70's microphone: Gene Rayburn's vs Bob Barker's

[Goulz]

It might have been asked before...

Was Gene Rayburn's microphone on the Match Game the same that Bob used for The Price is right?  Was it telescopic?

I noticed on GSN that sometimes Gene's microphone was short (TPIR-sized) and at other times the near-pool-cue length.

[Mark]

I don't know for sure if it was the exact same mic that Bob used, but it was the same model (Sony ECM-51). On some episodes before Gene kept his mic long, as a gag, someone would extend his mic out all the way, and you'd see him shorten it on TV. And yes, Bob kept his mic short. When the Golden Gallery returns, you can see a closeup of his mic, while he's holding one of his dogs. You can see the mic has telescoping sections.
Of course, Gene's playing around with his mic broke it, and the CBS Techs made a new solid piece to replace the telescoping part.

[Chief-O]

At some point, they may have given Gene one that Bob used, and vice versa. However, as Mark noted, Gene liked playing with them. So the techies made him a fixed-length one.

[compdude512]

Also, I believe CBS presently rents all of its mics, with the exception of the two new Neumann mics custom-made for Bob.  I have talked to a guy from a microphone rental place out in Las Vegas and Burbank, and he says CBS is one of their biggest clients (the other was NBC).

I don't know how they did it back then, but I thought I should put this tidbit of info in.  CBS may have very well owned those mics back in their heyday.  (After all, we have a chance to own one of them in a few hours, and I hope to God it's me!)

[Sizeman]

Here's a comparitive example of how the mic looks retracted and extended:

Retracted

Extended

[compdude512]

Sizeman wrote:
Here's a comparitive example of how the mic looks retracted and extended:

Retracted

Extended

This might be an off-topic comment for this thread...but for a nearly 35-year-old mic, that looks pretty good, Sizeman.  Have you had it restored or something?

And while we're asking questions about microphones, was the mic that Bob used from 1992-2002 a Sony ECM-510?  I have always wondered who made that mic since Audio-Technica made the podium microphones.

[Axl]

compdude512 wrote:
Also, I believe CBS presently rents all of its mics, with the exception of the two new Neumann mics custom-made for Bob.  I have talked to a guy from a microphone rental place out in Las Vegas and Burbank, and he says CBS is one of their biggest clients (the other was NBC).

I'd say that's very unlikely.  For shows that tape nearly every day (including soap operas and talk shows), how would it make any sense to rent microphones?  I'd be firing the accountant who recommends that.  

I'm guessing most of their rentals are for specialized projects... like American Idol, bands that appear on their various talk shows, and other one-off productions.

[Sizeman]

compdude512 wrote:

This might be an off-topic comment for this thread...but for a nearly 35-year-old mic, that looks pretty good, Sizeman.  Have you had it restored or something?

The only thing I've done to it so far is put some electrical tape on the handle since the black paint had worn off. But this is very minor - in fact if you watch some MG eps, you'll see Gene uses one of these mics that is missing some paint (it's gold underneath).
My mic does work, sort of. I just talked to someone today who is going to attempt to repair it for me (the condenser mic isn't picking up sound BUT if you tap on the pole itself, you hear the thump). I picked up an original Sony Service Manual for this model which gives a complete components listing. There is most likely a loose wire at the mic end which is touching the pole hence it picks up that sound.

compdude512 wrote:
And while we're asking questions about microphones, was the mic that Bob used from 1992-2002 a Sony ECM-510?  I have always wondered who made that mic since Audio-Technica made the podium microphones.

It could be a modified 510. A real 510 (I have 2 of them) is considerably longer than Bob's. With those photos from the eBay auction, I really can see the similarities quite clearly.

[Sizeman]

Axl wrote:

I'm guessing most of their rentals are for specialized projects... like American Idol, bands that appear on their various talk shows, and other one-off productions.

I wonder where Orbitz got the 51 for Wink to use in their commercials?

[Chief-O]

From what I've read, Bob's black mic [the one that his current one replaced] is a CBS-made custom job. It does look similar to the 510, but it's not a 510.

Sizeman wrote:

I wonder where Orbitz got the 51 for Wink to use in their commercials?

Prop houses have everything.

[curlyrob]

I cant believe he had hes own custom mic made!!