Acoustic guitar + Electric guitar amp for home recording

Monkey Allen

Monkey Allen

Fork and spoon operator
Hi, anyone got a favourite affordable acoustic guitar for home studio recording? And also...an amp for the spare bedroom recorder of electric guitar.

I'm in a boxy room, quite deadish...but nothing good about it really. I work around it by using eq on the preamps I have that have eq (Daking MicPre/eq for example) and by mic placement etc. My acoustic is a Martin D28...lots of boom. My current amp is a Fender Super Champ 2...a (noisy) tube amp that's really muddy in my room.

I was kind of thinking that there might be acoustics that have a really smooth middle range...not too brittle like Taylors can be and not too boomy like a dreadnought Martin can be. With acoustic guitar all my mics seem to be awesome at capturing lots of mud...and lots of steel string harshness. For the amp I was wondering if some kind of solid state amp with a really even tone that doesn't make a lot of hum noise etc is out there somewhere.

Any suggestions? Thank you
 
It's a pretty open subject as far as possible suggestions. I can only offer ideas relative to my limited experience. A couple of thoughts....

I love my Taylor 414CE-R. Great guitar. It's got a cutaway (which I could do without) and the Taylor electronics built in. But it's in the $2000+ range. I felt the more affordable 214 and 314 lines were incredible values when I went shopping.

I own some great tube amps - but they're big and heavy. I wanted something light and versatile in the "backstage" category and ended up getting the Boss Katana 50 combo. It's got several channels including an "acoustic" channel. It'll do a lot and covers a lot of ground.

I've recommended here before: a great way to minimize the effects of a bad room is to drape blankets, quilts, or comforters in and or around the area where you're recording acoustic (or vocal). I use microphone boom stands extended to their maximum height and set to look like a "T". Then I draped big, thick comforters over them and make a sort of "booth" around me and the microphone. This goes a long way to deaden reflections in my less than perfect recording area.

Hope this helps...
 
Sounds to me that nothing is going to sound good in your room from what you said. I have a SCXD that I have used for recording and I can make it not muddy very easy. That said I mostly go direct and use amp and cab sims.
 
I don't have a D-28, but I have a D-41, which is similar. The 41 records pretty good with the right mics and eq. I like a U-87 and an Earthworks QTC through APIs (pre and eq). I've found Gibson large bodies record better. I have an old J-45 (62) and Hummingbird (68) and it's just stick any mic in front and you're done after a little HP.

For fingerstyle I like the little Martin models. This is my old 00-21 from 1959. I paid $1000 for it, which isn't budget but it's not so crazy. If you listen to the Blood on the Tracks demos that's exactly what it sounds like.

For amps check out the Gibson Goldtone 15 watt. It can be knocked down to half power and is basically what the Matchless Spitfire is. Super nice USA made amp for about $400.

279283812_10227049384889456_7310054087166090748_n.jpg
 
noah330 said:
I don't have a D-28, but I have a D-41, which is similar. The 41 records pretty good with the right mics and eq. I like a U-87 and an Earthworks QTC through APIs (pre and eq). I've found Gibson large bodies record better. I have an old J-45 (62) and Hummingbird (68) and it's just stick any mic in front and you're done after a little HP.

For fingerstyle I like the little Martin models. This is my old 00-21 from 1959. I paid $1000 for it, which isn't budget but it's not so crazy. If you listen to the Blood on the Tracks demos that's exactly what it sounds like.

For amps check out the Gibson Goldtone 15 watt. It can be knocked down to half power and is basically what the Matchless Spitfire is. Super nice USA made amp for about $400.

279283812_10227049384889456_7310054087166090748_n.jpg
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Tell us about that strat please
 
Thanks everyone. I do have one of those Boss Katanas too. Yep, my room is pretty bad...but there's a lot of stuff in there to deaden it. Lots of thick stuff, bookshelves etc to break up the uniformity of reflections etc. It's not the worst, not the best. Have tried Amp sims and all that. I don't mind them for some lead stuff but I usually struggle dialling in rhythm sounds for my stuff. I like the imperfections in having a mic on the amp. Recently got a Boss EQ pedal...very, very useful. Just cuts away whatever you don't want. Very nice. Think I'll stick with what I've got and just get better at making it better.
 
Monkey Allen said:
Think I'll stick with what I've got and just get better at making it better.
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I'm kind of glad that you said that. I know you were looking for something more specific and you've received some good replies that offer much food for thought.

However, ultimately, I refuse to believe that a room, any room, can actually impede a person from making enjoyable recordings. There's a way around any limitation, otherwise recording really is an elitist game for the privileged few.

It's been important to listen to people and their ideas and to learn the various ways of reaching the same destination. But when all is said and done, for every one thing a person says, someone else, somewhere, will eventually say something different. Yes, some situations are easier than others, but hey. That applies to parenting, working, driving, cooking, sleeping, recovery from surgery etc....
Take what you have and experiment with ways of getting it to work for you and remember, as long as your mixes aren't total shit and your songs are arresting, only someone who can't truly enjoy life without everything being just 😠 so is going to give a damn.
 
In general, you can overcome a fair amount of room problems [with an acoustic guitar] by mic selection and placement. Smaller diaphragm mics and avoiding the lower bout and sound hole in placement will avoid some of the room and boom problems. You may have more pick and string noise, but that's a playing technique problem, and maybe string/pick choice, as much room one.

I wouldn't try to record plugged into an amp because you're not going to be able to really get any acoustic sound, but if you want that sound, I'd just go direct and [on the direct track] you can add any kind of amp sim or FX you want. Record the mic'd guitar as well and decide how to mix the two.
 
For recording electric, I've been seriously looking at either a Strymon Iridium, or an Tonex. Gonxo X has been doing some really great stuff with his Iridium. About the only negative is the lack of reverb. I would have to pick up some type of reverb pedal. I haven't heard much with the Tonex, and I don't want something that is complicated.
I think these new pedals are getting pretty good. Heck, Edge is now using the UA pedals instead of his AC30s for U2's Las Vegas residency. To me, that says they must be darn good. He's rather particular about his gear.

Recently, I've been looking at some smaller bodied guitars. My Taylor 310 is a dread, so it can be a bit boomy. I was looking at a Taylor Academy 12 that has a bevel on the top edge of the body. Grand Concert, so more midrange. It was really comfortable to play. Now if I can just find a used one for a bit less than the $700.

www.taylorguitars.com

Academy 12 Layered Sapele Acoustic Guitar

Designed with new players in mind but comfortable and accessible
www.taylorguitars.com www.taylorguitars.com

I played a really nice Epi Masterbuilt, but I don't want a jumbo or dread.

Your best bet might be to go to someplace like GC and just play all the more budget guitars, like Yamahas, Epis, Guild GAD and Alvarez. I almost bought a nice used Alvarez Yairi last summer. I was in Florida and didn't want to get "buyers remorse" and be 1200 miles away.
 
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Yamaha parlor guitar. Good used can be had for ~ $300 USD. Very balanced and not so loud that your going to have less room interaction.
 
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