Micing a Bass Amp...

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChuckU
  • Start date Start date
ChuckU

ChuckU

New member
Still searching for a satisfying way to record electric bass. I've been going direct into my Mackie then to my Delta 1010 into Sonar. Not bad. I bought a Johnson J-Station. Dialed up the Rock bass setting. From the J to the Mackie. Better. Then the other night, because I was recording a bunch of us at once and wanted to play live in the room, I stuck my Sennheiser 421 in front of the amp (Peavey TNT 100 - 15" speaker, I think. Maybe 12"), about 3" off the grill, aimed at the center of the speaker. Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with what I got from this.

Anyone else want to share success/horror stories using this mic (or others) on bass amps? I also have a 57 and Beta 52, but the Sennheiser seemed like the right tool here.
 
When I have mic'd a bass amp, I've had decent results With an AKG D-112, Groove Tubes AM-52 in omni position and even a 57. More often than not though, I prefere a Hughs &Kettner B.A.T.T. tube bass pre going in direct.
 
As much as all the cheap tewb gear gets a bad rap . . . you know, the "starved plate" design where a tube gets stuck in the signal path for added fuzz and fun. :) (See ART Tewb MP, dbx silver series, digitech, etc. etc.).

. . . I can't help but like the sound I get out of such boxes on bass guitar. I don't know what it is, but it just seems to make it "hum." Like my bass is getting a hummer. Pretty cool stuff, actually.
 
I like a 57, pointed straight on, right down the center, about an inch off the grill. I like this better than going direct.

I wonder, however, if this would be different depending on the instrument and amp. For example, what works well for a Rickenbacker might sound lousy for a Fender. Just thinking.
 
The 57 has a lot of inherent bass rolloff to it.

This could be a good thing . . . like if your bass sound tended to be way too "boomy," or if you were going for a different type of sound that didn't require as much bottom.

That's kind of why kick drum mics tend to be prefered more often for the task.
 
Thanks for the action on this. I did figure the 421 to be a happy medium between the 57 and the 52 (not to mention I needed the Shures for the drums). I thought I had seen someone use this mic for bass amp and wanted to get some impressions. I appreciate the tip on placement too.

I ain't got no direct box or separate preamp. I thought about the Sansamp DI bass thingy, but the J-Station was less, had guitar crap and a digital out, so I went with it. I don't regret it.

I may try the ol' simultaneous direct/mic onto two separate tracks idea, too.
 
Are you guys talking about mic'ing 12" or 10" speakers? Because I've tried mic'ing 15" speakers every which way and have never gotten a good sound. Always muddy--the treble is missing. I understand that a mic on a smaller speaker can sound pretty good.
 
When I used the AM-52, it was in omni to cancell proximity effect. Like I said, normally I like direct with any kind of line level send over micing (for the most part). YMMV.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top