Yo Timberp! Welcome to the board! As you have already no doubt figured out, you have asked one of the most frequently asked questions, and one of the hardest to answer, even if everybody didn't disagree, which they do. The first problem is that recording acoustic guitar and vocals simultaneously poses inherent difficulties. The needs of the 2 signals are quite different, and microphone bleed is guaranteed. Of course, it can be reduced, but never eliminated. Moreover, vox and acoustic call for different post production processing, which makes separation desireable.
Yeah, I understand that you feel you get a more natural performance if you do them simultaneously, but if you *can* learn to perform the 2 parts separately (and you can), you will produce better results, and tracks that are easier to process and mix. Aside from that, many of your best options are ruled out by your budget. So basically you're asking, "how do I do something that's basically wrong and make it sound good with very little money?" Well, it's basically easier to learn to track the components separately than it is to manufacture money out of thin air. That said, I will give you my 2 cents worth on what your options are.
First, acoustic guitar benefits greatly from the high end detail of a good condenser, or 2. It can be one large or one small diaphragm, 2 large or small diaphragms, or one of each. Any of those six systems can work just fine, if you have the right mics on the right guitar in the right place in the right room. Unfortunately, any of those systems can also suck, when they aren't the right mic in the right place at the right time.
Vocals can sound good when tracked with a condenser or a dynamic. Although large diaphragms are generally preferred, there are some small diaphragm mics that work just fine for vocals, especially ones in larger housings which *look* like LD mics but aren't, such as AT4033 or AKG C2000B.
Ribbons are a subcategory of dynamics, which can sound very good on acoustic or voice, but good ones are mostly out of your stated budget. Dynamics or ribbons have lower output than condensers, by and large, and benefit from kickass preamps with lots of clean gain, which is also not on your current gear list. Having higher output and therefore often being more sensitive, condensers pick up more ambient noise, and are more prone to bleed. That's the main reason you're getting so many answers- what you are asking for calls for so many compromises.
So with all of that as a foundation, here are my best suggestions- First, ribbons are mostly out. Good ones are rarely in your price range. There's one or two Beyerdynamics that would possibly make the cut (used), but you don't have the kickass preamp to bring it to life. Some pretty good dynamics are in your price range, but again, a serious preamp would wipe out your budget pretty fast. Therefore, I believe you'll get better results using condensers with the stated signal chain. For $400, you could go with one, two, or three mics. I think one mic could work, but getting good balance between guitar and voice would be a pain. Two mics is better, in my opinion, as it offers you more options, and you can choose a vocal mic and a guitar mic. Three is my personal choice, as you can get a pair of instrument mics, and try some stereo recording, and add a vocal mic to make the mix easier to balance, and it will be better for close micing the vocal. It also offers the option to try mixing and matching on solo guitar. or other instruments.
You also have to be aware that certain mics simply sound good or bad on certain voices, and certain guitars, and it is critical that the mics sound good on what *you* have, instead of another guy, so auditioning the mic before buying is very desireable, if possible. You also want to hear them through a mobilepre, if that's what you intend to use. If it were *my* voice, and *my* guitar, I would choose a matched pair of Marshall MXL 603's, and one AKG C2000B. Note that I am a big fan of the C2000B, and *not* the C3000B or the C1000S. Studio Projects C1 or B-3 are options, but I would choose
a CAD M179 as the LD, most likely. The omni pattern might work as a single mic, if you find the right place to put it. Those are my best guesses. Best of luck.-Richie
