Better mics for acoustic guitar

[didier.brest]

You might find valuable information about how perform a lot of SDCs on steel guitar here.

[hernanperez2000]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

but I did sell my Schoeps CMC6/MK4 pair and replaced it with a pair of Schoeps CMC6/MK41. They work and behave better that the MK4 for solo fingerstyle guitar in near to medium placements (12" to 3').

I agree. mk41s caps are amazing in my experience for ac guitar. Schoeps cm6/mk41 are my favorite for this task. So natural and musical sounding mics.
Beyer Mc930s are excellents too, in another budget of course.

[xlon]

My personal favorite is Neumann sm 69.
The older tube version sounds natural and the stereo effect is just enough to
still have center focus when set in its widest position.

[Eganmedia]

Originally Posted by xlon

My personal favorite is Neumann sm 69.
The older tube version sounds natural and the stereo effect is just enough to
still have center focus when set in its widest position.

Beat me to the punch, but I like the SM69fet, because that's what I have. For spaced pair I have great success (depending on the style/ player/ guitar/ arangement) with the following:

2 Schoeps CM 41s, 1 CMC 41 and 1 MK2, or a pair of Earthworks TC40K.

For vocal/guitar combination I use 1 AKG 414 in fig8 (vocal) a Schoeps MK6 in fig8 over the guitar body and a Schoeps MK41 on the 12th fret. The amount of isolation between vocal and instrument while maintaining a big stereo image on the guitar is nothing short of amazing. Just make sure to point the nulls properly and avoid a reflective surface behind the mics.

All that said, the SM69 is just perfect for most applications, including a singer/ player (with proper placement and performance).

[jmikeperkins]

I record vintage Gibson guitars all the time and my favorite mic for this is the vintage Neumann KM74 and I have a pair of those. The KM84 is also nice, but I like the 74 a little more because its a little less colored. I also have a pair of KM184's but they don't get used much (except for live video work, where the "reach" of KM184 shines) because they just don't sound as good as the KM74. If you want even less coloration and proximity, you should strongly consider the Earthworks SR30 mic. I have a pair of these in the black finish (which was called the SR77) and when the Neumann doesn't work on a particular source the Earthworks almost always will. Very little proximity effect for a cardoid, flat, but not without life. I am sure some of the Schoeps mics are also good and DPA makes several fine small diaphram mics as well.

If you are going to CLOSE MIC an acoustic in STEREO then you pretty much have to have the accuracy of small diaphram mics.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

I haven't used the Schoeps wide cardioid caps, but I did sell my Schoeps CMC6/MK4 pair and replaced it with a pair of Schoeps CMC6/MK41. They work and behave better that the MK4 for solo fingerstyle guitar in near to medium placements (12" to 3').

Another great mic is the Gefell M295.

The 3 Zigma CHI mics Greg mentioned are quite nice too.

So you've got my attention. As I mentioned above I have a single CMC6 with the MK4 cap. which I like alot. But I haven't heard the MK41 (I am interested in hearing more and certainly not debating) Can you elucidate a bit further on "work and behave better" Thanks, Kev

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by KevWind

So you've got my attention. As I mentioned above I have a single CMC6 with the MK4 cap. which I like alot. But I haven't heard the MK41 (I am interested in hearing more and certainly not debating) Can you elucidate a bit further on "work and behave better" Thanks, Kev

Well, the main difference is a slow lower frequency dip with the MK41 which (not surprisingly) mitigates the proximity effect. My Gefell M295 pair does the same thing. Of course, the MK4 can be EQ'd to compensate if needed, and the results are just fine.

Secondly, the polar pattern is different. A pair of hypercardioids will give a bit more stereo separation with various placements. Many hypercardoids can sound a bit "pinched", but not the MK41. For my uses, the MK41 capsule is slightly easier to work with and is slightly more versatile than the MK4 capsule.

Of course, a pair of CMC6/MK4 is wonderful.

[Baithak]

Originally Posted by KevWind

So you've got my attention. As I mentioned above I have a single CMC6 with the MK4 cap. which I like alot. But I haven't heard the MK41 (I am interested in hearing more and certainly not debating) Can you elucidate a bit further on "work and behave better" Thanks, Kev

Dear Kev : in close mic applications, most of the sound tends to be off-axis and the uniformity of the off-axis is the key to sound "better" or more natural. The MK 41 in my opinion outperforms the MK 4 capsule in this regard. As an added bonus to the OP, the 41 does not go very deep in the low-Fs so the lo build up is minimized.

One other thought to the OP, is your room treated? The type of low build up you are describing could easily be the room :-) Finally, if you choose to go with the 41, you will find that you will get better results by moving the mic pair about 50-70 depending on the room than the 20cm you are thinking about. At 20 cm you will encounter proximity effects with all but omni mics and the variable D dynamics of EV.

Good luck,
Baithak

[NathanEldred]

The mk41 is great for extreme isolation, if your room is bad or you need isolation from a close ensemble its the way to go. But for single instruments being recording one at a time, or with gobos around them, I prefer the mk4 or mk21. The mk21 will be more open sounding and a little less 'woody' and thick (in comparison) to the mk4. It's a good complement to the mk4 since you already have the system. Mk2 will be most different than the mk4, and will be very open and pick up a lot of ambience just so you are aware of that, or have a way to mitigate that if necessary. Just my 2 cents.

[elladoizquierdo]

My room is a mid sized one (5m x 4,5m 3,5m high) with absorption/difussion on cellings and treated walls and wood floors with carpet. I also have some gobos to use. Certenly don't have a room low frecuency bildup.
I have attached some pic of it.
It surprises me all that posters mentioning probably room problems as I have allways encountered some kind of low frecuency excess when recording dreathnoughs with spot cardioids in every studio I have worked in. Obviously it disappears when you move the mics further, but the sound looses intimacy and presence.
Also I would like to note that with my actual mics I'm getting a preatty good acoustic sound (sometimes amazing, depending on the guitar/performer), but that allways needs some eq to arrive to what I want. I would want to get BEST sound if possible, with mics that give the nearest finished sound possible when recording not that what I have is not good.

[KevWind]

Hey thanks all, for the input Guess I might have to look into a 41 and a 21 Geez no wonder they named this damn place SLUTZ !!!!!!!! Thanks again , Kev