mic mount that clips/lamps to acoustic

HighAndDry · #1 03-27-2011, 09:47 PM

has anyone built their own or used one of those mic holders that clamps to an acoustic guitar. I am doing a solo gig where I might be able to get away with just using a mic but I want the freedom of having it mounted to the guitar. I tried to make my own but I failed

pieterh · #2 03-28-2011, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighAndDry

has anyone built their own or used one of those mic holders that clamps to an acoustic guitar. I am doing a solo gig where I might be able to get away with just using a mic but I want the freedom of having it mounted to the guitar. I tried to make my own but I failed

I have used the DPA4099 guitar clip both for myself and when miking up musicians at our theatre and it works fine - the mike is excellent of course too! But if you are looking for a solution that accomodates any microphone then there is something called the H-Clamp light:

http://www.gollihurmusic.com/manufac...PLORAUDIO.html

I would guess that you would need to use a very light mike so that you don't feel the balance of the guitar is wrong - the advantage of the DPA system is that it weighs very little.

HighAndDry · #3 03-28-2011, 10:36 AM

that mic is pretty pricey isn't

pieterh · #4 03-28-2011, 10:45 AM

They're not the cheapest, no. But then there's a reason why we are seeing them more and more on riders and live gig write-ups. One of the things I love about these mics is that you can attach them to just about anything. The only eq-ing I need to do is to roll of the low end, unless on an instrument that needs it. Otherwise the eq is pretty flat and the sound from the PA is wonderfully live and natural. Our fiddle player loves them so much he is going to get his own!

It wouldn't surprise me if a chinese brand starts marketing something similar any time soon...

Doug Young · #5 03-28-2011, 10:54 AM

There's also the K&K Meridian, the Miniflex 2Mic Model 2, and the Bartlett mics. You can see my video reviews of all four with the links below. I currently have the 4099 and miniflex myself, and all four can work great in the right setting. There are some other options, including the AMT, and your own mic with an H-clamp.

DPA 4099

Miniflex review - several models reviewed, they all sound similar

Bartlett Guitar Mic

Meridian

pieterh · #6 03-28-2011, 11:01 AM

Doug always has great advice!

I too have experience with the AMT (bought in the USA and used on a flute when I was mixing). Excellent mikes. Dunno what they cost though...

corbetta · #7 03-28-2011, 01:06 PM

I've been using the H-Clamp and a Line Audio CM-3 condenser with very good results. I have a tiny bit of DPA-envy, but not too much.

gf

HighAndDry · #8 03-28-2011, 08:33 PM

thanks everyone! I checked out the videos doug. they do all sound pretty good. my budget is pretty crunched right now. I know there is an hclamp for sale on the classifieds forum. that person thought that an sm57 or 58 might be a bit heavy to use with it. (I know they aren't ideal acc mics but I actually have recorded with both of them and got good results. Plus I already own them!!) Like I said thanks to everyone. I was hoping someone had some brilliant make your own idea. yeah I am that broke right now. but some more stuff for my wish list.

HighAndDry · #9 03-31-2011, 02:50 PM

well.... I didn't get a mic holder yet but last night at the gig I thought I would try to mike up the guitar using just a mic stand. I put the mic pretty close to the guitar (under 3") over the neck where it meets the body (this guitar is a cutaway) keeping it away from hole. It didn't take long to remember why we started using pickups in the first place!! I had thought that I would blend the mic and pickup. I just couldn't get enough out of the mic without feedback. it was a beta 58 which I know is not an ideal guitar mic . I suppose I could have screwed with it more and eq'd etc. but yeah! that's why pickups caught on so well. makes me wonder how all those acoustic artists from the pre pickup era got by. I am sure the guitar mics that doug reviewed earlier would have much better feedback rejection etc than the 58 but it was kind of a duh moment for me.

El Conquistador · #10 03-31-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighAndDry

well.... I didn't get a mic holder yet but last night at the gig I thought I would try to mike up the guitar using just a mic stand. I put the mic pretty close to the guitar (under 3") over the neck where it meets the body (this guitar is a cutaway) keeping it away from hole. It didn't take long to remember why we started using pickups in the first place!! I had thought that I would blend the mic and pickup. I just couldn't get enough out of the mic without feedback. it was a beta 58 which I know is not an ideal guitar mic . I suppose I could have screwed with it more and eq'd etc. but yeah! that's why pickups caught on so well. makes me wonder how all those acoustic artists from the pre pickup era got by. I am sure the guitar mics that doug reviewed earlier would have much better feedback rejection etc than the 58 but it was kind of a duh moment for me.

IMHO, this post ought to be made into a sticky at the top of the Electrified Forum.

Steve

HighAndDry · #11 03-31-2011, 03:26 PM

ya funny how I had to relearn that. LOL!!!!! I thought that because it was a low volume gig I could get away with mike only. hahah

revgarvey · #12 04-02-2011, 05:33 AM

Hey, HighandDry:

I just did a solo gig up in Boston a couple of weeks ago where I only mic'd up my guitar with an EV N/D967 dynamic. I had it on a mic extension and gooseneck mounted to my mic stand, and found for the jumbo I was using, along with the room, it sounded best at about the 14th fret about 3" away.

That mic works so very well because of its polar pattern being supercardioid, plus you can boost up quite a bit of gain before feedback becomes an issue if everything else is set up correctly. I didn't monitor anything as the room was small enough for me to hear the house (only 130 seats), and I took off a bit of bass on the eq...but that was it, and the night sounded really lovely without any hint of feedback.

That said, I really don't move much since I'm a mellow singer/songwriter kind of guy so that kind of setup suits me. I realize you desire a bit more freedom of movement, but I believe you can achieve what you are looking to do with a microphone with the proper polar pattern, something like the H-Clamp, then playing around with mic placement, monitor placement, eq, etc.

I love the sound of external mics, and I've been thinking of getting the H-Clamp, simply because it offers the freedom to use any microphone you wish along with the freedom of mobility; even if that means just a slight swaying from side-to-side.

Just my two cents!

fixingahole2 · #13 05-02-2016, 08:16 AM

Hi Doug, great info.
Since you tried and reviewed all of those mics, which one is the most feedback proof?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Young

There's also the K&K Meridian, the Miniflex 2Mic Model 2, and the Bartlett mics. You can see my video reviews of all four with the links below. I currently have the 4099 and miniflex myself, and all four can work great in the right setting. There are some other options, including the AMT, and your own mic with an H-clamp.

DPA 4099

Miniflex review - several models reviewed, they all sound similar

Bartlett Guitar Mic

Meridian

Doug Young · #14 05-02-2016, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fixingahole2

Hi Doug, great info.
Since you tried and reviewed all of those mics, which one is the most feedback proof?

I'm not sure there's a huge difference. The miniflex is designed around the idea of gaining a few db before feedback, but I don't know how one would really measure that in an accurate way. In general, any mic sensitive enough to pick up your guitar is also sensitive enough to pick up sound coming from a PA or monitor, thereby causing feedback.

The best ways to avoid feedback are careful speaker placement and keeping your stage volume down. Some mics may help slightly - the dpa 4099 is hypercardiod, for example, and internal mics will have slightly different behavior (probably more prone to low feedback than high) but at best, you're maybe talking about a db or 2 of difference, that is easily offset just by needing a bit more volume, a more reflective room, tighter stage setup, or a less than optimal speaker positioning.

Also I've never had any luck with mics and an amp, they work best with a good PA (the higher quality, the better), with the speakers out front. Avoid wedge monitors, and have a good sound man, if possible.

fixingahole2 · #15 05-02-2016, 09:53 PM

Speaker placement is indeed as if not the most important.

I really love the new generation of pa with small speakers (I think it's multiple 4" speakers). They tend to reject feedback way better.
Currently I am using acoustic image, head and speaker.
Seriously considering custom building a 6x4" cabinet to use along with my Acoustic Image head.

I also have multiple studio mics, just bought the Shure SM81, trying to figure out which one works best in the live situation.