The Coles 4038 — the BBC-developed ribbon microphone that has been in continuous production since 1953. Standard for drum overheads, brass, and broadcast vocals. The mic that made the British drum sound.
The Coles 4038 was developed in the 1950s by the BBC's research department, originally manufactured by STC, and licensed to Coles Electroacoustics in the 1970s — where it has been hand-built ever since. The 4038 is a figure-of-eight ribbon mic with a smooth, dark high-end and a forgiving response to loud transients. It became the standard drum overhead in British studios, the standard horn mic in jazz rooms, and a regular for broadcast vocals. The mic has not changed in any meaningful way since 1953.
Hand-tuned aluminum ribbon. The smooth high-frequency rolloff is the 4038's signature — drum cymbals sound musical, not brittle.
Bidirectional pickup with deep nulls at the sides. Excellent for stereo techniques like Blumlein pair and mid-side.
Each 4038 is built by hand at Coles' UK facility. Pairs are component-matched for stereo work.
Coles 4038 — designed by the BBC for studio broadcast in 1955. Still hand-built in England to original spec.
From the original release through current production. Each version has its own character.
Original production by Standard Telephones and Cables. Vintage units identical to current Coles.
Continuous production since the 1970s. No meaningful design changes. Pairs available matched.
Factory-matched stereo pair for Blumlein and mid-side techniques. The standard for orchestral and drum overhead work.
A short list of rooms and records that put the Coles 4038 on the map.
Standard drum overhead mic at Abbey Road since the 1960s. On Beatles, Pink Floyd, and modern Abbey Road sessions.
George Martin's room ran 4038 pairs on every drum kit. The British drum sound starts here.
American studios picked up the 4038 in the 1970s. Capitol still runs them on horn sessions and drum overheads.
Vintage King has placed the Coles 4038 in more rooms than nearly any dealer in the world. Here is what we tell engineers when they call.
Buying decisions get easier when you can hear the difference yourself. Talk to a consultant before you commit.
If a 4038 is on the overheads, the kit will sound like a record. There is something about that ribbon that takes the harshness off cymbals while keeping the punch.
Use case · price range · what we recommend.
Start with a single 4038 for mono drum overhead, mono horn, or broadcast voice work.
Factory-matched stereo pair for Blumlein, mid-side, and drum overhead work. The standard pro setup.
Original BBC-era STC unit. Same spec, vintage build quality. Best for collectors.
If you do not see your question, talk to a consultant.