Recommend me a condenser mike?

[Aquila Rossa]

p.s. do not go paying that ebay link's price for one. they go as cheap as 70 bucks U.S at Guitar Center etc.

[bender]

I really don't dig the AT2020s- certainly not a mic I'd pic for recording acoustic guitar/bass anyway. Some of their mics are pretty nice, but the lower end ones are pretty average IME.

Hey Vince, another mic that would be worth grabbing (suggested further up the thread) is the 12-gauge mics Red12. It's a small diaphragm condenser, omni pattern (meaning not at all directional) and really cheap ($35US from memory). Because you have a pretty nice sounding space to record in, an Omni pattern could be a nice option. You could get one of those and if you need more, go for something else to fill the gap. Recording acoustic insts with more than one mic can yield really nice results.

Bare in mind that with pretty much all of the options here, you'll need a preamp or interface that can supply phantom (+48v) power. If your preamp has jack sockets rather than XLR sockets, it's unlikely to do this.

[willow13]

Hey Vince, another mic that would be worth grabbing (suggested further up the thread) is the 12-gauge mics Red12.

and we're back to where I started the whole thread with ... love mine (your old ones ben )

[bender]

Hey Vince, another mic that would be worth grabbing (suggested further up the thread) is the 12-gauge mics Red12.

and we're back to where I started the whole thread with ... love mine (your old ones ben )

I was more thinking of that in combination with something else, but yeah, it was a good suggestion right from the start. I suspect it may not give Vince the tone he's after on its own though.

[Vince]

Hey Vince, another mic that would be worth grabbing (suggested further up the thread) is the 12-gauge mics Red12.

and we're back to where I started the whole thread with ... love mine (your old ones ben )

Yeah, I dunno... when every review starts with "this is a great mike, for the price" and the price is $35, it's not very encouraging.

You guys really reckon they're all that good? From listening to samples, the green ones were nicer than the red. But, even so, it was kind of harsh sounding and not a lot to write home about. To post about in a forum yes, write home? no.

[willow13]

To post about in a forum yes, write home? no.

but this forum is my home

[bender]

Hey Vince, another mic that would be worth grabbing (suggested further up the thread) is the 12-gauge mics Red12.

and we're back to where I started the whole thread with ... love mine (your old ones ben )

Yeah, I dunno... when every review starts with "this is a great mike, for the price" and the price is $35, it's not very encouraging.

You guys really reckon they're all that good? From listening to samples, the green ones were nicer than the red. But, even so, it was kind of harsh sounding and not a lot to write home about. To post about in a forum yes, write home? no.

I reckon they're great. To me, the omnis are where it's at though. They're tricky to get right because they pick up a lot of the room and run counter to the way a lot of mics work in that they have minimal proximity effect, but I've really liked the acoustic recordings I've made with them. As a rule, omni mics tend to have a flatter frequency response and a far lower low frequency extension than other mics. They tend to sound more natural.

You could bump the price up to $200 and I still think they'd still be a great mic for the price.

[bender]

I still stand by my other recommendation though. That's a killer mic (and it has a switchable omni pattern for added awesomeness).

[Vince]

I still stand by my other recommendation though. That's a killer mic (and it has a switchable omni pattern for added awesomeness).

$456 dollars later...

[rickenbackerkid]

nice work. That’s going to sound killer.

[Vince]

nice work. That’s going to sound killer.

LOL I bloody hope so. Now I have to pick up my playing...

Seriously though, I'm getting into a lot of harmonics (outside the usual 3/5/7/9/12th fret ones) and rather delicate things like that so I need a lot of clarity to make them come out well.

[bender]

nice work. That’s going to sound killer.

LOL I bloody hope so. Now I have to pick up my playing...

Seriously though, I'm getting into a lot of harmonics (outside the usual 3/5/7/9/12th fret ones) and rather delicate things like that so I need a lot of clarity to make them come out well.

Good stuff! Things to try:

1) Cardioid (directional) mode- roughly 12" away, pointed at the neck/body join. Usually provides a good balance between string/zing, body resonance and room.
2) Omni (non-directional) mode- 3" away, same spot. Less room, more body, minimal proximity effect (which is basically a bass boost)
3) Omni (non-directional) mode- 6" away, just above or behind the bridge (more for the harmonic stuff than anything). This should hopefully give you more of the tone from the harmonics, and less of the string (if that makes sense). You'll need to play around with this a bit.

You could also try adding a second mic if you want to emphasise one thing over another (eg point a 57 at the strings for more zing, or just behind the bridge for more bass). Phasing between the mics can be an issue, but generally if you follow the 2:1 rule of thumb (2 units apart for every 1 unit away, eg if the mics are a foot away from the body, space them 2 feet apart), you'll be OK.

The other Ben will have other suggestions, but I've had great results with those three techniques on acoustic guitar, ukulele and acoustic bass.

[Vince]

Good stuff! Things to try:

Glad this is a forum and I can look for these things when the mike arrives.

I really need to get into recording this year, not having decently recorded "product" is a PITA.

[bender]

If I manage to make it down to Wellington without vomiting children, I'll come by for a cuppatea and a chat

[Danger Mouse]

If I manage to make it down to Wellington without vomiting children, I'll come by for a cuppatea and a chat

I know Wellington isn't everyone's bag, but vomiting children is one hell of an allergic reaction to the place, must kill your throat...