There are some people that say if you unscrew the top off a 58 to remove the windscreen you have a 57. Try it, see if you hear a difference. The 58 is a very versatile mic, good with vocals and guitar.
I don't believe getting a 57 is going to give you a very big difference in sound. I started with a 58 and later bought the MXL 990/991 combo, which was pretty cheap, $100 including an Audio Buddy preamp. You'd be astounded at the improvement in sound clarity with a condensor mic, even cheapie ones like my MXLs.
Given your signal chain, I'd suggest you get something to avoid using your mic-in on your laptop, say a USB preamp. You'll notice an improvement in sound over the typically crappy soundcards in laptops. then the next step would be a condensor mic. Typically the thin pencil condensors (small diameter condensor, SD, like the MXL991) are best for acoustic guitar, though many prefer the larger condensor mic (my MXL990), which is also better for vocals.
__________________
Fred
The secret to life is enjoying the passage of time.
|