microphones. By the way, I know RCA microphones quite well and I know who Clarence Kane is. He restored one of my RCA microphones once. Happy collecting.