Recording acoustic guitar: budget <$500

[Weasel9992]

A pair of Fat Heads is pretty darned sweet though.

Frank

 

[gehauser]

I am trying to get some opinions for non-professional home recording.
I just want to record 1 Martin acoustic guitar for mainly fingerstyle.

QUOTE]

I would go with one or two SDCs. Peluso CEMC6 ($294) for a fingerpicked Martin acoustic (by far my first choice). Shure SM81 ($350) would be second. Either would be much better than the mic you listed. Stereo pair of these would be better, but might stretch your budget past $500.

If you want to use an LDC, try AT4040 (see listeningsessions.com). I heard a shootout recently with an AKG Perception 200 that sounded very good on acoustic guitar.

 

[sajs]

I just purchased a pair of NT5's for $289, new. I plan to use them for recording acoustic guitars. I hope I made the right decision.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Uh, folks,

Not all Martins are the same. Shouldn't somebody ask what model and year Martin, finger picks or not, and what kind of music? My friend Rick Ruskin doesn't use finger picks; while Ken Burton (another friend) does. Makes a big difference what mic(s) I might use. A D28 is not a D18 is not a D21, etc..

Here's Rick playing live (no finger picks):

Here's Ken in the studio (finger picked 1964 Martin D18 with shaved top):

Big difference as to mic choices.

 

[sfmartins]

I am playing a Martin D35, so a large condenser is probably better to capture the bass kick that I love so much

I am probably getting a deal Apogee Duet + Rode NT1A with 7 months for $550.

Sam

 

[santiu]

I am probably getting a deal Apogee Duet + Rode NT1A with 7 months for $550.

Nice deal! I bet that'll sound great. I have one suggestion to augment this if you've got a few more bucks to spend. Pick up a CAD M179 and mic the guitar using mid-side. Lately I've been using a Rode NT2A in cardiod paired with the M179 in figure 8 doing M-S on acoustic and absolutely love it! You can get a used M179 <$100.

 

[Slowjett]

I am playing a Martin D35, so a large condenser is probably better to capture the bass kick that I love so much

Sam, I beleive this is actually a misconception. A SDC (small diaphragm condenser) will inherently be more sensitive to bass frequencies than LDC's. This is because the small diaphragm has less mass and is able to respond more quickly. In terms of acoustic guitar I think you will find that bass response will be more defined, punchy and less smeared with a quality SDC vs LDC. This is not to say that LDC's wont sound good, because they will. I just think SDC's are better suited for Acoustic Guitar in a lot of instances.

-josh

 

[AudioGeekOnline]

I mostly use a pair of NT5's with an x/y configuration. Love these mics - they perform way beyond what you pay for them. I've used them for drum overheads and to record choirs also and they've always been up to the task.

 

[sfmartins]

Sam, I beleive this is actually a misconception. A SDC (small diaphragm condenser) will inherently be more sensitive to bass frequencies than LDC's. This is because the small diaphragm has less mass and is able to respond more quickly. In terms of acoustic guitar I think you will find that bass response will be more defined, punchy and less smeared with a quality SDC vs LDC. This is not to say that LDC's wont sound good, because they will. I just think SDC's are better suited for Acoustic Guitar in a lot of instances.

-josh

I understand what you are saying. Well, I will see how the NT1A goes maybe will get a SDC later on.

Thanks a lot for your explanation.

 

[dgatwood]

I understand what you are saying. Well, I will see how the NT1A goes maybe will get a SDC later on.

Thanks a lot for your explanation.

You'll probably find the NT1A to be way, way too bright for recording acoustic guitar. It's too bright for many vocalists as well. I can't imagine recording guitar with it.

My advice would be to buy that Duet/NT1A bundle, then sell the NT1A. If you can get close to the typical going price on the NT1A ($200-ish), you'll be $100 ahead. Then spend about $200 on mics that actually suit your needs.

• A Naiant X-Q mic pair ($64 from Naiant) will serve you far better on acoustic.
• A CAD M179 ($150 from Front End Audio, or buy one used on FleaBay) will serve you far better on vocals.

So for just a few dollars more than you'll get by selling the NT1A that won't be a good choice, you can have three mics that will.

 

[homestudioguy]

The sE Electronics SE3 now SE4 is a great mic for acoustic instruments.
http://www.sonicus.net/sE4 & sE4-ST.html
http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--SEESE4
In it's updated SE4 capacity you can now add different capsules.
For what it's worth, there is a gentleman who frequents this forum who wrote that the SE3 had a lot of the sound characteristics of his older and recently refurbished Neumann KM-84.
I see that Scit Scat? has some B-Stocks on eBay selling for $169 currently.
Not sure what the B-Stock issue is all about but if it's just cosmetic.......
FYI-I don't sell them but I do have a stereo pair of SE3's.
An aquaintance from church who plays an old Martin D28? and has a voice quite like James Taylor tried it here at my home and really liked it a lot.
In fact he told me that dollar for dollar it was the best mic I had and I have a few pretty nice mics.
HSG
PS-the RODE NT1A isnt necessarily one I'd recommend for Acoustic Guitar...............