Turtlerock Forum

Does anyone here in Australia carry out ribbon replacements on Coles 4038's or do they have to be sent OS?
Bear in mind I'm talking fitting a genuine 0.6 micron ribbon not some aftermarket thang.

Rob?

Wiz wrote:Rob?

Maybe.

I haven't yet but I'm thinking about buying a pair of 4038's but have kind of baulked at the price in the past.
However a new matched pair can be landed here from the UK for around $2,500 AUD versus around $4000 to buy them locally. $2.5k on a pair of new Coles is almost feasible.

My main concern is getting them serviced here as the Coles ribbons are pretty fragile.
We have other ribbon mics but I'm yet to find anything that does what the Coles do on overheads.
I've been waiting for someone to produce a $300 Coles equivelant for too long it seems.

I'm curious about this also. I have a pair that I suspect aren't properly "stereo" anymore. Pretty sure at least one of them needs looking at.

a.beck wrote:I'm curious about this also. I have a pair that I suspect aren't properly "stereo" anymore. Pretty sure at least one of them needs looking at.

I contacted Rob Squire at Proharmonic and he said the Coles ribbon guy is Glen Phimister in Sydney.

They are not really that fragile, they get knocked around in cases, shipped overseas, posted, couriered etc - no problem.
Dropping them from a height, or not using a pop shield when needed, or putting them too close to a bass drums turbulence - and the ribbons will die.

I've rarely heard of the ribbons needing replacement - even ones that have been used constantly in studios for 40-50 years.

Old ones can also have a build up of metalic crap on the ribbons which can dull them + slow down the transient response, and the ribbons can be stretched so getting a pair that are sonically matched is not that easy

The new ones sound great.

The Tasmanian wrote:They are not really that fragile, they get knocked around in cases, shipped overseas, posted, couriered etc - no problem.
Dropping them from a height, or not using a pop shield when needed, or putting them too close to a bass drums turbulence - and the ribbons will die.

I've rarely heard of the ribbons needing replacement - even ones that have been used constantly in studios for 40-50 years.

Old ones can also have a build up of metalic crap on the ribbons which can dull them + slow down the transient response, and the ribbons can be stretched so getting a pair that are sonically matched is not that easy

The new ones sound great.

Just don't stick 'em right in a kick drum hole!

I spoke to Glen Phimister in Sydney who does Coles repairs so at least that's covered.

rowmat wrote:

a.beck wrote:I'm curious about this also. I have a pair that I suspect aren't properly "stereo" anymore. Pretty sure at least one of them needs looking at.

I contacted Rob Squire at Proharmonic and he said the Coles ribbon guy is Glen Phimister in Sydney.

Awesome, thank you. I think I even still have his number somewhere.