Vintage Microphone Hack for Rock Band

by deviant deb in Circuits > USB

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Vintage Microphone Hack for Rock Band

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On My quest to make playing Rock Band cooler  I wanted to add some extra style. There have been gutiar and drum hacks. This is a super simple mod to a cheap USB mic. The sound quality isn't greatly affected and works the same as any free Microphone that comes with a Rock Band gaming system.

This Mic won't make you sing any better...you'll just look cooler doing it.

Parts:
- Vintage Mic
- USB Mic

Tools:
- Hammer
- Saw (optional)
- Needle Nose Pliers
- Philips Screwdriver (different sizes)
- Soldering Iron (optional)


This is my first instructable so any comments on how to improve this instructable would be greatly appreciated.

Bust Open the USB MIC

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Bust open the USB microphone! (Just be careful not to damage the actual mic in this process.) Two ways to go about this:
 
1) Saw the thing open and pull it apart

2)  I wrapped the Mic Head with a towel and took a hammer to smash the screen. The screen top just pops right off. (this is the easier method. For future Mic mods I would use this method)

Dissassemble USB Mic Guts

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Take out the guts. Do this with care as you do not want to damage the mic or the cord.

1)  Pull out Mic from the top

2) Clip the white and copper cables.

3) Pull out cable, Rubber Mic casing, and Mic 

4) strip some of the cord cover to expose some of the wires.
 

Dissassemble Vintage Mic

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Do this with care as well. Replacement parts for vintage microphones are harder to come by.

1) Locate Face Plate screws on mic Head (There should be 4 total one on each corner)

2) Unscrew connector attachment.

3) Pull out internal connectors and clip cables.

Remove Internal Casing From Vintage Mic

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Take a part the insides on the old mic once again be careful not damage any parts of the vintage microphone as parts may not be able to be replaced.

1) Unscrew internal casing

2) Pull casing out and clip cables

Remove OLD Microphone

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1) Dissassemble old casing and remove microphone. (some extra fittings that maybe there may need to be modified to create room for USB mic wires)

2) discard old Mic (or save for future projects)

Rewire USB Mic Into OLD Casing

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1) Feed USB cable through the bottom of the mic

2) reconnect the USB cable to the USB Mic. This can be done with a soldering iron but in a quick bind I just attached the cables braided them together and covered with electrical tape. This was a quick fix since I did not want to go to Radio Shack at 11:45pm.

3) fit USB mic rubber case into the plastic casing. (trim down any of the rubber casing so that it fits nicely in the Vintage Mic.)

4) Reassemble internal mic casing and mount back into the microphone.

Reassemble Vintage Mic W/ New USB Guts

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1) Screw in Microphone face with screws.

2) Plug in!

3) Rock OUT!!!! on Rock Band.