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Posted by: Robin Oct 17 2007, 11:41 PM

My dad recently bought a mic for our Acoustic guitar(Ibanez Concord), but it didnt fit so we had to return it.
We dont really have any knowledge about this, so any recommendations are welcome! The price doesnt really matter.

Thanks.

Posted by: tonymiro Oct 18 2007, 12:00 AM

Hi Robin,
you can record an acoustic with any mic - not just a transducer fitted or clipped to the body. So if you already have a good mic it's more a case of finding the sweet spot. If you haven't you may get more use buying a dynamic or a condenser mic and using a mic stand - that way you can use the mic for other things as well.

If you want a condenser mainly for acoustic I'd suggest getting a matched stereo pair - something like a small diaphragm Rode NT5. Should be about 300 Euros or so. (Albeit you will need to be able to phantom power the mics. If you can't a dynamic mic will still do ok.)

If you have buckets of cash (or if you're dad has ) Neumann mics are world class... You just need to buy three - you keep two and send the third to me .

Hope that helps,
Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: Robin Oct 18 2007, 12:11 AM

QUOTE (tonymiro @ Oct 17 2007, 11:00 PM)

Hi Robin,
you can record an acoustic with any mic - not just a transducer fitted or clipped to the body. So if you already have a good mic it's more a case of finding the sweet spot. If you haven't you may get more use buying a dynamic or a condenser mic and using a mic stand - that way you can use the mic for other things as well.

If you want a condenser mainly for acoustic I'd suggest getting a matched stereo pair - something like a small diaphragm Rode NT5. Should be about 300 Euros or so. (Albeit you will need to be able to phantom power the mics. If you can't a dynamic mic will still do ok.)

If you have buckets of cash (or if you're dad has ) Neumann mics are world class... You just need to buy three - you keep two and send the third to me .

Hope that helps,
Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: bricktop Oct 18 2007, 12:17 AM

Hi Robin,

I play almost exclusively acoustic and here is what I use. For my guitars without a pickup installed I bought the MXL 990/991 package online. It was 99.00 (US currency). Check musiciansfriend.com. You have the big vocal mic, and the instrument mic. On many occasions I have just used the big mic to record both with no problems. I run these mics into my Line 6 Toneport UX2 for recording.

I've had several pickups installed and my two favorite are the fisman matrix I natural (100.00+50.00 install)and my current favorite is the LR Baggs Element (135.00 installed). I don't like onboard preamps in acoustics at all, because your stuck with what they give you and I dont' want a hole cut into the side of my guitar.

The great thing about the toneport ux2 is that it has phantom power, which you need to run a condenser mic.
I don't have any experience with clip on type pickups, but some people like the "dean markley" pickup that looks like a little piece of wood with a cable coming out of it. Not too expensive either...

John

Posted by: tonymiro Oct 18 2007, 12:18 AM

Not really Robin - I'd just would call that a pickup rather then a mic, just a difference in semantics though .

http://www.fishman.com/ usually get good reviews for their acoustic transducer pickupss. You can probably get them reasonably cheaply from Thomann.de.

Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: Owen Oct 18 2007, 01:15 AM

QUOTE (Robin @ Oct 18 2007, 12:11 AM)

Hi thanks, but, we have a SM57 and a SM58, but I was thinking about a mic inside the acoustic, so that you can plug a jack into it. Maybe thats what you're saying already? Maybe I'm just a little stupid, sorry

Posted by: Robin Oct 18 2007, 01:57 AM

QUOTE (Owen @ Oct 18 2007, 12:15 AM)

I think the way Tony mentioned is how they do it in proper studio setups, like the above.

Have you tried that method at all?

Sorry, I'm just wondering why the preference for mic's actually inside the guitar

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Oct 18 2007, 02:41 AM

Micing the guitar with a good mic will generally give you a better result than using a pickup (unless of course you are looking for a partifular sound, or as Robin says you like it better).

On the other hand, micing a guitar just isn't good for live work whereas pickups shine here.

QUOTE (Robin @ Oct 17 2007, 08:57 PM)

Btw, if I just mic the guitar, how would it be if I sang at the same time, trough a different mic?

Posted by: Robin Oct 18 2007, 02:48 AM

QUOTE (Andrew Cockburn @ Oct 18 2007, 01:41 AM)

Posted by: murphy33 Oct 18 2007, 06:31 AM

QUOTE (Robin @ Oct 17 2007, 09:48 PM)