Hey Light! (Another string question)

[Armistice]

How are you doing?

I often find with recording the acoustic guitars that, after listening back, the upper (pitch) strings sound too thin, and the lowers sound too big.

I don't want to get into a mic placement discussion here, it's just a general observation, but I've often thought that a sort of "reverse custom" set would work, and I've considered putting a heavy set G/B/E and a light set E/A/D - figuring that the tension will probably balance out OK.

I have two reasonably expensive acoustics and don't want to stuff them up for the purpose of an experiment - have you any comments on what this type of combo would do, or indeed anything about the sound quality that you'd like to share?

Cheers

Armistice

PS Appreciate the length you go to to explain things on this forum - keep it up, it's very useful for us non-luthiers!

 

[Light]

Well, you can experiment with string gauges as you see fit. Many players use custom sets. You do want to be careful not to unbalance the tension too much, as it is at least theoretically possible to cause a twist in the neck.

Honestly, the thing you need to experiment with, more than anything, is mic placement. Back in my days doing big studio work, we would spend as much as 45 minutes, at one point even about an hour and a half, just moving the mic by fractions of an inch. And all of that was quick because, when I was at Berklee, I spent a LOT of studio free time experimenting with mic placement on acoustics. Probably weeks, all told. Playing around with mic placement will probably get you much farther than changing string gauges. If you just can't get the right sound, you might need to think about getting a smaller guitar, which will have a more balanced sound. Dreadnaughts tend to be pretty boomy, particularly when being recorded. The other thing to look at is getting a guitar with mahogany back and sides as opposed to rosewood, which also tends towards boomyness.

Thank you for your kind comments on my posts. It is very much appreciated, and it is good to know my contributions are helpful.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[ausrock]

Hey Armi,

What are you using besides your Messiah.

Personally, I still find my son's EM525C slimline easier to get a balanced sound out of than my CW80 and if I were to buy another Maton, I would give serious consideration to their Stage Maple slimline......see pic.

BTW, where's that bloody CD you promised to send up .

 

[Armistice]

Cool, thanks Light - was a bit worried about twisting the neck, might try on the cheaper one.

Hi there Aus - been head down and tail up in the "studio" for a while now, and not hanging around here so much. I've been redoing stuff that I wasn't happy with acoustic sound wise and learning learning learning.

I think I've convinced myself that I can now get a nice strummed sound and a not bad fingerpicked sound but lead (acoustic) is giving me the heebie jeebies at the moment - then I think I realised that I don't actually like the lead sound from the guitar itself - kinda too middy, which miking it just emphasises.

Anyway, as my girlfriend's out of town for the weekend I'll definitely spend some quality time with my AW4416 and burn you something and get it up there.

I'm starting to see what everyone means about smaller guitars making better recordings, so I can see the logic in the slimline. I really don't want to buy any more guitars!!!! Well, actually I'd love to buy more guitars, I just don't have an endless pile of money.

Incidentally I approached a US website about shipping me a Les Paul but apparently Gibson won't allow it - I'm really burned up about $US1600 LPs costing $4000 over here! What happened to the free trade agreement! Mongrels...

What I'll do on the CD is put three "big" production numbers on it to start with, that are more or less finished, but that I haven't done final, final mixes on, and then I'll stick the other couple of more acoustic based things that I'm working on at the moment which are proving problematic. I'll try to knock up some notes to explain things to send with them too.

Promise I'll do it this time!

Cheers

 

[ausrock]

Hey, we have 4 Les Pauls and a PRS here for sale right now........fresh in from o/seas. We're not giving them away, but considering they are all virtually mint condition and not very old they are far better than the new price.

 

[Armistice]

Aus

Send me some details if you have things for sale, I'm interested. Any pics?

I didn't know you were actually in the retailing biz, though I guess I should have worked that out from all the inside info on various threads.