Trying out mics at Guitar Center?

Z

Zeppelin456

Banana Co
Hey I've never tried mics out at guitar center and I had a few questions:

First of all, do all guitar centers have this capability to try mics out? I go to the one in Boston, which is a pretty large store, but I've never seen any room where you can test out the mics. Secondly, what should I be doing to test the mic out in the best fashion? Speaking, singing? I'm sure someone will direct me to a thread talking about this already but I couldn't find it on my own. Any help appreciated.
 
No matter how and where, I would suggest BRINGING a mic that you're very familiar with and test IT first - Get the feel of the room and monitors that you're listening to before trying something you're unfamiliar with.

Just make sure you check it in at the door...

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com
 
If you go early in the morning on a week day you will have the whole place to yourself. Tell the sales guy that you are going to buy a mic and you would like to test them out. He should work very hard on setting everything up for you. After a few hours of him assisting and waiting on you tell him that you would like to buy a mic. Then tell him that your gonna buy it used on ebay for much cheaper. Thank him for his help and walk out the door.

They really like it when you do that.
 
GC

lol..when i first started recording.. about 7 months ago.. i went to GC while in florida on vacation... i was talkin to the guy about sound cards... he was like... the more inputs the better.. because to mic a drum set.... people use at least 16 mics.. usually more...lol... i think this guy was crazy... maybe 16 would be needed in a strange situation.. but he meant like on a medium sized set... a little of the subject.. but i get a kick out of it now that i have done some recording.
 
I placed a post about this subject a couple of months ago. I would guess the salesman didn't want to be bothered. Mind you I got to the store at opening. I was told Board Of Health rule won't allow them to have people try out mics. That's why you can't return them either. I look at the kid (I'm in my 40's) and siad Oh really, then how is it you sell used vintage mics. I got no reply.
 
zbert said:
I placed a post about this subject a couple of months ago. I would guess the salesman didn't want to be bothered. Mind you I got to the store at opening. I was told Board Of Health rule won't allow them to have people try out mics. That's why you can't return them either. I look at the kid (I'm in my 40's) and siad Oh really, then how is it you sell used vintage mics. I got no reply.
Click to expand...
hahahahahahahahahahaha!
 
Just remember, those guys work on commission. At the guitar center I go to, those guys are so hungry for a sale, they'll do anything I ask.
 
I called up GC about an hour before I went there, told them to warm up some tube mics. Thye had a seperate room with there studio gear setup in there. They hooked it to a protools rig and recorded me and guitar for me. It was pretty cool. Allthough the mics pretty much sounded like poop, the kid take time and spent some time with me there. So I threw him like 15 bucks. This made him a bit happier since he was pretty bummed he went through a bunch of trouble setting up the mics and I wasnt going to buy one.

Josh
 
Woops...might want to verify that before you buy. I've been told that they won't take the mic back unless there's something wrong with it. Take it home to let the beagle sing into it then bring it back to find out that the next unlucky buyer comes down with a nasty case of kennel cough! :D
 
lbcstudios said:
lol..when i first started recording.. about 7 months ago.. i went to GC while in florida on vacation... i was talkin to the guy about sound cards... he was like... the more inputs the better.. because to mic a drum set.... people use at least 16 mics.. usually more...lol... i think this guy was crazy... maybe 16 would be needed in a strange situation.. but he meant like on a medium sized set... a little of the subject.. but i get a kick out of it now that i have done some recording.
Click to expand...

the most mics i've ever heard of i think were the mics used on jimmy eat world's "futures"...i think it was 2 overheads, 3 on the snare, 2 kick, high hat, ride, snare, toms x3, and 3 room mics? it was something like that, i can't remember and i can't find the interview online anymore
 
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