Mic Pre to go with 421s for recording guitars

[SpeedKing9]

I'm currently using a a Great River ME-1NV with a Shure SM57, and I'm looking to use a 2 mic recording setup for ROCK GUITARS, 57 on a cone and a 421 on another cone. I'm not sure what pre would match well, I"m open to all suggestions. I've been thinking lately to grab an Avalon 737 pre for some hip hop, but I'm not sure how well that pre would match with a 421 or a 57.

Any suggestions..for recording loud rock guitars, all mesa/boogie.

[lemix]

SpeedKing9,
What other preamps do you have ?
The 421 is a great gtr amp choice IMO. I use it a lot on cabinets, alongside with an LDC or a ribbon. Has a "nice" bite to it.
I would try an API..I don't have one at the moment, using Daking or the console preamp.

good luck,

[Zwinter]

Using an API pre is a great suggestion, but I would like to add another pre to the mix. To my ears the Phoenix DRS-1 compliments the Great River like beer compliments pizza (which is what I ate last night so it's on my mind). Both are great on their own, but when you put them together something magical happens (and I’m not talking about the hang over I have this morning).

[C/G]

I will echo your original post and say they are indeed a damn fine guitar cab mic. I use my 421N through Chandler TG-2 or my favorite combo is with a UA 2108 pre. Seems those two were made for each other.

Like Lemix suggested, I also like them with a ribbon or a condenser like a Gefell UM70 or anything with an M7 capsule.

[retropete]

The 421 is my go-to guitar mike. Usually I use my Brent Averill 1272 on it, but I've also used and loved an OSA MP1-C (nice and gritty), Helios 69 (tricky thing, that -- but beautiful when it works), AP! 512, Brent Averill 312 (a bit brighter and in your face).

But the Brent Averill 1272 is the balls.

[mrbobo]

Germanium is killer for electric guitars. I'm very pleased with it using 57's and 609's; haven't tried it with a 421.

[GPl]

Tried a 421 into a 5012 portico on guit cab with great results.

[bloodstone]

I've had success with Langevein DVC and Drawmer 1969 with 421s on guitar cabs. Also a Joe Meek VC1Q.

[superburtm]

Originally Posted by SpeedKing9

I'm currently using a a Great River ME-1NV with a Shure SM57, and I'm looking to use a 2 mic recording setup for ROCK GUITARS, 57 on a cone and a 421 on another cone. I'm not sure what pre would match well, I"m open to all suggestions. I've been thinking lately to grab an Avalon 737 pre for some hip hop, but I'm not sure how well that pre would match with a 421 or a 57.

Any suggestions..for recording loud rock guitars, all mesa/boogie.

Chandler Germanium+421

[analogjeff]

have tried and used lots of different two mic combinations and with different pres over the years, including some old large diaphragm stuff, neves, etc -- my current favorites still often are a 421 (get an older one) and a 57 on the same speaker, with both mics just off the cone and angled out just a bit (i sometimes use a royer 121, either close or a little further away, with either the 421 or 57, depending on the music)

relevant to the question is also the type of music you want to create, so... the sound we're generally going for is a sort of jangly, fully saturated cleanish thing with good ringing overtones and saturated/pushed upper mids... the guitars i use are a tele reissue from the early 90's (like it as much as true vintage stuff i've played) and a gibson 135 with P90 pickups -- the amps have been matchless, ac30, or, these days, mostly, a slightly modded fender blues deville from the early 90's -- we use the chandler tg-2 a lot (demo'd a germanium recently and returned it as it didn't seem, for the music we do, to produce radically better sounds than the tg-2) -- also use one channel of phoenix drs-2 sometimes combined with the tg-2, and also have recently used a pendulum tube pre and really loved it -- big and ringy and great at producing the jangly, overtoned top end where strings blend into each other great for rhythm stuff

as always it's about trying different things and going after a sound you want to hear... but, certain sort of tried and true things do often work for certain kinds of sounds...

hope this helps...

[wwittman]

Whatever high quality mic pre you are recording the entire record with.

[TonyBelmont]

An API, or maybe the Chandler Germanium for guitars!

[zakco]

Originally Posted by wwittman

Whatever high quality mic pre you are recording the entire record with.

[puts on sarcastic bastard hat]:
Gee Walt....I'm not really clear on how you feel about this. Perhaps you could tell us again....?

[removes sarcastic bastard hat]:

I think that is a very valid opinion, but it's only realistic when you're fortunate enough to work in studios with well maintained, large format analog consoles. Which (for good or bad) is not the current/future trend in record production. For the rest of us, outboard preamps are a good way to improve the quality of our product. At that point, if you're going to invest in outboard mic pres why not get a few different flavors? While I could definitely make an entire record with ANY of my preamps, I'm always happy to have choices. Sometimes a different preamp makes ALL the difference as you must know with all your experience....

BTW, I am a fan of your work and I generally enjoy your posts. I just find your endless repetition of the above opinion tiring. It's so predictable. No offense intended, just my opinion...

-Z-