Mic'ing A Bass Amp...

  • Thread starter Thread starter ghetto3jon
  • Start date Start date
G

ghetto3jon

New member
hello. i'm going to be tracking some bass guitar this weekend. i know i could go direct into a good pre, but i'd really like to try mic'ing the amp. i have a bunch mics, including a beta 52...which i use on kick drum. but i know it has a very specific frequency response, which i'm not sure would sound good on bass guitar. does anyone have any suggestions as far as mic selection or placement (compression settings, or anything else)?

setup:
fender mustang bass -> ampeg ba115

pres:
peavey vmp2, art pro mpa, m-audio dmp3, presonus bluetube

compressors:
art pro vla, rnc, behringer composer, art dual levelar

mics:
(3) shure sm57
(2) mxl v67
(2) mxl 603
(1) mxl v69me
(1) shure beta 52
 
The BA-115 has a tweeter, doesn't it? You might try one 603 maybe 18" from the front of the amp - that far away to catch both the woofer and tweeter.
 
yeah, i think it does have a tweeter. that's a good point. do you think the 603 would be a better choice then the v69? when comparing the frequency response, it seems like the 69 has a little more low end to it. perhaps i would have some luck blending that condenser (18" in front) with a direct signal?

thanks so much.
 
You should mic it and DI it, that way you've got the option after the fact.
 
i recently used an akg D112 to mic my bass amp. then did another track of going direct and blended them and used both. that seemed to work best for what i have available
 
Definitely try a blend of mic and DI. You might be amazed!
 
I've always had better luck with DI. But when I have miked bass amps (and URB, for that matter), I've done better with mics that DIDN'T have a ton of low-end response. And, small-diaphragm mics tend to have better off-axis response characteristics, which is a factor when you're picking up sound emanating from a large source.
 
Back
Top