Buying my second microphone!

rbnalv7

rbnalv7

New member
So currently I've been using just an SM58 for the purpose of recording some basic guitar tracks for assignments at college, but I had a friend over to record some percussive acoustic guitar and using two SM58's worked really well for it.

Now I want to start seriously recording my own music I want to buy a second mic to be able to use with an SM58 for singing and guitar at the same time, as well as using two mics with a guitar amp.
I was thinking of getting an AKG C1000 (sounds beautiful in front of an acoustic!) as it could also be used as a distant mic for a guitar amp.

So yeah any suggestions?
 
Look at Rode M5's... Recently worked with a pair on some stuff. Found out they were only $200 for a matched set. Pretty darn decent for $200...
 
I'll have a look at the M5, and a TT. I've also seen some people doing DIY microphones which is cheaper and apparently sounds good. Any experiences on those?
 
Audio Technica At2020 is a good shout.

DIY microphones can sound great, can sound awful, in my experience its a bit of a lottery.
 
I would venture to say that most engineers have a 58 and a 57 in their mic locker. That may be a good place to start and would handle the situation you describe.
 
As long as you have an interface with phantom power, I'd defintely recommend a condenser mic. Probably best to get a cardioid as well.

I can give another vote for an Oktava. I have used my MK-012 for acoustic guitar loads of times (6 inches away pointing at 12th fret is a good place to start) and always got a great sound. They also make great drum over heads. I've used them for everything!

The other option is a cardioid large diaphragm condesner such as a Rode NT1.
 
The C1000S is close to my last choice, although it makes a pretty good doorstop, nightstick, and "marital aid". I like Oktava MC012/MK012 (same mic), Studio Projects C-4, Shure SM81, AKG C451, and one of my real favorites is the discontinued AKG C2000B (not 3000B). You can find them used on ebay. They started their life as a $200 mic, then went down to $100 or even less, now back up to about $150 because people are starting to notice just how damned versatile it is. Too bad they discontinued it. Mostly, it didn't sell, because most people weren't that impressed by C1000S, C3000B, or C4000B, and most people never even heard the one really good mic in the series. Good on acoustic, vocals, and rocks on clean cabs.
 
Im using a focusrite saffire 6 interface so yes i do have phantom power, i only want to spend around £100 ish
 
Since yo have an SM 58, I would look at adding a condenser mic. Something cheap that gets the job done. Go to guitarcenter.com and click on Used gear. Type in $60 as your max and look for something like an: M-Audio Nova, Mxl V67, Mxl 990 (sometimes you can get the 991 as a set) CAD gxl 2200, if you want something different for a third mic, maybe a MXL r144 ribbon. Just to prove a point: In the past month I purchased one of each of these mics for a grand total of $260 (including shipping). I had researched these mics for several years now listening to mic shootouts and reading reviews. I kept seeing the same thing over and over, guys picking these mics over $1000 plus mics. So I took a chance and did it. Very happy with the results. My main mic has been a Rode NTK, the high dollar one and now I use it when it fits the purpose. I don't have to use it if one of the others fits the vocalist better. I also use sm 57, shure ambient mic, Audix d6 for kick, Karma K10 for drum overheads. I have less than $1000 in my 12 mics. Hope that helps.
 
TJsmith- That's not very useful advice to someone in Merry Olde England. He/She is going to need a mic distributed by a company in Europe, or at least in the British Commonwealth. Rode might be a better choice, being Australia. CAD might work (Canada). That's one reason I suggested AKG (Austria). Most of the American stuff costs three times as much over there, after the brutal tariffs. The shipping *isn't* free. Guitar Center will ship to England, but they're not *in* England. Whatever prices you see on line on this side of the pond, triple them over there.
 
A decent pair of small diaphragm condensers would be a wonderful acquisition for a home studio - see Massive Master's post. I like the look of Rode's M5s, and I have had the pleasure of working with a pair of Rode NT5s recently. But I have also been put onto a company called Red5 Audio. I recommend you visit their website, read some reviews and look at their drum-mic package, which includes the overheads and kick that all get a great review from SOS.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Home-Recording-Kettering-UK/1138337156183850?fref=ts
 
I'm going to go ahead and add my +1 to the Rode M5 SD condenser tally. I have only had my matched set for a little over a month but so far they sound pretty great for the price tag ($200 for the matched pair).

If your budget can be expanded by a little you might do well by checking out the Rode NT2-a as well. It's pretty well rounded as far as the sources it can handle and it became my go-to over quite a few others. Never have thrown my hat in the AKG ring though - have always been talked out of it. (When I went to buy a C414 I ended up walking out with an SE 2200aII and am glad I did.)
 
se electronics magneto or a behringer c1 both sound good on an acoustic guitar but not over the top of sound hole hope this helps they are relatively inexpensive condensors that sound bloody awesome
 
I can vouch for the smaller Rode Mic's (nt5, m5 etc) but not the NT1 - that one sounds impressive usually but has some unflattering business around 10k that accentuates fret noise and sibilance.
 
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