what preamp do you recommend for recording electric guitar?

[hitchcaster]

hi.. ive got a roland vs2480.. a sm57, vintage d25, and vintage md421.. All im recording is electric guitars (blues, rock, jazz, funk, etc.. sometimes loud).. and im also going to be doing some bass too FYI... anyways ive never owned a good preamp or anything.. so im wondering what you think would be best for my application.. im thinking ive got about 3K to spend but usually try not to think in those terms.. two channels is cooler but not essential.. im not sure if ill want a good compressor and/or EQ but am open to that.. for now im focusing on a good preamp.. here's some ideas i had
tab v78
avalon 2022
gt vipre
great river me1 NV
studio projects vtb1
RNLA
chandler LTD
avalon 737sp
thanks!
charlie

[WEAPON_X]

the chandler tg2 became the n#1 guitar recording preamp in the last year, and delievers astonishing results. this would be my number 1 recommendation.
however, i assume you want to record more than electric guitars with a decent preamp, and it is quite sluttish to have a preamp only for guitar recording. hence, i would go for the great river, which can deliever fine results too, and is also nice for DI recording, vocals, and a broad range of different other sources.

[Velvetfreddy]

API or Neve.

[NathanEldred]

My ultimate guitar preamp rig is a Great River NV into a Chandler TG channel. Together they are better than either seperately in this application.

[WEAPON_X]

My ultimate guitar preamp rig is a Great River NV into a Chandler TG channel. Together they are better than either seperately.

next time i will remember before answering that the emphasis is on gearslut

do you want to explain a little bit the hows and whys of doing this and the results ? thank you !

[84K]

Chandler or GR

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by WEAPON_X

next time i will remember before answering that the emphasis is on gearslut

do you want to explain a little bit the hows and whys of doing this and the results ? thank you !

Edit: I use both the pieces below for my guitar rig, read my post a few up for this post to thoroughly make sense.

The Chandler lives a bit too midrange for my tastes on guitars...I like to hear a little bit of deeper lows than it provides. I suppose I could correct this with EQ, but I'm trying to avoid this if possible.

The Great River is a bit too clean overall even when heavily driven and could use a bit more softness and added midrange power.

Note that I find the same basic results to 2" tape or to good digital (Lavry)...although tape is more satisfying overall.

So the two together make up for what the other one doesn't have. I'm a guitarist and an engineer and I record quite a bit of guitar driven music, so I'm extremely picky in this regard. This is also based on what happens in mix, and not just how much I get off on the sound of the guitar in tracking...sometimes something that seems really great in tracking doesn't work so well in mix and requires too much processing. Please realize I'm speaking terms in nano anal retentive picky preferences not huge generalities when describing these preamps...either way, either preamp is going to sound GREAT by itself.

[WEAPON_X]

thanks nathan for that in depth view !
still i wonder, do you really put the outs of the tg2 into the GR ?
i only used them side by side so far, and mixing both to taste so far, but i will give it a try, because your approach looks very interessting.

[kwhatx]

API and Great River are my "go to" pres for tracking electric guitar. I also like the way they compliment each other when there are multiple electric parts involved.

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by WEAPON_X

thanks nathan for that in depth view !
still i wonder, do you really put the outs of the tg2 into the GR ?

I go out of the balanced XLR line output of the Great River into the line input of the TG Channel. I'm guessing it would work fine with the Great River (1st) going into the TG-2 preamp (2nd), just pad the input of the TG-2 because the output of the Great River is very likely to clip the input of the preamp (but not a line level device...i.e. TG Channel).

i only used them side by side so far, and mixing both to taste so far, but i will give it a try, because your approach looks very interessting.

Cool. Good luck.

[ron florentine]

API 312 thumbsup

[Drumsound]

Aurora Audio GTQ2 mk3. Two great mic pres with a simple effective three band EQ each.

[Fletcher]

[Kenny Gioia]

TG2 all the way.

[Marlowe]

Chandler TG2 or Chander Channel
1272

[DirkB]

For me, guitar is about midrange. Nothing complements a sweet sounding amp better than a R-121 into a TG2. Try those and your quest for the guitar recording chain is over .

Good luck,
Dirk

[TheSweetener]

Almost everybody who uses a TG also uses a Royer R121 in front of it.
The Royer sounds completly different than a SM57 (which I still prefer a lot!), so I expect the TG to make the guitars more in your face, because the Royer does not do that. Right?
That's why I never tried the TG, because I did not expect it to work with a 57. Would perhaps be too much midrangebite.

Are there any SM57 + TG2 users?

[DirkB]

Originally Posted by TheSweetener

Almost everybody who uses a TG also uses a Royer R121 in front of it.
The Royer sounds completly different than a SM57 (which I still prefer a lot!), so I expect the TG to make the guitars more in your face, because the Royer does not do that. Right?
That's why I never tried the TG, because I did not expect it to work with a 57. Would perhaps be too much midrangebite.

Are there any SM57 + TG2 users?

Well, I think you analysed it too much. I love the SM57 into the TG2 on guitars and use it still alot, mainly if I want more bite. But the R-121 adds something that is hard to discribe. I also use the SM57 and R-121 together on some cabs and then line up the phase as good as possible with an IBP on the SM57, which is normally the mic closest at one of the speakers.

The TG2 is just a great preamp, I have recorded complete albums where, apart from some BAE312's on drums, everything was recorded through the TG2. Great bass DI also...

Greetings,
Dirk

[u b k]

Originally Posted by TheSweetener

...I expect the TG to make the guitars more in your face, because the Royer does not do that. Right?

expect the tg2 to make everything SMMOOOOOTH, especially in the headache freqs (4-6k) where electric guitar can get painful.

it's not that it's soft, or dull; the brightness is there, it just has no harshness. you can eq the presence and the choice is "more or less presence" rather than "more or less bite." i suspect that's why folks particularly love it on distorted electrics.

i love it on everything; as a result, the great river is starting to feel lonely, and the langevin has been sold.


gregoire
del ubik

[TheSweetener]

Originally Posted by DirkB

I love the SM57 into the TG2 on guitars and use it still alot, mainly if I want more bite.

Thanks, but that's exactly what I meant.

I have a R121 btw and I always have to add some mids and highs when recording guitars, even when using the backside and facing directly at the middle of the speaker. So I can imagine it's a good combo with the TG2.

The SM57 + Royer is also something I can recommend, but still if have to say that I was quite disappointed by the dullness of the R121 after having heard so many raving reviews.
Okay, I'll stop it here, I don't wanna hijack!

[unguitar]

Hi,
I have had the chance to deeply test an Spl Gainstation 1 during the last days and I've found it to be a really great preamp.
It works in class A ( just fyi as this could mean nothing in terms of sound) and it has a great way to blend solid state and tube.
It has been the most sensitive, open, real, dynamic preamp I've ever tried.
It was really great even to DI with.
I know it may not be a famous name for many, but I really suggest you to give it a try if you find one around.
I've never felt so pushed to suggest a box before, this thing made me smile for a long time while playing ( no affiliation with Spl).
Give it a try !
my best,
Luca
www.unguitar

[DirkB]

Originally Posted by TheSweetener

Thanks, but that's exactly what I meant.

I have a R121 btw and I always have to add some mids and highs when recording guitars, even when using the backside and facing directly at the middle of the speaker. So I can imagine it's a good combo with the TG2.

The SM57 + Royer is also something I can recommend, but still if have to say that I was quite disappointed by the dullness of the R121 after having heard so many raving reviews.
Okay, I'll stop it here, I don't wanna hijack!

Not my experience at all... Dullness is not something I would ever use to describe the R-121. Are you sure yours isn't broken?! I never add any eq with this combo during tracking and very little to none at mixdown.

Greetings,
Dirk

[picksail]

For guitars, I'm a big fan of a sequential API chain. I just love the way it delivers the transients and percussive attack inherent in guitars.

API 312>API 550A>API 525 (the compressor varies a bit depending upon the sound and application. Often a Distressor or 1176. Sometime an ADL 1000 or LA2A...it just depends on how I choose to shape the envelope) Sometimes I just pass the signal through the 525.

Although, I do have both a Great River MP2-NV and a EQ2-NV, that Dan sent, just sitting in a rack. I dying to fire them up. I have a feeling it will make a believer out me.

[TheSweetener]

Originally Posted by DirkB

Not my experience at all... Dullness is not something I would ever use to describe the R-121. Are you sure yours isn't broken?! I never add any eq with this combo during tracking and very little to none at mixdown.

I think it depends on what style you do. I mostly record hi gain guitars and compared to a 57 the R121 sounds like one meter behind the speakers.
I simply can't put a 57 right in the midlle of a speaker, too much sizzle with hi gain guitars, with a R121 I have to put it right in the midlle and still need to add hi iend! I don't have these issues with any dynamics or condersers I use. But still I've used the R121, cause it has a very nice lo end that I can't get with a 57.

[picksail]

Originally Posted by TheSweetener

I simply can't put a 57 right in the midlle of a speaker, too much sizzle with hi gain guitars, with a R121 I have to put it right in the midlle and still need to add hi iend! I don't have these issues with any dynamics or condersers I use. But still I've used the R121, cause it has a very nice lo end that I can't get with a 57.

Try moving it off axis. Helps reduce the 'sizzle'.

[ozraves]

Another lemming here for the Great River NV series...

[RKrizman]

Phoenix DRS-2 or GR MP-2NV. The former gives a little more full bodied sound, the latter a more focused midrange. I always end up using a 57. To my ears the Royers always sound sort of "squeaky".

-R

Originally Posted by TheSweetener

The SM57 + Royer is also something I can recommend, but still if have to say that I was quite disappointed by the dullness of the R121 after having heard so many raving reviews.

[TheSweetener]

Originally Posted by picksail

Try moving it off axis. Helps reduce the 'sizzle'.

Don't get me wrong. I love the 57! Moving it 2 centimeters to the side does the job well.
Thanks anyway!

[neve1073]

I hate to be trendy, but the tg 2 is undeniably good for elec guitar. My main outboard pres are neve 1073, chandler tg 2 and v76. I usually use the tg2 or the neve for electric guitar.

[Coldsnow]

I am not kidding but try the GT Brick on Electric guitar. I'd never been fond of tube pre's on electrics, typically like neve's. I was at a friends and tried it compared to a lot of good stuff including various Neve styles and the Brick really stood out.