acoustic guitar mics

[DanRoy]

I am primarily interested in acoustic guitar miking, I suppose a pair, unless just one will do? (eg, would I be better off with a 603 or C4 pair, or a single shure 81 or peluso or something else like another LDC?)

double duty as drum overheads would be nice, but not a dealbreaker

I have heard clips of the Oktava 012 mics that sound good, but these are impossible to find.

I have heard the MXL603 on acoustic guitar in two clips and they sound great, I am tempted to order because they are available cheaply

in a flaming thread I saw a few folks say the studio projects C4s sound better, but I never found any acoustic clips.

(I own a SP B1 and an AT3035...looking for a different acoustic sound)

what would you recommend?

 

[DanRoy]

I like the 3035 on my voice (haven't tried it with my new amp setup yet), sounds also pretty good as a mono drum overhead. I like the B1 on my electric gtr amp (haven't tried it as an overhead yet) but not so much on my voice. I get decent acoustic guitar sounds with these mics, but looking for clearer and more focused, less muddledness and rumble

 

[Big Kenny]

What do you mean different? Stereo? Definition? Tone? Color? (ugh) Warmth?
And.... What's your budget?

 

[thajeremy]

Check out the JoeMeek JM-27. I got a pair off of ebay for $130. They are not quite as bright as the 603's. I dont regret the purchase in the least...I have been quite pleased with the results on accoustic guitar. They are not very heavy in the low end but thats expected from an SDC im sure. I also own an SP b1 and Ill blend with it for the lows. I have never owned the 603's but i have tried them in the past and i like the JM27's better.

 

[XLR]

http://sound-room.com/customer/home.php?cat=2

Best source for Oktava mic's.

Detail and color are fantastic on acoustic guitar.

Tim

 

[DanRoy]

What do you mean different? Stereo? Definition? Tone? Color? (ugh) Warmth?
And.... What's your budget?

looking for clearer and more focused, less muddledness and rumble

I have heard that "muddiness in the low mids" is characteristic of LDCs on acoustic guitars.

looking for more shimmer, less of that big boom sound, a glassier, more focused sound. for example, um beck - sea change, or wilco - ghost is born. anti-example - led zeppelin, got that covered

budget, hmmm, I'd like to stay below $300 or so, maybe $350 max (the guitar I'm miking I paid $300 for, great deal, it's solid rosewood and spruce, but you get the idea)

 

[hoth]

I'm probably going to pick up a set of C4's this week. After all the reviews I've read, I think for $300 they're my best bet for a stereo pair. I'll be mic'ing a Guild D-35 that has a nice top end and tremendous lows. My pre is an m-audio 410, but I'll probably try my Grace also with the C4's. I'll try to get you clips if I have time and can put together something decent.

 

[DanRoy]

that would be aweosome thanks!

 

[Richard Monroe]

Yo Hoth! I don't think the C-4's will disappoint. I think I am the one who claimed the C-4 is a better overall SD mic than the MXL603, and please note I flamed nobody. The MC012's, which I also own, I consider very good overheads. They can be OK for acoustic guitar, but they are too colered to suit my purposes. Oddly enough, they seem to work very well on cheap acoustics, where they add a little color to an acoustic that lacks its own. They just mess up my Taylor, where the C-4's work much better. I would stick the MC012's in front of a $100 guitar, and the C-4's in front of a Huss and Dalton, Breedlove, etc. That's just me. The 603's, to me, sound more like the C-4's than the Oktavas do. The problem with the 603's is- no Omni option, pads, bass cuts, all of which the C-4's have. The high quality of Studio Projects customer service/support complete the picture.-Richie

 

[hoth]

The problem with the 603's is- no Omni option, pads, bass cuts, all of which the C-4's have. The high quality of Studio Projects customer service/support complete the picture.-Richie

That's what I really wanted, the option to use omni or the more direct. I generally record in a room with bad acoustics so I won't be using the omni that often. But I wanted to give myself the option for the occasional times when I get to use a better space. Would you say they're any good for vocals? I usually like the LDC warmth for vox so I won't really ever be using the C4's for that, but just curious. Thanks.

 

[Richard Monroe]

I tried the C-4's on vocals once for jollies, and I can state with confidence they are *not* vocal mics. That, however, is one area where the Oktavas can be surprising. The color I dislike on acoustic makes the MC012 a fair vocal mic. They are *very* prone to popping, though, so I find 2 pop filters 3" apart, are required.-Richie

 

[Yareek]

Hey man,

I've got a pair of C4's shipping out to me right now...

I'll also be able to put up some clips hopefully this weekend.

My guitar is a Tacoma Rosewood / Spruce solid guitar, so it should be similar...

- Jarick

 

[boogiemen]

acoustic micing

the rumble and lack of definition is usually a result of placing the mic directly in front of the guitar try moving it to the back of the guitar around the bridge area and side micing the guiter aim the mike up the neck the frequency your trying to avoid is 125-250 pretty normal for a big body guitar.

 

[DanRoy]

i did find some oktavas on ebay, so maybe they are an option, hm.

i have played with positoning the LDCs, and using some subtractive EQ, which helped, but still I think this is a compromised sound compared to what I hope to achieve with some SDCs...or maybe i'm in for a big let down?

 

[XLR]

The Oktavas have kind of a crazy quality control history that maybe you know about already. The Sound Room tests and rejects sub standard ones, so is a good source. Lot's of info on the subject in the google archives of the rec.audio.pro newsgroup, as many of the pro's like these mic's.

Tim

 

[baekgaard]

i have played with positoning the LDCs, and using some subtractive EQ, which helped, but still I think this is a compromised sound compared to what I hope to achieve with some SDCs...or maybe i'm in for a big let down?

Where have you placed the mic? If the sound is too boomy, stay away from the sound hole. I usually get the best sound from either close to the 12th fret, or around the bridge. Have you tried both close micing and further away from the guitar?

I think that even with a SDC pair, you will have to work quite a lot to get the sound you want, so you may as well continue trying the B1. Thing is, though, that the B1 has somewhat coloured sidelobes, and it thus requires a bit more working on positioning to get the desired sounds. Said more positively, it also means you have lots of options to tune the sound, depending on how you position it and how you angle it

On my guitar (D41 type/sound), an x-y pair (Oktave MC012) around 12th fret or a spaced pair with one at the 12th fret and another close to the bridge, but behind and a bit lower than the bridge, gives good results -- the x-y pair gives a more focused and natural sound, whereas the spaced pair gives a very wide perspective (with a bit uneven stereo position, sometimes).

There is a very good link here that shows 3 starting points for a condenser pair here: http://www.humbuckermusic.com/acguitrectec.html

Some general information on mic selection and SDC vs LDC on guitar can be found here: http://www.harmony-central.com/Features/FRecAcousticGtr/003.html


-- Per.

 

[Strave]

I've worked with a couple large diaphragm condensers and own two 603s and two MC012s... I can say without hesitation that the 603s dominate the large diaphragm condensers and the oktavas in front of an acoustic. You just plop them down wherever you want and play and it sparkles. That glassy, lack of mud, shimmer that you're talking about... the kind of sound where the mic gets lost and what is recorded is music is going to come from a bright mic like the 603s... I've never used the C4s but if you're going to stay around 150-200 for the pair, definately get the 603s... you could surely nail a pair (not stereo) for 150 or less if you really try.

 

[canopyplayer]

Acoustic Guitar Mic's

Here's how I did mine, damn near the best I've heard. Very natural sounding. Of course I'm more than a little biased.

Shure 58 near the 13th/14th fret, pointed in the general direction of the soundhole

MXL Large Diaphragm about three feet away

I used the mics to eq the guitar by adjusting volumes on the approriate mics, then panned them near left and right. Worked great for singer/songwriter stuff, it's a bit too "big" for much else.
Here's the real kicker, the guitar I used was an old Dean all laminate. That sucker sounded a lot nicer, it'd be nice to try this with a nice acoustic sometime. Hope this is helpful to somebody!!

 

[sdelsolray]

Given your budget, the C4s, Oktavas or 603s are good choices. Many like the Rode NT5s in that price range.

Before purchasing, you might want to check out the new Peluso CECM6 SD mics. About $500 or so for a pair with cardioid caps. Omni and hypercardiod caps are avaialble. I have not heard these mics. Nonetheless, several ears that I trust have heard them and a quite impressed. It's likely that the Peluso mics are at another level than the C4, Oktava, 603s, NT5 group. Worthy of consideration, at least.

 

[chessrock]

looking for clearer and more focused, less muddledness and rumble ... looking for more shimmer, less of that big boom sound, a glassier, more focused sound. for example, um beck - sea change, or wilco - ghost is born. anti-example - led zeppelin, got that covered

It sounds like, given your current conditions, you're craving something a little brighter and more detailed. For that, I'd go with a Marshall mxl-603. Don't think there's much that can comete with it for less than $500 a pop (as far as brighter, more detailed mics go).

If price weren't an issue, then I might say AKG 451 ... maybe Neumann km-184.