Mic for recording acoustic guitar - recommends?

[johntwistmusic]

I really like the Audio Technica Pro 37. I use a pair of them live, a lot on acoustic instruments, and they have given very good results on guitars, banjo & mando. And they are cheap: $129 a piece. I read about them in a "how to record guitar" book. I've also used a Rode NT, a AT 4031, and AKG c-3000's. All of which are more expensive than the AT Pro 37. For my purposes the Pro 37 has worked better than the others. Here's a link so you can look at it, and read some other reviews.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Pro37/

Good luck in your quest for great recordings and tone.

John

[russellnollen]

Thanks SO MUCH, guys! I really appreciated!
I have some shopping to do now...

[Hookjaw Brown]

I go with different microphones but basically I use two Nady pencil mikes, one on the body of the acoustic guitar and one on the twelfth fret. I also use an X pattern at the sound hole with the ends of the pencil mikes almost touching. My third method is to use a large diaphragm mike (Shure KSM 27) on the body and a pencil mike at the twelfth fret.

Placement is critical for wave alignment, and one must be able to play while holding the guitar very still. You would do well to buy a couple of the ECMs and play around with them. The price is right.

I have read about using a lapel mike attached to the sound hole for high frequency response and a large diaphragm mike on the body.

It is what ever works!

[pboss]

I love the KM 184 Neumann for acoustic guitar recording. While saying that, and considering price, let it be known that while I do own a few Neumanns, I also now own 3 Gauges. Not that I am using them for the same purposes necessarily, but I'm psyched about the company.

[Hookjaw Brown]

Yes, a difference of around $160 a pair for Gauge versus $1600 a pair for Neuman. I was a studio monkey for several years and placement always seemed more important than the name....except for a Neuman stereo tube mike. <grin>

[Lazyknife]

Gauge rules! I have a ECM-87 and it's awesome! I don't use it on acoustic guitars though. For that I use a Røde NTK.

[Hookjaw Brown]

I don't feel that any single mike can catch the nuances of an acoustic guitar. A matched pair of pencil mikes in a spread pattern (12th fret and body) or X pattern works the best IMHO.

The sound of the strings on the neck are different than the sound of the body. Assuming proper phasing, the boominess of the body can be mixed down and the brightness of the neck strings mixed in for that sweet acoustic sound.

[gtrmann]

I use Neumann KM184s for acoustic guitar myself. That is my go to mic for AG..... The most important thing about recording a acoustic guitar is having a really great sounding guitar, followed closely by a good sounding room.. The mic is probably the third most important...... I think you should look long and hard at the Gauge KM84 clone, they should give you a pretty decent sound....

If you are doing just acoustic guitar and vocals, a 84 on the neck and a 87 on the body should give you a big full sound... If the AG is part of a mix, then a single 84 would be just enough to get you there.... If I am doing a mono AG track, I usually mic it about 3 feet back to capture the whole instrument.... The room is more important then...

Just My opinion, Your milage may vary....

[Hookjaw Brown]

My problem is that I live next to a river. A noisy, rapid river, full of trout.... All my rooms have the sound of the river in them so I use close miking in a deadened room and add ambiance later. I do like the 84 neck, 87 body combo for most work, but use other configurations for different needs. The Joy of Music!

[jdstamper]

My problem is that I live next to a river. A noisy, rapid river, full of trout....

That sounds like a pretty nice 'problem' to have! Other than acoustically of course ...

Jim