Mic recommendations for acoustic guitar

[Armistice]

Hi there, wondering if anyone had any specific recommendations for a single mic to record mono acoustic steel string guitar in a sort of rock context. It's being used in my home, with carpeted floors and a blankets strewn around to kill reflections, so we're not talking cutting edge acoustic room here!

I already own Rode NT2, Rode NT5s but can't quite get the quality of sound I'm looking for - sounds a bit metallic and "middy" despite massive experimentation with positioning etc using the normal recommended positions.

I'm using a MindPrint Envoice pre-amp/vocal processor thingy into a Yamaha AW4416.

I figure an extra non-Rode microphone is probably a useful purchase anyway at this stage, so would love to hear anyone's input.

Was thinking AKG C1000 was a contender, but a search on that one tells me that everyone here hates it for everything, so perhaps not.

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Mark7]

Good things have been said about the OKtava MC012 (the Sound Room version), the Marshall Electronics MXL603S and the Behringer ECM8000 for this application. Also consider the Beyerdynamic M201, I've heard they can be quite good for miking acoustic guitars; even though it's a dynamic. I'm hoping mine'll arrive from Germany tomorrow and I'll let you know whether it is or not as soon as I've received it. For acoustic in a "rock" context this mic might a good idea.

If you are tempted to get the C1000S do me a favour and go out, buy a blackboard, and spend a couple of hours scraping your nails down it. After that the C1000S will sound really good!

 

[Beezoboy]

Are you sure that your guitar doesn't just sound bad? Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking that a decent sounding instrument recorded is somehow sound better. You just can't make an instrument sound any better. Just a thought

Do you own any dynamic mics? I find that you don't always need the detail that a condenser can give when the acoustic is in a mix with drums and a bass. Maybe try a Shure SM57 or Sennheiser 441.

Otherwise maybe a large diaphram condenser like the Studio Projects B-1 or C-1. Also the ADK A51s is supposed to sound great on acoustic guitar, especially Martins.

Lastly you could try an omni like the Behringer ECM8000.

If none of those work it is either the room or guitar or your ears that are messed up.

Beezoboy

 

[bostonfan2]

We have used the the studio projects C-1 with excellent results.
you do have to find "the sweet spot" but in recording my Taylor
and yamaha 12 string the results were what i was looking for, also we did engage the high pass filter which rid us of excessive boom from the sound hole.......Bostonfan2-

 

[Armistice]

The guitar's OK Beezoboy, although it took me awhile to get the difference between my guitar and what I imagined it should sound like sorted out - must admit I hadn't thought of dynamic mics - I'll have a play with my SM57 (does anyone NOT have one of these?) and see what happens - it's more this overly metallic tone that's annoying me.

 

[chessrock]

Sounds to me like it's a guitar thing. Try a different type of string if the ones you're using sound too metalic. The nt2 and/or nt5 should do just fine.

 

[Armistice]

Thanks chess - been using D'Addarios (guitar's a Maton - Aussie brand, but a good one) for ages, but am going to try some Elixirs on it to reduce squeaks as well - never used them before so not sure what will happen to the tone.

Back to the drawing board! Cheers

 

[Jeeper]

been using D'Addarios (guitar's a Maton - Aussie brand, but a good one) for ages, but am going to try some Elixirs on it

I'm not a guitar but don't I remember that as Tommy Emmanuel's brand. Check his us .com site I think I remember him commenting that Elixier being the one brand string he did not like on his guitar. I do remember it was some certain brand and he should know as many recordings as he's made with that guitar. Do follow up on his choices I'm not sure here.

I wish I had his talent with that instrument.

 

[Jan]

Recording mono you’re already greatly handicapped.

My recommendation would be to get two AKG C2000B’s and start recording stereo

Most underestimated mic ever.

 

[Bob Keelan]

hmmm. sounds like you should be able to get the job done with the mics you have already. maybe it is the guitar, who knows? I'd see if I could try a couple of other guitars with the same mics. Other than that, just keep playing with the placement.

bob

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, in the last year, I've mic'd up a pair of dreadnoughts with everything I could afford. I have a matched pair of Oktava MC012's, a C414B-ULS, NTK, B.LU.E. Kiwi, C-3, ECM8000's, SM7, SM57, AKG D690, Oktava MK319, AKG C2000B, and I've tried them all in different combinations. The bitch of it is, *none* of them have even come close to an old Shure SM82 line level broadcast mic I bought at a flea market for $10! To be fair, when the last one was made in 1989, it was a $700 condenser mic.
There are a few still around, I recently saw one on ebay for about $200. It's line level-250 ohms output impedence, but requires phantom power, so you have to use a phantom power supply, and go into the line level input of your pre or soundcard.
It has almost no reach, like a dynamic, but has the sparkling high end detail of a good condenser. It rejects almost everything that isn't right in front of it, but puts out a wicked hot signal. It has a little more than ideal self-noise, but that is a liability I accept for the sound and utility of this mic. Unfortunately, the same qualities that make it a *great* guitar mic make it very difficult to use for vocals. If you move 1/2", the output changes dramatically. I'm sure I could sing into this thing if I could hold still.
All I'm saying is, if you find one of these babies, GRAB IT!, and buy a good phantom power supply to go with it.-Richie

 

[darrin_h2000]

I get alot of mileage out of two 603s in an xy at the 12th fret, the Ecm8000 is good for when you want the sound that Dr Hook had when they did "rolling stone" and alot of the hands were on the track.

 

[tdukex]

I think the Elixers will sound better.

If not, the 57 might do the trick.

If not, experiment with slight eq cuts in the 8 - 12 kHz range.

You might also try tuning down 1/2 step.

 

[Christine K]

Yes, Tommy Emmanuel does play a Maton. Good article on him in issue #48 (the current one) of Fingerstyle Magazine.

 

[ausrock]

Armistice,

What model Maton and what gauge D'Addarios?

I have found from experience, that there is no exact mic position for ALL Matons, (or other acoustics for that matter), as each model seems to have different characteristics.

Between my son and I we have 5 Matons, plus another couple that are here at least once a week............all different models and all different to record.

 

[bbZ]

Do not buy the very hissy ECM8000's. The guys that touted them here are wrong. They suck. No wonder they're only advertised as measurment mics - that's what they are.

Watch out.

 

[battleminnow]

Do not buy the very hissy ECM8000's. The guys that touted them here are wrong. They suck.

Yes, and do not eat meat. Anyone who says meat is good for you is a liar. It will give you gas and heartburn.

C'mon, BBZ...
I love mine, and have gotten exellent results with them. I have found rooms where they are great even as a lead vox mic in stereo pair/x-y configuration. It just depends on each persons voice/cables/input/phantom power/mixer/media/etc.

Heaven forbid someone have bad luck and get pissy over a $35 mic...

Pete

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Do not buy the very hissy ECM8000's. The guys that touted them here are wrong. They suck. No wonder they're only advertised as measurment mics - that's what they are.

Watch out.

Well, since I'm the guy that originally "touted them here", I should point out that I also cautioned people about possible noise problems when recording very quiet sources in my orginal post.

As far as you're comment about them being "only advertised as measurment mics", name another mic that's ruler flat (plus or minus a few tenths of a dB) from around 40 Hz to 23kHz in the same price range.

If you're not careful about accurate gain staging (and lot of people aren't), or if you try to use a lot of compression and makeup gain, you will fuck up big time and wind up with a lot of noise.

 

[mgraffeo]

And thus spake Harvey!

 

[jslator]

Do not buy the very hissy ECM8000's. The guys that touted them here are wrong. They suck.

What were you hoping for at $35 each?