Best Shure Mic (or other brand) for Acoustic Guitar???

[donh]

The best Shure Mic I have found for acoustic guitar is the Beyerdynamic M201. It retails for $300, but I suppose that you could find one for about $200 if you could ever find someone selling theirs. It *has* happened (I was there), but it is rare.

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Originally Posted by charmedlife417

Howdy. Could someone please recommend a ...snip... microphone model ...snip... without getting crazily expensive ...snip... This would be for both guitar and mandolin.

My budget is around $200 tops ...snip...

IMO the Heil PR 22 is an outstanding all-purpose dynamic microphone.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by donh

The best Shure Mic I have found for acoustic guitar is the Beyerdynamic M201. It retails for $300, but I suppose that you could find one for about $200 if you could ever find someone selling theirs. It *has* happened (I was there), but it is rare.

Don, thanks, I'll definitely check that out. I think I will probably go with Shure, just because they're so widely available and reasonably priced. I trust the brand and they fit in my budget. I imagine most of them are made overseas these days.

Thanks Again, Don,
Charmed Life

[alohachris]

Aloha CL,

Glad to share opinions with you, brother.

I read that you're thinking of Shure mic's. Will you be using the mic for live or studio applications?

alohachris

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by alohachris

Aloha CL,

Glad to share opinions with you, brother.

I read that you're thinking of Shure mic's. Will you be using the mic for live or studio applications?

alohachris

Chris, hi. Strictly for live performance, mainly for an acoustic guitar. My general price range is up to about $300, new or used.

Thanks,
CL

[alohachris]

Aloha CL,

This is the "RECORD" site. I think the administrators should have put this post in the "ELECTRIFIED" site because you're looking for stage mic recommendations, right? (Hope they realize this).

Many of the recommendations provided above were based on the assumption that your application was for studio recording, not for playing live. Most of mine were wrong in that mistaken belief. Sorry, CL.

There are many other questions to ask you now that I know it's for live miking. I'll have to get back to you on those, CL.

As a retired almost nighty gigger for 53 years, I can say that most gigging situations disallow the use of many external condenser mic's. Only the best rooms & quietest crowds will allow that.

Dynamic mic's are often more appropriate for live - but even they have trouble in some venues. I'd bring one of each kind to a gig & let the room decide (did that for decades & it worked - where/when I could use an external mic at all.

I've found a K&K mini pickup combined with an AKG internal condenser mic allows me to be heard, achieve a nice, natural acoustic sound, & not feedback when combined with the right control mechanisms (like the great EQ on my Pendulum SPS-1 preamp.

In the best rooms, I sometimes add an aforementioned AKG 535, or 460 external condenser mic to that combo - or I use the excellent Heil PR35 dynamic external with that combo if the room has some limitations. Those are my favorite external mic's for live - & I've tried just about all of them, I'll tell ya. However, it is pretty hard to get around the need for using a pickup in live gigging situations.

Again, two external mic's that work well live are the AKG 535 condenser mic (under your price new & available used around $150) & then, check out the Heil PR35 a great dynamic mic (around $250 new). They can be used on vocals or acoustic guitar & other instruments as well.

There are many Shure dynamic mic's available, such as the SM57. But your price range should be able to get you a much better sounding live mic (only need one mic for live apps). Check out that Heil PR35 dynamic, CL. It kills any live Shure mic that I've auditioned, even the KSM 9 condenser, IMO.

What types of gigs/rooms do you typically play in, CL?

alohachris

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by alohachris

Aloha CL,

This is the "RECORD" site. I think the administrators should have put this post in the "ELECTRIFIED" site because you're looking for stage mic recommendations, right? (Hope they realize this).

Many of the recommendations provided above were based on the assumption that your application was for studio recording, not for playing live. Most of mine were wrong in that mistaken belief. Sorry, CL.

There are many other questions to ask you now that I know it's for live miking. I'll have to get back to you on those, CL.

As a retired almost nighty gigger for 53 years, I can say that most gigging situations disallow the use of many external condenser mic's. Only the best rooms & quietest crowds will allow that.

Dynamic mic's are often more appropriate for live - but even they have trouble in some venues. I'd bring one of each kind to a gig & let the room decide (did that for decades & it worked - where/when I could use an external mic at all.

I've found a K&K mini pickup combined with an AKG internal condenser mic allows me to be heard, achieve a nice, natural acoustic sound, & not feedback when combined with the right control mechanisms (like the great EQ on my Pendulum SPS-1 preamp.

In the best rooms, I sometimes add an aforementioned AKG 535, or 460 external condenser mic to that combo - or I use the excellent Heil PR35 dynamic external with that combo if the room has some limitations. Those are my favorite external mic's for live - & I've tried just about all of them, I'll tell ya. However, it is pretty hard to get around the need for using a pickup in live gigging situations.

Again, two external mic's that work well live are the AKG 535 condenser mic (under your price new & available used around $150) & then, check out the Heil PR35 a great dynamic mic (around $250 new). They can be used on vocals or acoustic guitar & other instruments as well.

There are many Shure dynamic mic's available, such as the SM57. But your price range should be able to get you a much better sounding live mic (only need one mic for live apps). Check out that Heil PR35 dynamic, CL. It kills any live Shure mic that I've auditioned, even the KSM 9 condenser, IMO.

What types of gigs/rooms do you typically play in, CL?

alohachris

Chris, thanks for the heads up on that. I just sent the Moderator a request to move this back to the AMPLIFICATION section, which deals with live sound. We'll see where they stick us.

I'm out the door to play in my church band, so I will respond later.

Thank You!
CL