[The Listener]

Just replied a recent PM about which kind of SM81 is the one in test - it's the US made from the early 90's. But I also had a chance to use some a bit more current, still US made and one of them sounded almost the same as mine, but another one was a bit "dry" - I suspect it was defect in some minor way. I don't know if the current ones are any different.

This test should not be your ultimate decision making about those three mics. In everyday practice I always choose Geffel, but mostly the LDC UM70 head when using only one mic on guitar, sometimes M70, but mostly UM70 is the safest bet. Even having all those mics around I end up using a pair of SE Electronics SE1A for some guitars - like finger strumming by one folk singer-songwriter that needed a bit extra HF push and very clean mics to be able to boost the somewhat undefined and silent source... KSM141 could work, too, but I didn't have them around. I also used his DI signal for some artificial bass on the guitar (listen to the song in attachment)

So - every mic has it's purpose to make it easier when mixing. I want recordings to be almost like mixes... not to fix with EQ too much later. That's the main reason to use "sligthly" different mics IMO.

I am planning to check the Line Audio CM3 in the near future - some friends swear they are amazing mics, a real cheap Schoeps MK21 alternative (which I hoped the 141 would be, but is not really).

Still - if you can find the UM70/M70 for a reasonable price on ebay and are not looking for a stereo pair - don't hesitate - those very good and versatile mics. Especially UM70 - it enables high quality vocal recordings and anything else you wish - strings, guitars, percussion...