Building a Vintage-style U87 Mic Is Easier and Cheaper Than You Think (Video) April 30, 2013 11:43 35 Comments

In the video below, guest vlogger Matthew Jenkins walks us through his build of a vintage-style Neumann U87 clone. What some viewers may find surprising is that at no point during the video does Matthew perform any black magic or mortgage his home. As you'll see, a soldering iron, some attention to detail, $350-500 USD, and a free afternoon are all that's required to complete this project. And, thanks in large part to Microphone-Parts and Vintage Microphone PCB, all of the components that go into an excellent U87 reproduction are now available off the shelf.
The components Matthew used are: That puts Matthew's total at $342. Your cost will vary depending on the donor body, capsule, and components you choose. Other options include:
  • Donor Bodies
    • Behringer B2 (all switches)
    • MXL 2010 (all switches)
    • Aurycle A460 (no pickup pattern switch)
    • MCA SP1 (no pickup pattern switch)
    • CAD GXL2400 (no pickup pattern switch)
    • Carvin CM87S (no pickup pattern switch)
    • Gauge ECM 87 (no switches)
    • Nady SCM 900 (no switches)
  • Capsules
  • Transformers
    • AMI T13, designed specifically as a replacement for the original U87 transformer ($95)
Please ask questions or share your experience with building a U87 in the comments. And let me know of any donor bodies or components I may have missed.