Mics for guitar cabs

[Jason Poulin]

Is the SM57 the mic of choice? Or is there something else in your locker that you prefer to use to mic a guitar cab.

I've used the TLM 103 driectly on the grill of a mesa cab with a Riviera head and got great results.

Anyone using multiple mics?

Thanks

Jason

[dtobocman]

It depends on the guitar sound and amp.

For clean guitar or semi-overdriven "vintage sound" guitars (especially through open-back Fender type amps), I've never had great luck with SM57s -- my SM7 performs better. RE20 and 421s are also better performers in the is application (is my experience).

My favorite setups are a Soundelux U195 on the grill and/or a Blue Baby Bottle 1' away. I'll take a distant mic too, which I'll mix in to taste (condensor, I use a 4033 but many will work). Lots of people love ribbons close on the front of the amp in this "vintage sound" application (Royer, Coles, Beyer, RCA, AEA). I've also seen a whole lot of 414s close on an amp (combined and mixed with a dynamic or ribbon sometimes).

The SM57 has too much "bite" for me on a clean guitar, in general. I'm usually looking to smooth and mellow the treble response of the amp a bit and the SM57 (along with a lot of condensors) does quite the opposite. Bright condensors can be used at least 2' back as distant mics to mix in with the close mic, but they usually sound too bright and brittle up close. YMMV.

Somewhat surprisingly, clean guitar sounds are much more peaky than distorted sounds and will make certain mics (an SM57) react poorly. A compressor pedal before the amp helps my 57 to sound more consistent, but in general, an SM57 not the best mic for these sounds (my SM7 performs better). Some people agree wholeheartedly with this view, some people totally disagree. Of course, YMMV.

Others will have to chime in on "modern" distorted sounds, as that's not my specialty.

[Marshall Simmons]

dont forget about ribbon mic lovin'!!!!!!

[T. Biddy]

So now I know why you're not answering your phone, Marshall...put the mic down for the love of God...

Oh, and what were the names of the mic's you used when we were recording?

[Jay Kahrs]

A 57 and 421 work well in combination. Either one alone never really does it for me. I get a lot of mileage out of R-121's and Blue Baby Bottles. I still haven't tried the new 609 Silver but it's on my list. Other then that, I can't think of any mics I haven't used on guitar amps at one time or another. Still the ones I listed are usually my go-to mics.

[Robotnik]

The mic-pre is also very important. Depending on which you use in combination, you can get a very front/back 3dimensional sound.

[covert]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
A 57 and 421 work well in combination. Either one alone never really does it for me. I get a lot of mileage out of R-121's and Blue Baby Bottles. I still haven't tried the new 609 Silver but it's on my list. Other then that, I can't think of any mics I haven't used on guitar amps at one time or another. Still the ones I listed are usually my go-to mics.

I just tried one, alongside a 57 on a track, and it didn't make the cut. Hardly a final nay say, but I'll be back to the 421&57 combinations for now.

[Don]

I like the Blue baby bottle and a ML19 ribbon..sometimes a 421 and a AT4060...Very seldom can I get a 57 to do it for me..lord knows I'v tried

[Steve Smith]

My fav guitar mics, depending on application are:

SM57
Royer 121/122
AT 40 series anything, espically 4050
Senn 409,609,421,441

Most often, the order of preference of these are determined by the pres available

[shikawkee]

57's and ribbon mics on or near the grill and LD condensers for the rooms such as 4050's or other. Also try M/S micing. Works great sometimes. I also record direct mostly and re-amp later FWIW.

[Jam]

Second those baby bottle suggestions and the not so secret weapon of the Chandler Mic pres is a must hear ( again thanks to everyone who suggested those )

Jam

[Tim L]

Another cool mic besides the suggestions already here is the Sennheiser e604. Give it a shot if you have one handy.

[stealthbalance]

dont forget about the beyer dynamic M160 ribbon - probably my fav gtr cab mic.
if thats not around , i always love the 57/421 combo. recently ive been using the royer 121 and have gotten good results as well. i guess jay kahrs and i agree much. haven't tried the baby bottle though. a friend uses the blue bottle for lead vocals claiming its like a great 47 tube with more top end clarity. does anyone know if this is true , and also if so , how does the baby bottle compare to this big bottle mic? thanks !
s

[shikawkee]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by stealthbalance
[B]dont forget about the beyer dynamic M160 ribbon - probably my fav gtr cab mic.]

I use the Beyer 260, single ribbon model often.
It kicks ass.

[Meriphew]

Another vote here for the BLUE Baby Bottle. I normally use it combined with a 57.

[Jason Poulin]

I think I'll be trying the 57 and e604 through an API or GR.

Thanks

Jason

Has anyone tried the beta 56?

[Drumsound]

I have really good luck with Beyerdynamic TGX50 and M88s on guitar. I only like SM57 with Great River MP2 (not NV). AT 40 series is good, and believe it or not the AT Pro37R right up on it like a dynamic. 421 can work, so can a U87. Clean guitar is a lot harder to get right IMHO.

[dtobocman]

Originally posted by stealthbalance
dont forget about the beyer dynamic M160 ribbon - probably my fav gtr cab mic.
if thats not around , i always love the 57/421 combo. recently ive been using the royer 121 and have gotten good results as well. i guess jay kahrs and i agree much. haven't tried the baby bottle though. a friend uses the blue bottle for lead vocals claiming its like a great 47 tube with more top end clarity. does anyone know if this is true , and also if so , how does the baby bottle compare to this big bottle mic? thanks !
s

Baby Bottle on vocals is pretty weird. Rolled-off treble, rolled-off bass and accentuated midrange. The poor bass response is the most unworkable thing about it as a vocal mic, but it's pretty nasal on every singer I've tried it on.

Strangely, I've read some posts by people who like it for vocals. I'm amazed.

That said, it's very nice on guitar cabs, especially backed off about 12".

[Remoteness]

I'm with Steve Smith on most choices.
Some of my favorite mics (In no special order) are..

Shure SM57
Royer 121
Beyer M160
Audio Technica 4050
Sennheiser MD409, MD421, MD441
Neumann TLM103, TLM127, TLM170

We just worked with Travis live at the Orpheum Theater in Boston, MA and they were using TLM170s on their Orange GTR cabinets... And I loved the combination.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by stealthbalance
haven't tried the baby bottle though. a friend uses the blue bottle for lead vocals claiming its like a great 47 tube with more top end clarity. does anyone know if this is true , and also if so , how does the baby bottle compare to this big bottle mic?

Totally different ball game. The Baby Bottle starts rolling off gently around maybe 100-120 or so and up top around 5khz. It sounds like a ribbon mic with regards to the top but it has a whole lotta gain. I almost always need to put a 20dB pad on it for electric guitar. If you like really bright guitars you'll need to put another mic up with it, add a lot of top or just use something totally different. But for my work and the way I like to hear guitars it always sounds good with some time spent on placement.

I haven't had a lot of success using the Baby Bottle as a vocal mic. Someone else called it nasal and it usually sounds like that or just muffeled. But depending on what the guitars are sounding like and the singers voice it can be great. There's one band that's stopped in a few times and it's really the best mic for their singers voice and I've tried everything I own on him.

[stealthbalance]

thanks for the feedback on the baby bottle. anyone here agree that the blue bottle ( big one ) is like a 47 tube with more clarity ??
thanks
s

[jbuntz]

Originally posted by stealthbalance
thanks for the feedback on the baby bottle. anyone here agree that the blue bottle ( big one ) is like a 47 tube with more clarity ??
thanks
s

It has switchable capsules. I'm sure one of them is supposed to sound like a 47.

[logichead]

Royer 122 works great, but expensive - instead of 57 try Beta 52 kick drum mic to settle down harsh high end.

....H

[Jay Kahrs]

The big Bottle is/was based on the CMV??? Hitler mic. I've talked at length to Skipper many times and he said that of all the mics in the Blue line the Cactus sounds most like a U47 but still doesn't sound like a 47. I'm sure one of the Bottle capsules would be similar or the same as the Cactus. Anywho, I just remember Skipper saying that if I wanted a U47 I should buy a U47. At the time I was thinking of buying a CMV563 or UM57 and having Blue restore it. Never got around to it though, I bought another 1176 and my EQP-200 instead. Maybe next year.

[Tim L]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
I'm sure one of the Bottle capsules would be similar or the same as the Cactus.

Yup, the Cactus has a multi pattern capable B7 capsule on it.

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

I usually start with a 57 --> 1073 --> eq a bit --> tape/disk.

I dont compress gtrs to tape/disk, as the gtr amp is the biggest compressor in the world!, maybe i just go a bit hotter than normal and ride it for solos etc.

For additional parts i change pre's, mics etc and often use a distressor or 1176 for the tonal difference and variety to change the sonic pallettte a bit.

Other suspects include:

Km84 !! yes very underated mic in this and many other applications.

U-87

Sennheiser 421

am keent o try out ribbons as i have no expereience with them and also the new senn mic gold/silver one and a baby bottle.

Cheers
Wiggy

[bloodstone]

My best results have been close micing with an AKG 414 BULS slightly off axis, or An Oktava ML52 ribbon, or a combination of Sennheiser 421 close with a 414 3-6' away. Occasionally an AKG Solidtube close has done a great job on small amps barely turned up to an audible level. I've also had great results with the single sm57.

[recordista]

I like the Beyer M201 and M101 on cabs, and also the aforementioned MD409.

M101 can often be hung from its cord which is looped through the cabinet handle.

[bassmac]

I've tried different mics, but always end up with a 57. Others may be more flattering soloed, but in the mix - 57’s do work pretty damn well. (same goes for snare) They're not a standard for nothing.

[guittarzzan]

Well, I got an AEA R84 ribbon mic on Friday and did a bunch of guitar recording yesterday. I gotta say, this mic is the best sounding, most natural and warm mic I've ever heard on a guitar cab. I tried a Royer a couple years ago, but didn't have the right pre for it so I couldn't do the mic justice, but now I have some nice pre's and the R84 was a lot cheaper than the royer so I opted for it after reading some user reviews of it.
I've used a 57, 421, and a Lawson LMp 57 on guit cabs and I think the R84 beats em all at just sounding like the amp sounds without adding something that shouldn't really be there. The lawson sounds good too, but less natural.
I'd recommend the R84 to anyone recording guitars. I love it!!!

Steve