meaty sounding mic for acoustics

[janek 68]

Hi , making intensive tests with compressors i`m recording acustic guitars.
I use AT4060 and Oktavamod 319 which aren`t bad really but still i don`t have enough fat sound.I remember Groove tubes MD1b.I was very meaty , grainy and fat as pig mic.It had only one defect - disgusting chinese cheap ice pick and sizzle on high frequencies.
Extended top isn`t bad on acoustics but not cheap top.
I need fat , grainy sounding tube Large condenser for acoustc guitars.
Waiting for your advice.....

[psycho_monkey]

Try a ribbon maybe...I love my coles 4038 for organic, rustic sort of sound.

[Clarence]

I use AT4060

Huh? If this was a camera you could make Heidi Klum look fat with that thingy ...

The fat sound starts with the instument being recorded

True.
Regarding positioning: are you sure you tried everything? The obvious, the questionable, the frowned upon and then some?

Maybe you are not looking for fat but a lo-mid bump?
Like the almighty U47?

Try AT4047 or Shure KSM32 if you are on a budget or any Neumann or Gefell you can get your hands across for the "will end it all“ solution.

Ribbons are cool if your pres can deliver.


Clarence

[minus-sounds.com]

Try the Octava ML-52 ribbon

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by Clarence

Huh? If this was a camera you could make Heidi Klum look fat with that thingy ...

LOL!


I like u-195's w/ the fat switch in, gets me a fairly meaty sound . . . I imagine ribbons will work too

[lordwesley]

Originally Posted by moracspace

The fat sound starts with the instument being recorded

I'm with this one. If there's no 'fat' in the instrument then no mic will pick it up.

[lakeshorephatty]

Assuming the poster has the correct instrument picked, i personally have found my cm7-gt with m7 capsule which is essentially a U47 clone to be the warmest without being plain old bloated guitar sound. I like that kind of sound so much i doubt i'll use any other mic on acoustics unless i have to.

[camus]

SM58 with the windscreen screwed off.

[janek 68]

Originally Posted by lakeshorephatty

Assuming the poster has the correct instrument picked, i personally have found my cm7-gt with m7 capsule which is essentially a U47 clone to be the warmest without being plain old bloated guitar sound. I like that kind of sound so much i doubt i'll use any other mic on acoustics unless i have to.

i knew that will be the best answer
of course CM7 is my target
but in the future....
now only fat , raw , grainy , primitive tube mic with easy to replacement tube (ex ecc83 or ecc81 - there are plenty of them and it is endless choice of differents tastes and colours....
what about Oktava tube?

[johnnybregar]

Janek 68 -

What kind (brand and model) of guitar are you recording? Lets start with that and see what we're dealing with.

jb

[janek 68]

U195- interesting - is it grainy?
Coles 4038 -? i have SE Ribbon .....ribbons aren`t grainy and they are slow....although i don`t know other ribbons except Royer 121 , CAD Trion and Oktava Ribbon...
AT4060 -isn`t bad but is hard sounding - it has very much upper mids and can handle high spl`s so isn`t soft , pillowy and meaty...just wide sounding.....
darker Groove tubes MD1b could make me happy...

[Jimbo]

The CAD VX2 with the OS-110 capsule is meaty (w/o the need for A1 sauce), and smooth on acoustic guitar.

[edit] I just noticed that you define meaty as "fat, grainy". Although I'm not sure I get what you're looking for, I retract my VX2 recommendation.

[Lunatique]

The guitar itself is crucial. You can use the fattest mic on the planet through the fattest tube preamp, but if your guitar is thin sounding (think Ovation), then it's not going to work. (But I guess most people recording ovations will DI it anyway.)

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by moracspace

The fat sound starts with the instument being recorded

Originally Posted by lordwesley

I'm with this one. If there's no 'fat' in the instrument then no mic will pick it up.

Originally Posted by Lunatique

The guitar itself is crucial. You can use the fattest mic on the planet through the fattest tube preamp, but if your guitar is thin sounding (think Ovation), then it's not going to work. (But I guess most people recording ovations will DI it anyway.)

Come-on people: he's not asking how to make his guitar sound meaty, he asking for a meaty sounding LDC for his guitar.

[lordwesley]

I know it comes down to preference for the player, but choice of pick on acoustic makes a pretty big difference. If possible experiment there. A choice of picks will be a lot cheaper than a choice of mics, and its very likely they'll make a bigger difference than changing a mic. If the pick's one of those acoustic paper thin things, the odds are against you.
It may not be the answer, but it might help.

[deneris]

it's a bit pricey, but the josephson e22s is great for big, colored sounding acoustic tracks with heavy strumming, or for fingerpicking. Fire it right at the 12th fret about a foot away and you're golden.

Definitely fat, though it's an sdc if that matters.

[jnorman]

sometimes a true pressure omni can be the best solution for this kind of thing, since omni exhibit no proximity effect, and can give you a big solid bottom end. (and dont we all like big bottoms?)

[RCM - Ronan]

I have an Ephiphone acoustic that looks cool and is fun too play but it always records flat and dull.... That is until I put a Pearlman LE on it. WOW!! It made the guitar sound huge. Nice big bottom with a forward high end that brought out the jangle.

[warhead]

When I want a fat acoustic sound I always reach for my AEA R84. It ain't grainy though.

Does the guitar sound grainy in the room?

War

[janek 68]

Thanks for all your advices.....
my guitar sounds ok by itself
FET LCD`s are wide sounding but not fat in organoleptic/musical sense .....in my opinion of course ....
tube mics are fat....
so : U195
CAD VX2
Pearlman LE.....
it`s good to know....

[jaguarsg]

u47 = meaty

[TYY]

Don't forget to play with a nylon pick. A thick one.

[vernier]

Still enjoying D19 on acoustic ...my drums and guitar fight over this little mic.

[heisleyamor]

people are going to disagree with me...but I suggest the SM7b without the windscreen in front of the sound hole for acoustic. Especially if you want it sounding "meaty" and for rock. I don't know if you'll get the "grainy" sound with it...you might want a u87ai for grainy.

[Mikey77]

I recently heard a "before and after" recording of a Michael Joly modded Oktava 219 on acoustic guitar and I really liked the dimension and "meat" that it delivered.
I don't have one but it is on my list.

[Brad McGowan]

How about a Royer R121?

I second the recommendation to get your instrument in order--heavy guage strings, and a thick pick.

The Heil PR40 sounds pretty meaty when you jam it up close to the upper bout of the guitar.

Brad

[GoldenOne]

What kind of guitar is it? If I want to make a thin or bright sounding guitar sound meaty I usually stick with ribbons, (I've used Fatheads and Royer 121s here) and usually end up placing them around a foot away from the soundhole. I bet the SM7b would work well but I haven't tried that. I always get such a meaty sound with that mic on kick and guitars that I bet it would work in this application as well.

[anguswoodhead]

To quote Daniel Lanois
"Acoustic guitar recordings are tough. If you can have a nice big mic further back from the instrument that's usually the best. Further back means no booming. Lately I've enjoyed a U47 or C37A with a 1066 preamp."

[vernier]

In my case, some of the fulth comes from a limiter.