How to Turn An Old Phone Into a Mic

Here's an unusual excuse for a trip to Radioshack and an afternoon spent tinkering in the shed: Randy Sarafo's DIY guide to turning an old-style telephone handset into a microphone, published over at Indescructibles.

Capturing the unique audio qualities of the classic, once-ubiquitous carbon microphone, such a device could fulfill all your musicmaking, online gaming and ransom-demanding needs. With quality problems that led to its deprecation from most other uses long before World War II, it's that "shouting into a well" effect that counts!

Note that the design will work only with the old-fashioned phones — perhaps because carbon microphones don't require amplification. Randall's rendition of Sweet Jane illustrates the effect.

Telephone Handset Microphone [Indestructables, Via The Red Ferret Journal]