Need a condenser microphone for clean guitar sounds

[policenauts03]

Hi, I am looking to buy my first condenser microphone. I currently have a few SM57s, a Beta 52 kick mic, and a couple 58's. I'm borrowing my friend's MXL 990 right now, but I imagine there is something better out there. I'll be using it mostly to record amplified clean guitar and synthesizer tone, pretty dark and thick with not too much treble. I play ambient/drone type stuff, so think Stars of the Lid I guess. A friend of mine who does recording says he uses an AKG 414 on everything, and from listening to the stuff he does it does sound like a wonderful microphone, but unfortunately out of my price range. Another friend uses a CAD E-300, but again that's out of my price range. I'm hoping to spend no more than $200 used... do you think it's possible to find a very solid recording mic for this price? I'd eventually like to graduate to the aforementioned microphones listed, but in the meantime what would you recommend? I've heard good things about the AKG C1000s, but I don't know if that'd be the best for my application. Studio Projects B-1 / B-2 is probably what I am heading towards right now... unless you can recommend something better?

I am running a G4 Powerbook with a Digidesign Mbox (which will hopefully turn into something more professional in the future). I'd probably use this microphone for other applications as well (acoustic guitars, vocals, overheads) but mainly for amplified clean guitar. Sorry for the novel, please help, thanks!!

 

[mshilarious]

I'll be using it mostly to record amplified clean guitar and synthesizer tone, pretty dark and thick with not too much treble.

Most condensers have better treble response than the SM57, and some of them are downright bright. For dark and thick you could even try the B52.

For amplified clean guitar, what is it about the SM57 that you find lacking? That will probably help people here give you a recommendation.

 

[policenauts03]

Most condensers have better treble response than the SM57, and some of them are downright bright. For dark and thick you could even try the B52.

For amplified clean guitar, what is it about the SM57 that you find lacking? That will probably help people here give you a recommendation.

Hey ms, well I just found the MXL condenser to be slightly warmer and fatter sounding than the 57 when micing my amp, while the 57 was a bit thinner and less... alive. So I'm guessing I'd like something that can help to pick up the warmth and sensitivity coming out of the amp, which the 57 didn't seem to... I've used the 57 to record a friend's band with heavily distorted guitars and it sounds great, but it just didn't perform the same way with clean guitar unfortunately... thanks again!