Historic Hood River

Notes

Grace shares this artifact from the 1940s:

Often called the “Brown Bullet,” this microphone is a model W-90, manufactured by Astatic in the early 1940s. The Astatic Microphone Laboratory, Inc., was founded in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1933 and went on to produce the JT 30 in 1939 and the W-90 throughout the 1940s.

While originally designed for radio broadcasting and public address systems, the W-90 model is highly sought after today by collectors and harmonica players. Musicians covet the microphone for its distinct tone, produced by its internal crystal element.

According to museum records, this specific microphone was used at community dances in Hood River throughout the 1940s.

Perhaps this microphone was present at this dance or this one?

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