Madooma Vintage Microphones

[sonicdefault]

That's good to hear. I have them saved in my ebay favorites. They sell some beautiful mics.


-SD

[camus]

The prices are relatively expensive for used stuff, but I guess that's the price you pay for piece of mind eh?

[gwailoh]

I'm very pleased with the three mics I've purchased from Madooma.

Keep in mind though, that, as camus pointed out, Madooma's prices are typically pretty high. I think you can expect to pay 25%-30% more through Madooma than you might elsewhere. The security you receive in exchange is knowing that the mics are in exactly the condition described in the listing. Also, Madooma seems to have a lot of mics available, so that you can often find what you want there without a long wait. IME those are the tradeoffs.

Anyway, again, I'm very happy with the three mics I've purchased.

[xj32]

I have been looking at SENNHEISER MD-421 N's from them and $400 seems to be the going rate, has anyone seen them cheaper?

XJ

[DJBlueDrink]

I got a white body script logo 421-2 from them and it's quite nice. Thumbs up to madooma's

[papawhitehead]

Happy customer here!

[WunderBro Flo]

I bought one mic from them a year ago when the prices were ok. Look at the prices now, especially those for rare mics, it is ridiculous. They have become one of the places that drives the silly high prices of vintage mics even higher up in the sky. Prices for 47 were around the 10k mark for a long time. now thanks to places like madooma and others they climb up to the 15k mark.

They might be nice folks who deliver good products, but I relly dislike the pricing and what it does to the market.

Best,
Pat

[JQ127]

I love Madooma. Martin's a good guy and easy to deal with.

[. . .]

Originally Posted by JQ127

I love Madooma. Martin's a good guy and easy to deal with.

Madooma sucks... Their prices are ridiculous.

Also watch out... Not everything is original as he wants to tell us.

A pro doesn't buy vintage mics from people like Madooma, instead
you watch out for the favored vintage mic and buy from people you know or are trustworthy.

You get a MD 421 for half the price on the market.
A KM84 you get 1/3 cheaper.
You can get a U47 for half the price if you know how and where to buy.

14k for a U47 is not acceptable. tutt

e.g. Wagner sold a Neumann U47 short body, VF14, with original power supply well maintained for $ 6980,-
OK that was 2 1/2 years ago but everything above 10k is not acceptable to me.

I guess that says it all.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by Ron Wheeler

Madooma sucks... Their prices are ridiculous.

Have you dealt with them?

Originally Posted by Ron Wheeler

A pro doesn't buy vintage mics from people like Madooma, insteadyou watch out for the favored vintage mic and buy from people you know or are trustworthy..

One of the most trustworthy dealers is Vintage King and often their prices for vintage gear are quite a bit higher than what you see elsewhere. But once you realize that everything they sell is 100% tested, serviced and reliable then you will change your opinion. The selling price is just a starting point with vintage gear, I've seen plenty people sell U67s or KM54s on e-bay without PSUs or the right tubes and once you add up what servicing would cost you on top of the e-bay 'bargain' you will re-think the 'outragoeus' prices of some reputable deales. Even a missing cable (seemingly a 'detail' to many e-bayers) can change the final price quite a bit.

When I compare prices from the reputable dealers I know like Vintage King, h+e, akzent audio I realize that it's pretty consistent.

Originally Posted by Ron Wheeler

You get a MD 421 for half the price on the market.
A KM84 you get 1/3 cheaper.
You can get a U47 for half the price if you know how and where to buy.

Maybe yes. But though I scored some great deals on e-bay there is a high change that privately bought mics need servicing. Sometimes it's not even bad intent on the seller's side but just lack of knowledge. I thought and still think the prices for AKG D-19s ($600 or more) are ridiculous but after scoring a 'bargain' D19 for $250 that turned out to be broken beyond repair I realize that you need to look beyond the shock value of the price tag.

Rather than screaming outrage at the admittingly ridiculous prices that folsk buy for anything 'vintage' these days you should ask yourself WHY the prices are so high.

[camus]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

Have you dealt with them?




One of the most trustworthy dealers is Vintage King and often their prices for vintage gear are quite a bit higher than what you see elsewhere. But once you realize that everything they sell is 100% tested, serviced and reliable then you will change your opinion. The selling price is just a starting point with vintage gear, I've seen plenty people sell U67s or KM54s on e-bay without PSUs or the right tubes and once you add up what servicing would cost you on top of the e-bay 'bargain' you will re-think the 'outragoeus' prices of some reputable deales. Even a missing cable (seemingly a 'detail' to many e-bayers) can change the final price quite a bit.

When I compare prices from the reputable dealers I know like Vintage King, h+e, akzent audio I realize that it's pretty consistent.


Maybe yes. But though I scored some great deals on e-bay there is a high change that privately bought mics need servicing. Sometimes it's not even bad intent on the seller's side but just lack of knowledge. I thought and still think the prices for AKG D-19s ($600 or more) are ridiculous but after scoring a 'bargain' D19 for $250 that turned out to be broken beyond repair I realize that you need to look beyond the shock value of the price tag.

Rather than screaming outrage at the admittingly ridiculous prices that folsk buy for anything 'vintage' these days you should ask yourself WHY the prices are so high.

The difference being Vintage King actually has an in house tech staff that they need to pay salaries to in order to service warranties on their vintage gear. I can understand why they mark stuff up the way they do. Does Madooma?

[Mike Jasper]

Originally Posted by jefflaur1

I gotta tell ya..the folks that run Madooma Vintage Microphones in Germany really have my vote. Martin knows his merchandise, and makes sure the items are packed, and sent properly..he also makes sure that all US customs laws are dealt with..that way there's no "surprise" waiting on the other end..if you know what I mean.

What are you saying exactly? There are no custom fees or are you saying the custom fees are known up front? How is either possible?

It's the "surprise" of the custom fees that has always kept me away from them -- as well as the high prices of some things. Some of their prices are fair, some of them out of my league.

But tell us about the custom fees. Because I don't know what you mean.

Jasper

[xj32]

So ok then,

Where do you recommend finding 3 original creme colored MD-421n's ? All in one place, great shape and at the same time?

XJ

[swaff]

I haven't bought stuff from overseas before through eBay. Can someone tell me how it works with customs? Do I pay the eBay price, and shipping, then have to pick it up at a UPS location and pay a customs fee, or will it still be delivered to my door? If delivered to my door, when and how is the customs fee paid?

Sorry for being a noob. Thanks for your help.

Swaff

[JQ127]

Originally Posted by xj32

So ok then,

Where do you recommend finding 3 original creme colored MD-421n's ? All in one place, great shape and at the same time?

XJ

+1. How many of you guys slamming them have even dealt with them? Yeah some of the prices are high. They aren't the only ones. Who's giving U47's away? Or KM56's? Lemme know and I'll be on 'em like a bad rash.

Martin got back to me immediately on any question I had. Very pleasant and knowledgable.He backs up the stuff he sells and I always say you haven't paid too much if you get what you want.

I've gotten burned by supposedly legit sellers and have nothing but good stuff to say about Madooma. I'll tell you one thing-they're the only place I'm buying a D12 from. Already been burnt twice on those puppies.

[JQ127]

Originally Posted by swaff

I haven't bought stuff from overseas before through eBay. Can someone tell me how it works with customs? Do I pay the eBay price, and shipping, then have to pick it up at a UPS location and pay a customs fee, or will it still be delivered to my door? If delivered to my door, when and how is the customs fee paid?

Sorry for being a noob. Thanks for your help.

Swaff

Swaff I always had my stuff sent UPS to my door. Never paid any duty or customs fees.

[gwailoh]

Originally Posted by swaff

I haven't bought stuff from overseas before through eBay. Can someone tell me how it works with customs? Do I pay the eBay price, and shipping, then have to pick it up at a UPS location and pay a customs fee, or will it still be delivered to my door? If delivered to my door, when and how is the customs fee paid?

Sorry for being a noob. Thanks for your help.

Swaff

It depends on the purchase price.

If the price is under $1,000 US, UPS delivers to your door, and you give a check made out to "UPS Supply Chain" to the delivery driver.

If it's over $1,000, UPS will contact you by phone to arrange advance payment. They still deliver to your door.

(I've been through this several times in the last few months.)

[gwailoh]

Originally Posted by JQ127

Never paid any duty or customs fees.

Hasn't been my experience. See my previous post.

[Mike Jasper]

That's the thing with customs fees, there's no rhyme or reason to it. I got nailed on one from Canada once, and then two other times nothing.

That's why I'm wondering if Madooma has figured some way either around it or to predict it. But it doesn't look like the original thread starter is posting anymore.

Jasper

[JQ127]

Originally Posted by gwailoh

Hasn't been my experience. See my previous post.

Should have mentioned I never had anything over $975.00 shipped to me from out of the US. Thanks for pointing that out.

[WunderBro Flo]

Just looked into their store...U47fet for 4,5k dollars sorry but this is what I consider ruining the prices. 3-4 years ago I sold a 47fet in EXCELLENT condition for 1,5k Euro after I had it advertised for 1,8k and could not find a buyer for months.....those shops that advertise them at silly high prices are the cause the private sellers to do the same sooner or later ("what is my mic worth? let´s check ebay!"). Then the shops go "hey wait a minute, I am a shop with a qualified tech bla bla bla" and the shops raise the prices again. Then the private sellers....

Know what I mean? 4,5k for a fet, that says it all.....

Rock!
Pat

[outofphase]

PSW Recording Forums: Klaus Heyne's Mic Lab => time for a new round of eBay mic detective

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by WildCowboys

Just looked into their store...U47fet for 4,5k dollars sorry but this is what I consider ruining the prices. 3-4 years ago I sold a 47fet in EXCELLENT condition for 1,5k Euro after I had it advertised for 1,8k and could not find a buyer for months.....those shops that advertise them at silly high prices are the cause the private sellers to do the same sooner or later ("what is my mic worth? let´s check ebay!"). Then the shops go "hey wait a minute, I am a shop with a qualified tech bla bla bla" and the shops raise the prices again. Then the private sellers....

Know what I mean? 4,5k for a fet, that says it all.....Rock!Pat

o.k, I gotta chime in here. I have ZERO interest in defending Madoona because I never dealt with them and yes, their price are high......

But what you you stated about 'ruining the prices' is just plain BS, sorry for being harsh but I can't voice it any other way.

What is 'ruining the prices' is folks constantly implying that you can't make a great recording without a U67 or a Pultec and don't even think about doing it on DIGITAL....

THAT is the cause for these outrageous prices, demand and supply, it's as simple as that.

There is hardly a mic that I love more than the Shure SM7 (Mexico, 'b') Now imagine that this would have been a design introduced say in 1958 and discontinued in 1972 (I know these aren't the actual dates). Given how useful the SM7 is (I use it on practically every singer I record) and how great it sounds it would absolutely fetch top dollar and be hailed a s a 'holy grail' of dynamic mics......

But since the SM7b is still in production, it is 'only' a tool and though it might be used over much more expensive tube mics even on high-budget productions, it's stauture is very low-key.

That's also the reason why say KM 54s were used for guitar amps and stuff on early Beatles recordings. Nobody thought too much about having to replace a capsule, it wasn't a 'take out a loan' situation to buy a A701 tube then.

It's the same with guitars. Prices for 'golden age' Gibson, Martins and Fenders have sky-rocketed a long time ago. First it's the most popular models that are being 'ruined' and after a while folks go for the less popular stuff (say a Fender Mustang) because these might still be 'affordable' but it only takes a phenomenon like 'Grunge' to make these prices go into orbit as well.

It's exactly the same with mics and maybe we'll see $1500 'vintage' MD-421s soon, I wouldn't be surprised!

[WunderBro Flo]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

But what you you stated about 'ruining the prices' is just plain BS, sorry for being harsh but I can't voice it any other way.

If your parents had given you a basic set of manners you would have thought of the phrase "I disagree"

Best,
Pat

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by WildCowboys

If your parents had given you a basic set of manners you would have thought of the phrase "I disagree"

Best,
Pat

o.k, so let me rephrase that: I disagree with the bullshit I detected in your post.

[gwailoh]

Originally Posted by WildCowboys

Just looked into their store...U47fet for 4,5k dollars sorry but this is what I consider ruining the prices. 3-4 years ago I sold a 47fet in EXCELLENT condition for 1,5k Euro after I had it advertised for 1,8k and could not find a buyer for months.....those shops that advertise them at silly high prices are the cause the private sellers to do the same sooner or later ("what is my mic worth? let´s check ebay!"). Then the shops go "hey wait a minute, I am a shop with a qualified tech bla bla bla" and the shops raise the prices again. Then the private sellers....

Know what I mean? 4,5k for a fet, that says it all.....

Rock!
Pat

$4.5k for a clean, original, unmodified, unreskinned 47fet is not outrageous today. I was seeing them for $4k a year ago.

[WunderBro Flo]

Originally Posted by gwailoh

...is not outrageous today.

that is exactly the problem. today.

[doorknocker]

It's funny how the prices that we deem 'outrageous' today will be thought of as bargains come a few years. 5 years ago a lot of us have thought '3k for a U67? That's crazy!'

It happened with guitars and it happened with vinatge studio gear though at least nobody will buy studio gear (yet) just to put it in a shrine like it is pretty common with vintage guitars.

[Deuce 225]

A couple of items I ordered from Martin arrived today and UPS required $140 to deliver the items (a Neumann 54c w/ Power Supply and a Gefell UM70 - M7 Capsule). I have also ordered items from Martin that were delivered without this type of fee. I am not sure why I was hit with the Customs tax this time. I am going to find out who the actual recipient of the fee goes to -- but I know it isn't Martin. I have purchased several vintage mics from him with excellent results and will again if he has something I need.

As an aside, I have always found the guys at Mercenary and Vintage King great to work with as well. I just demo-ed 2 Gefell Mics from Mercenary, decided which mic worked best for my application and returned the other. Sean and Adam always do me right.

Best,
Tim Cochran