Acoustic Guitar Mic/Pre Combinations

[Aaron Miller]

For what you describe, I don't think the pre will play much of a difference at all, as long as you're not driving it hard. Anything cleanish with an SDC about 6-10" out where the body meets the neck would be my first choice.

In my experience, 'pick attack + not much body' requires careful EQing and compressing because, to get the pick attack, you're also placing the mic much closer to the soundhole and therefore picking up a lot of body and boom. Also, I wouldn't pay much attention to what the solo'd track sounds like; if you can, audition mic positions with playback in the context of the mix.

Good luck!

[MJ Heck]

I'll bite - nice choices, there.

Given the list on the site and what I've played with
(man, it can really depend on the axe and room)
I had good luck with the KM84 > Neve >LA2A.

MJH

[AaronBerman]

awesome...thanks!

i've heard great things about the Tube-Tech Cl1b..how do you think that would fare with a Km84 and the massenburg (only have 10 chanels of the 1073's which will most likely be on drums with a few api 512c's)?

[wildplum]

"bright and a fair amount of pick attack"

don't think i'd use what has been suggested so far. i'd stay away from the neve (body, body), la2a and cl1b (both rich and creamy). also, the km84 is good, but not best given your choices and stated goal. of the choices you gave, i'd recommend the 414 ULS through the massenburg. as for compression- wait till mix time, but if you must, try a clean solid state (millennia) and use a fairly long attack (preserve pick sound).

i may not use this chain for a different purpose, but given what you said and what you have...

[seanmccoy]

My current starting choice for a strummed acoustic tucking into a big mix is a KM140 through a BAE 312a. I love clean pres for folksy or all-acoustic mixes, but for rock or pop acoustic I want some attitude, which will shine through even if the guitar is mixed back. No compression necessary if the player is solid. I don't have a KM84, but I'm sure it would be at least as nice as a KM140. The Neve will sound good, of course, but I'd be tempted to requisition one of the API's if it can be spared. Naturally, these are just off-the-cuff suggestions and you should fiddle with options if time allows.