Condenser Microphone Suggestion
 

Hi,

I am looking for a condenser mic to record my acoustic flat top, Gypsy and Archtop guitars in a fairly live reflective home environment (wood floors, windows etc.). My experience recording up to now has been with amplifiers using dynamic microphones. I want something that will work well on a boom placed near the guitar pointed towards the 12-14th fret that won't pick up the humidifier 15' across the room but will capture the dynamics and beautiful tones of my instruments. I play mostly solo jazz chord melody.

Condenser mic -> RME Babyface -> iMac running Garageband

:-)

Bob

There is a wealth of prior posts on this you could read.

I use an MXL 770 large diaphram condensor mic for the guitar. It does a nice job and is a pretty reasonable price.

Steve

I have
 

I have, but none seem to address...

I want something that will work well on a boom placed near the guitar pointed towards the 12-14th fret that won't pick up the humidifier 15' across the room but will capture the dynamics and beautiful tones of my instruments.

I have read posts where the two low end microphones of choice are the Octava MK012 (modified by Jolly in differing capsule configurations) or and ADK A6. Some folks like a number of Rodes mics as well. I also see many posts where folks recommend higher-end microphones like an AKG C451, Neumann KM184, Audio-Technica 4051 etc. which are above my budget.

I don't see any consistent advication for anything at the price point that I asked about nor do I see anything about preference for use in an acoustically live room with PCs with fans, humidifiers with fans etc. Many people have home studios set up that are acoutically much better than my space. Many times people are also recommending mics for use in a multi-mic configuration and I am going to be using a single mic.

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I'm in the same boat. Recently I started this thread which landed in recommendation for EV RE20 and that family of mics. http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=255862

The consensus still seems to be that careful mic placement is king, maybe with a couple carefully placed panels.

Bob,
If you can hear the humidifier while sitting in front of the microphone, then any quality mic is going to hear those things as well.

Turn it off while you are recording.

HE

Yeah I'm afraid that's true. I did a take the other day with a percussion track turned up too loud in my (closed back) headphones and the (condenser) mic picked it up faintly in the background...!

Bob,

How loud is your dehumidifier and how deaf are you? :)

I know I could hear the dehumidifier with the mics I have.

If those are your conditions, consider a K&K pickup system. I highly recommend the Pure Mini. I have it in my Martin. It's not as good as a great mic, but it's better than a bad mic. No battery. No controls. Straight out at the strap button jack.

Here's what it sounds like on my D28s Martin?

It does get a little clacky if I flat pick, but I like it a lot for finger style.

Regards,

Ty Ford

I use 2 AKG Perception 170's. I record in stereo and it's
the best thing I ever did. I would definitely turn the
dehumidifier off while recording. It's easy enough to do
and your mind will be at ease.

Those Oktava MK012's are very nice......

Ty,
Actually he said 'Humidifier', not 'Dehumidifier'.

If he's using an ultrasonic humidifier, they actually are pretty quiet, but there's always a fan running. Nothing like a console humidifier, of course.........

HE

Maybe a condenser pencil mic with a real tight cardiod pattern?

You mean like the Les Crane show model?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Elec...-/220717496284

You might not be old enough to remember what I'm referring to......

HE

If you already have a mic that works for you other than picking up environmental noise, then spend your money on improving your room acoustics, and for Pete's sake, turn the humidifier off when you're recording. Most of the time the simplest solution is the best one.

http://www.primacoustic.com/index-rm-kits.htm

My little Behringer C2 mics would pick up my fish tank. I always had to remember to unplug it.