Mics (and pres) for acoustic guitars (mainly...)

[nobo]

Hi,

I'm looking to upgrate / supplement my mics for mostly solo fingerstlye acoustic guitar (think Michael Hedges, Eric Roche, Justin King, etc), although it'd be great if the mics would also suit vocals and other uses (strings, percussion, etc). Also, M/S micing on acoustic sounds like it's worth investigating.

Currently I'm using Studio Projects C4s (spaced omnis) and an AT4033a in a pretty dead booth (only place quiet enough). Pres are SPL Gold Mike (Mk I), Focusrite Platinum (TwinTrack and Voicemaster). I'm considering upgrading the Focusrite pres to a DAV BG1 or Line Audio MP8, but I figured it's probably the mics that are the weakest link at the moment (recorder is Ensoniq PARIS, 3 Larrivee guitars and a Taylor).

I'm loathe to spend a serious amount of money (I was originally considering a CAD M179 or two, for MS micing and general use), but equally I could push the boat out if it's really going to make an appreciable difference. Ideally I'm looking to spend as little as possible (or nothing at all!) on mics and pres, but I fear that I'd probably need to spend a fair bit to notice much of an improvement. I guess max c. £1500 including preamps (of which around £500 for the 2 channel DAV or 8 channel Line Audio). Advice welcome (especially welcome if it's bang for buck stuff / stick with what you've got / just buy the CAD!).

Cheers,
D

[manthe]

I've used a ton of different mics on acoustic guitar in the low, mid and low-mid price range. I guess anywhere from $100 US to ~ $1800 US. I've also used some more expensive mics at bigger studios.

My favorite acoustic guitar mic (as a single mic) right now (more than anything I've used to date) is the Dragonfly from Blue. They are about $800 US and they sound at least twice as expensive! I'm not kidding, I LOVE this thing. I just picked one up about a month or more ago and my acoustic tracks ahev improved dramatically. Right now I pair it with a Rode NT5. I'm thinking of putting it with a Neumann KM184 (also $800). The Dragonfly/NT5 combo sounds outstanding...I think the Dragonfly/KM184 would be astounding.

I run them into UA LA-610s. I know those are a bit out of your price range, but they do make the Solo 610 for ~$800 US. Given the exchange rate, you could buy 2 Solo 610s, a Dragonfly and a Neumann KM184, from the US and come in just a little over budget. But, the sonic results would be unspeakably good.

The variable here, though, is that my LA-610s have the LA2A inspired compressor and the 2 channel EQ. I actually engage these attributes while tracking. So, the Solos would not be exactly the same...but I do LOVE the sopund of the 610 on its own and I know it would work VERY well with the mics I've mentioned.

Of course, I have not tried every mic out there, so my advice is limited to my experience. But, given your budget (which I've shopped EXTENSIVELY within ), these are very good choices!

[nobo]

Thanks. From what I understand of the Dragonfly, it's great at transients but has a pretty bumpy frequency response. This can make it very flattering on some instruments and voices, but doesn't work well on others. Have you found it works with a variety of guitars? If so, which and played in what style?
D

[Unclenny]

So...you're not happy with the sound you are getting from your acoustic guits?

Seems like you should be able to get good sounds with what you have....at least for the guitars. Work with it some more...mic positioning, gain settings.

I do finger style acoustic also and for me an additional DI feed works, but you may not have that option.

[manthe]

I've used it on several standard 6-(metal) string guitars (Many different brands), 12-strings and classical (nylon). I just recorded a flamenco guitar and guitarist this weekend and it sounded great!

I will say that the mic does not work well on everything. I also LOVE it 6 to 12 inches off of a guitar cab as well, especially coupled with an Audix D6 on the back of the cab.

Beyond that, I did not like it too much on anything else. I would say it is not a versatile mic, but what it does, it does EXTREMELY well. I've tried it on drums, voice, bass cab and percussion and did NOT like it. I will be trying it on a trumpet this week. we'll see. I think I have a lot of much better suited mics for that, but it never hurts to experiment.

I guess if you're looking for something versatile, it may not be your mic. But, for acoustic guitar, it beats out anything else I have (and a lot of things that I don't!).

Originally Posted by nobo

Thanks. From what I understand of the Dragonfly, it's great at transients but has a pretty bumpy frequency response. This can make it very flattering on some instruments and voices, but doesn't work well on others. Have you found it works with a variety of guitars? If so, which and played in what style?
D

[gm5k]

hands down favorite pre for acoustic = Buzz Audio Elixir

i really like the audio technica AT4050 for acoustic and it has a nice price...great all around mic.

Shinybox has good prices on ribbons that people have liked a lot as well. on some samples i heard on this site it seemed to hold its own w/ much higher priced ribbons (take that FWIW, these were online MP3 samples )

[TAVD]

I've have surprisingly good results with a Rode NT-1. I've had usually good results with a Blue baby bottle and MXL 603, which I've modified. I'm not too wild about the Chinese ribbons (or most others) on acoustics. I also like the Elixir preamp for acoustics and other stuff, although the Great River NP-500MV is stellar too.

[zarembo]

perhaps consider checking out a used Neumann km140. they still go for <$500 USD on ebay (not for long) and are far more flexible and less expensive than a 184 and in my ears sound better/butter.

great on ac. gtr and many other sources too.

may take you a while to get where you're going but try as many things as you can, and report back, eh?

[BlueRadio]

Hi there.


I'm using a pair of km184s through api 312 pres.

Be sure to get yourself a well-tuned, great sounding acoustic guitar, and a nice sounding room.

With all of that in mind, just move your mics around...it will be IMPOSSIBLE to get a bad sound.

[johnwayne]

I like the Dav for Acoustic guitars. I've used the 610 with good results but I always come back to the Dav. Using AT 4050 and Oktava Mk012s and an RNC sometimes.

[beats workin']

i think your weakest link may be your room, rather than your mics and pres. acoustic fingerstyle in a dead booth is, well, dead.
i remember a session looong time ago recording a really famous sax player- i was at a friend's studio and we had to track him in the control room because the band was in the live room. well, it was an unmusical-sounding control room, to my ears, so i busted my ass to cover all the walls with absorptive material to get it dead- thinking i'd take the room out of the equation. he comes in, looks around and says, "Man, you gotta take all this shit off the walls- the sax needs to breathe!"
maybe it's better to record in a better sounding space and just accept a little background noise. most folks won't care or notice once they hear your beautiful guitar and playing.
have fun,
david

[eligit]

a hardwood floored room. really opens up the sound even with directional cardioid close mics.

and....

a vintage '87 cedar top lowden

gefell m 300 (2)

daking pre/eq (2)...that eq is sweet indeed.

lavry ad


if that doesn't sound good....i need to put on fresh zog 10.5 strings....play better....or move the mics a little.

[ballast32]

Originally Posted by TAVD

I've have surprisingly good results with a Rode NT-1. I've had usually good results with a Blue baby bottle and MXL 603, which I've modified. I'm not too wild about the Chinese ribbons (or most others) on acoustics. I also like the Elixir preamp for acoustics and other stuff, although the Great River NP-500MV is stellar too.

Tom, how exactly did you mod your MXL? Was it a huge sonic difference or just to a trained ear?

[EliasGwinn]

Originally Posted by TAVD

I've have surprisingly good results with a Rode NT-1.

Yeah, those mics are way too good for their price. They have the lowest self-noise of any mic on the market at any price!! And they sound pretty good...similar to, but not quite a 414... but pretty good.

At the studio where I work, we have a sizable mic cabinet with some really fun mics (especially the Sony C800G and C37A), but I still reach for the NT-1 for low-SPL applications. Low-SPL means high mic-pre gain, which means noise goes up, up, up (the pre's noise performance is also a big factor). For soft strings, finger-picked guitar, foley recording, etc., the NT-1 works great.

However, if you can afford it, I would recommend a matched pair ofDPA 4041-SP's.

-Elias

[Blindside]

People can talk ish all they want, but until they've tried this mic, they know nothing.

Sterling Audio ST-77. Seriously. I hear so much about the AT4050, which is a great mic, but can't touch the 77 in my, and lots of others opinion. Great mic for acoustic guitar, many drum apps, second guitar cab mic, vocals. It's just a great mic and it is very inexpensive for the quality. Sterling Audio is the new name for Groove Tubes mics, and this is their new, top of the line jhank. It goes great with the....

Chameleon Labs 7602.

[TAVD]

Originally Posted by ballast32

Tom, how exactly did you mod your MXL? Was it a huge sonic difference or just to a trained ear?

I changed a few capacitors. It was subtle but still worth the $10 in parts. The one that helps smooth the top end most is connected to the capsule. Replace that with a polystyrene type. It's the only one on the back side of the pcb, if memory serves.

[Shaman]

BTW I´m selling a stereo pair of KM 184s at a great price.

Great through a Neve 1073 on acc. guitars