Alternatives to SM57's on Guitar Amps

octatonic · 17th May 2005

I don't usually start threads- but I am curious what y'all use for Guitar Amps other than 57's.
I've been using a Sennheiser 609 for the last few days on the advice of one of my colleages here in Switzerland.
Anyone use this- if so, how?
Any other mics you guys use?

Are you using a solid state or tube mic pre?

JR

Stephen B. · 17th May 2005

Royer R-121 has become my favorite for this. Love it. I've also had good results using an Earthworks SR77 a couple of feet back.

wallace · 17th May 2005

I'll sometimes use a SM58s or a SM7. Or a condensor/ribbon mic.

pan60 · 17th May 2005

i like the ev re-15 and re-16 on amp cabs as well as the sm-57.

Dragonfly · 17th May 2005

I've had good results using a KMS105, as well as Beta57's and RE20's.

84K · 17th May 2005

421s are awesome if you know what to do with them.... Beyer M160s.... 414s... I never use 57s.

studjo · 17th May 2005

royer 121 - Beyer 201 - sennheiser 421 - EV Re20 - whatever is left in the mic closet

Jo

cornboy7x · 18th May 2005

you should try a shure 55SH. "the elvis mic" actually sounds really good on guitar amps. also a SE electronics Z3300. those are awesome for the money.

Kenny Gioia · 18th May 2005

I recently used the combination of a Audix D2, Senn E609 Silver, and 57.

I favored the Audix alot. Warmest of the bunch. The 609 was the brightest.

music · 18th May 2005

I love the 609 Silvers. Do not really care too much for the black faced one. I would love to try the Royer as well. Not sure how those would compare. I need to rent or borrow one.

GPl · 18th May 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by music

I love the 609 Silvers. Do not really care too much for the black faced one. I would love to try the Royer as well. Not sure how those would compare. I need to rent or borrow one.

DON'T DO IT! You'll end up buying 2

Royer 121, e609, 421 sometimes RE20, 3035 on occasion......

warhead · 18th May 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen B.

Royer R-121 has become my favorite for this. Love it. I've also had good results using an Earthworks SR77 a couple of feet back.

Hmmm I've always found the SR77 to have a bit of a scooped sound, probably would work well in that position.

War

I'm reaching for my R84 most of the time now, but some other useful mics I've found are:

AT804: Dynamic omni that works well on clean electric guitar work. Not a very true omni in that the high end detail coming off the rear doesn't exist, but lacking much proximity effect which allows you to get in close with it if needed. Does a good job at avoiding that tizzy high end shit that is just impossible to eq in the mix.

E/V ND468: Hypercardioid dynamic which does an excellent job at minimizing the room but most importantly, gives you a cutting sound on electric guitar and provides a 'small' sort of sound and doesn't take up much a lot of space in the mix. This mic is very proximity dependent so low end depends on how close you need to get.

AT4033: About the only place I ever think to occassionally put this mic, it can be stellar on lots of cab work. Oddly enough Alan Parsons lists it as a 'go to' mic even above the high end stuff.

CAD M9: Damn smooth stuff in the mids and not overly bright, nice tube mic for lots of stuff including cab mic'ing.

War

Drumsound · 18th May 2005

Beyer M88, TGX 50 and M380. EV 408, PL20. AT 4050, 4047, Pro37R, ALesis/GT AM52. U87, Sennheiser 421, (I'm hoping the TAPE Op group buy ribbon).

Basicaly anything but a 57 for me.

Audy O · 18th May 2005

Hi:

I've always used SM-57s, 421s, love the Royers but they're more $$$. What I always end up using first is a Shure BG 6.1 in front of a 1967 Twin Reverb. A fellow studio owner told me about it and he was right.

What I hear on my monitors is what I hear in front of the amp - the guitar players agree on that too.

They're inexpensive and I'm sure you could find some around used as they were replaced with another model a few years ago.

Audy O

Anderson · 18th May 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumsound

Basicaly anything but a 57 for me.

Same here. sm57 sounds really dull.

Sennheiser MD 421 & e609, AKG C414 ULS, Brauner PhantomV, Royer R-122.

andychamp · 18th May 2005

On a budget, try the B2 Pro by that german co. manufacturing in China (begins with a B). If you got the money, go for the Blue Dragonfly.

André

anne_paranoid · 18th May 2005

I usually use a combination of SM57/SM81 or sometimes SM57/Blue baby bottle, both signals to the same track.

In a few days i´ll try Audix and Electrovioce.

Jack Pettit · 18th May 2005

The Royer 122 is a great electric guitar microphone.
Clean or dirt, both sound great.

BJohnston · 18th May 2005

Audio Technica 4050
Earthworks TC30 mic'd from a far.

B

18th May 2005

Thanks for the responses people...
A few options for me to try.

What mic pre's do you favour for distorted guitars?

JR

BJohnston · 19th May 2005

84K · 19th May 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by richmondj

Thanks for the responses people...
A few options for me to try.

What mic pre's do you favour for distorted guitars?

JR

Shep SN8s or real original 1073s (but I prefer the Sheps)
Helios
or
API

The Neves, Shep and the Helios have EQs that are great for distorted guitars.... but if you have access... the API parametrics are Sweet!!!!

Before we go on...
Compression.... Of what is readily available....

1176, Pendulum Vari-mu, or API 525.

duende · 19th May 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumsound

Beyer M88, TGX 50 and M380. EV 408, PL20. AT 4050, 4047, Pro37R, ALesis/GT AM52. U87, Sennheiser 421, (I'm hoping the TAPE Op group buy ribbon).

Basicaly anything but a 57 for me.

As a guitar player, this is how I felt too. But, then I tried a beta 57.... tracking to digital sounds damn good. Otherwise, I stick with the Sennheiser 421 (but they all sound different), EV RE20, or a Beyer. I like the coles too on small amps.

brownmouse · 19th May 2005

sennheiser 421
aea r-84
shure sm-7b
josephson e22s
soundelux u-195
usually through a great river mp-2nv or my new d.w. fearn vt-2.
joshua

studjo · 19th May 2005

micpre for dist. git.: Daking.

Jo

Lee Knight · 19th May 2005

My latest setup...

E609 with a GT33 together/in phase 3" off the cone and a Radio Shack PZM taped to the cabinet (thanks RD).

lwr · 19th May 2005

where exactly do you tape the pzm?

Lee Knight · 19th May 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by LongWave

where exactly do you tape the pzm?

It's to get the sub stuff for size. So on a Hiwatt combo I just did, I taped it to the side of the amp. It's a Richard Dodd trick. It makes things sound more like when you're standing in the room in front of the cab getting hit by the pressure. This only supplements the main mics...

...oh, and it's good idea to slip the time in a daw just a little to match your other mics, or not.

Coldsnow · 20th May 2005

I really like the AUdix i5 on guiar cabinet. Especially for semi distorted rythem guitar.

Chaellus · 15th March 2008

sm58 + royer 121

17th May 2005	#1
octatonic Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: London Posts: 5,429 Thread Starter	Alternatives to SM57's on Guitar Amps I don't usually start threads- but I am curious what y'all use for Guitar Amps other than 57's. I've been using a Sennheiser 609 for the last few days on the advice of one of my colleages here in Switzerland. Anyone use this- if so, how? Any other mics you guys use? Are you using a solid state or tube mic pre? JR __________________ Regards, Jim Richmond "I don't go to mythical places with strange men." Douglas Adams

17th May 2005	#4
pan60 500 series nutjob Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: 500 series Guru SKANK! ; ) Posts: 10,749	i like the ev re-15 and re-16 on amp cabs as well as the sm-57. __________________ www.pan60.com Facebook BLAST PAD Inventor just one invention among others. A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE 500 FORMAT, MAFIA Never EVER let the quality of your tools dictate what you do and don't get done, that's irresponsible and disrespectful to yourself as well as the muse. Gregory Scott - ubk it is easy to sound as though one was endowed with great intelligence, whilst speaking amongst a crowd of total morons

18th May 2005	#8
cornboy7x Gear maniac Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 178	guitar mics you should try a shure 55SH. "the elvis mic" actually sounds really good on guitar amps. also a SE electronics Z3300. those are awesome for the money.

18th May 2005	#9
Kenny Gioia Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 8,323	I recently used the combination of a Audix D2, Senn E609 Silver, and 57. I favored the Audix alot. Warmest of the bunch. The 609 was the brightest. __________________ It's a journey. Not a destination. Enjoy yours.

18th May 2005	#13
Drumsound Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bloomington Il Posts: 5,032	Beyer M88, TGX 50 and M380. EV 408, PL20. AT 4050, 4047, Pro37R, ALesis/GT AM52. U87, Sennheiser 421, (I'm hoping the TAPE Op group buy ribbon). Basicaly anything but a 57 for me. __________________ Tony Oxide Lounge Recording See the Oxide Lounge! Follow me on TWITTER! WWJMD? Come see me on the Tape Op boards! It's only inches on the reel to reel

17th May 2005	#2
Stephen B. Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Waco, TX Posts: 111	Royer R-121 has become my favorite for this. Love it. I've also had good results using an Earthworks SR77 a couple of feet back.

17th May 2005	#3
wallace Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,086	I'll sometimes use a SM58s or a SM7. Or a condensor/ribbon mic.

17th May 2005	#5
Dragonfly Gear maniac Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 189	I've had good results using a KMS105, as well as Beta57's and RE20's.

17th May 2005	#6
84K Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: right coast Posts: 3,857	421s are awesome if you know what to do with them.... Beyer M160s.... 414s... I never use 57s.

17th May 2005	#7
studjo Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 2,399	royer 121 - Beyer 201 - sennheiser 421 - EV Re20 - whatever is left in the mic closet Jo

18th May 2005	#10
music Gear nut Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 139	I love the 609 Silvers. Do not really care too much for the black faced one. I would love to try the Royer as well. Not sure how those would compare. I need to rent or borrow one.

18th May 2005	#14
Audy O Gear nut Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 124	Mics for Amps Hi: I've always used SM-57s, 421s, love the Royers but they're more $$$. What I always end up using first is a Shure BG 6.1 in front of a 1967 Twin Reverb. A fellow studio owner told me about it and he was right. What I hear on my monitors is what I hear in front of the amp - the guitar players agree on that too. They're inexpensive and I'm sure you could find some around used as they were replaced with another model a few years ago. Audy O

18th May 2005	#16
andychamp Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Basel, Switzerland Posts: 2,767	On a budget, try the B2 Pro by that german co. manufacturing in China (begins with a B). If you got the money, go for the Blue Dragonfly. André

18th May 2005	#17
anne_paranoid Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Madrid Posts: 146	I usually use a combination of SM57/SM81 or sometimes SM57/Blue baby bottle, both signals to the same track. In a few days i´ll try Audix and Electrovioce.

18th May 2005	#18
Jack Pettit Gear addict Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Reno Nevada Posts: 385	The Royer 122 is a great electric guitar microphone. Clean or dirt, both sound great. __________________ Jack P

18th May 2005	#19
BJohnston Gear maniac Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lower Midwest Posts: 277	Audio Technica 4050 Earthworks TC30 mic'd from a far. B

18th May 2005	#20
richmondj Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks for the responses people... A few options for me to try. What mic pre's do you favour for distorted guitars? JR

19th May 2005	#21
BJohnston Gear maniac Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lower Midwest Posts: 277	Same

19th May 2005	#24
brownmouse Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,399	sennheiser 421 aea r-84 shure sm-7b josephson e22s soundelux u-195 usually through a great river mp-2nv or my new d.w. fearn vt-2. joshua

19th May 2005	#26
Lee Knight Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Encinitas, CA Posts: 349	My latest setup... E609 with a GT33 together/in phase 3" off the cone and a Radio Shack PZM taped to the cabinet (thanks RD).

19th May 2005	#27
lwr Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 464	where exactly do you tape the pzm?

20th May 2005	#29
Coldsnow Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 742	I really like the AUdix i5 on guiar cabinet. Especially for semi distorted rythem guitar.

15th March 2008	#30
Chaellus Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rancho Cucamonga, California Posts: 1,980	sm58 + royer 121

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