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I got this mic a while back pretty cool I have my preferences for it

Has anyone used it and have any thoughts on it

Comments

dvdhawk Sun, 11/23/2014 - 18:58

I have one around here somewhere. I bought it new in the early 80's, and I couldn't for the life of me tell you where it is now. ( that should tell you something )

I tried it on quite a few difference sources and thought it sounded fair-to-good with one of the female background vocalists we had in the band. Other than its odd appearance, I thought it was generally unremarkable. I thought it was better on paper than in real life applications. The frequency response specs were above average, but the sound of it wasn't particularly musical. There's a fine line between un-hyped and lifeless, I always found its sound to be just plain lifeless. I'd rather use an SM58 or 57 any day. The 59 originally came in really nice foam-lined metal box, so it had that going for it.

I've seen them used on TV shows of the era and expected the performance to be proportional to the cost, but I was unimpressed. Maybe I got a dud.

What good uses have you found for yours?

pcrecord Mon, 11/24/2014 - 03:21

Tommy, I've read a few Threads of yours and I find they were mostly gear oriented and for stuff you already have.
It seems like if you want to either confirm your gear choices, have suggestions how to use them or just show off.
I totally respect your approach to the site and you are allow to ask any questions for any reasons.
It's just a surprise to me because most gear questions are about stuff people want to buy or have problem with ;)

Any gear I own, I make a job to learn everything it could do. Let's say I buy a new preamp, I make sure to test every mic I have on it to know how the preamp react and how my mics will sound with it. It's my way to catalog my gear in there usefullness and what it doesn't do well.

Once I have that on the back of my mind, the only thing that will make me reach for that piece of gear is the feeling that it will make an instrument shine. I just can't care less of how often I use one gear and how others use it. My priority is to best capture the source.
It happens sometime that I have a source and no Ideal mic and preamp to serve it right because I can't own everything (certainly not with my budget) so those times, I just compromise and focus on having an optimal placement and gain staging.

This post is not about telling you, you are wrong for asking, but just to let you know we have a very different approach.
If I sometime answer someone with what seem like an opposition, please know that I have no interest or pleasure of doing so. I just like to expose all the angles of what the art is, even if my answer isn't the right answer. And I believe, knowing how to use gear is more important that having the best one. It's easy to make an LA-610 sound like crap. If you don't know how to work it, it's just a 1500$ worth of crap. ;)

Have a nice day my friend !

anonymous Mon, 11/24/2014 - 03:48

I've used The 59 a time or two in the past, mostly for horns as I recall. I haven't come across one in years, though. It was originally intended to be a "flat" version of the 57, with virtually no variance from 100 - 10k.

One of the main objections that I remember hearing from people who had them was that it was a "lifeless" mic. And, in comparison to other dynamics, it also had an extremely low output, so perhaps these two reasons played a part in why it never really took off.

Tommy osuna Mon, 11/24/2014 - 06:16

To PC record that's your way of thinking if I thought that ways as everyone else what a boring world we would live in

I don't fantasize about gear I get it that's just me

When I did the album with buddy miles sadly before he past I did not know him I called him up told him I wanted to jam and we made a cool record I realize that's the way it should be but most people would not just call up buddy miles

Or would you rather me not post on here

I don't write as well as I speak so please take this in the most nice way you can . I like talking about gear

pcrecord Mon, 11/24/2014 - 07:08

I'm a bit sad that you find me boring... not really ;)
I greatly enjoy your posts and opinions. This is the very reason why I wrote this previous post. I wanted to tell you that even if we have different approach, I don't want to discredit any of what you say. If I ever post an opposing opinion, don't take it personnaly.. just see it as the other side of the dime !

About gear. I spent too much money on gear I didn't need or understand.. I wish the newcommers to learn more of the craft before buying anything.. But that's just me ;)

anonymous Mon, 11/24/2014 - 07:08

I think you may have misinterpreted PC's comments - it's easy to do sometimes when reading text as opposed to actually having a real face to face conversation with someone.

There's nothing wrong with stating your preference for gear, I think we all do that here to a certain extent... and as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing wrong with bragging about your gear, either, as long as it doesn't get out of control. We've had members like that here in the past - one in particular, where every single post was a name dropping, award winning, self aggrandizing, masturbatory F**k fest.

As long as you understand that your way might not be the only way, and, that you can't conclusively consider any one piece of gear to be superior over others without comparing it to others of similar type.

I would agree with PC that often, your posts come across in a way that suggests that you are looking for " affirmative confirmation" on what you already have, it's almost as if you're wanting someone to say
"man, you've got some fantastic gear, there... tell us more !"

Many members here have very nice gear, and quite often, the members here will ask each other for advice or suggestions when looking to purchase a particular piece - but looking for affirmation after the fact isn't really common.

Tommy osuna, post: 421436, member: 48582 wrote: When I did the album with buddy miles sadly before he past I did not know him I called him up told him I wanted to jam and we made a cool record I realize that's the way it should be but most people would not just call up buddy miles

I think it's great you had a chance to work with Buddy Miles! But you're certainly not the only one here on this forum who has ever instituted working with people "of note". Many members here have worked with big acts, or with big name producers. So, when you say something like "most people would not just call up Buddy Miles", it comes off as you suggesting that you are different from other members here, many of whom have done things like this many times and in very similar scenarios to what you mentioned.

Certainly, you should give yourself credit for things like this. Just don't infer or suggest that you are different from any other pro here in that regard. I think you would be amazed at how many of us have worked in very similar situations to yours.

FWIW

d.

pcrecord Tue, 11/25/2014 - 03:16

Tommy osuna, post: 421489, member: 48582 wrote: Ok well so you know I don't write as well as I speak

I didn't get that feeling about your posts at all Tommy.
But I can connect with that, I'm a french Canadian after all ;)
There were many posts I made that was misinterpreted because I wasn't clear enough or because of my language level...
I'm getting better at it, so will you my friend !

This community tries to be different from other forums like GS. You should be happy tho, because when you asked about the sm59, you didn't have 20 answers braggin about other mics. I like that if I ask about a millennium preamp, I won't be answered to by how good is an Avalon preamp. :)
Also guys like Donny and Chris (audiokid) have done a great job of keeping this place clean of bitching, throlling and disrespectfull people.

I'd be glad if you stick around, share your experiences and voice your opinions.

Tommy osuna Tue, 11/25/2014 - 06:52

Thanks pcrecord these forums are different and I like it

I still like to see what other people think of gear not bragging about what I have but to see what they have done with it

what if they have an application that I've never thought of that's the way I learn ,so I'll still post the same way I do but I'm hopeing people will understand that I'm posting because I care about music to the fullest ,I'm also willing to share my experiences which I think this forum is great for.

I've owned a music school for kids for 15 years, I love sharing my experiences

anonymous Tue, 11/25/2014 - 07:46

I don't believe that anyone would object about your opinions on gear - some may agree, some may not, that's kinda what the forum is all about... intelligent, friendly debate is good. It allows us to consider other methods, other workflows, etc.

The same applies for your experiences. We all have them it's fine to share.

pcrecord, post: 421495, member: 46460 wrote: because when you asked about the sm59, you didn't have 20 answers braggin about other mics.

This is one of the (many) things I also like about this forum, and I think it sets us apart from the Gear Slutz. Very rarely here will you get the type of responses where people immediately go to their own personal gear list (unless they are asked to) and state why their way is the de facto standard.

On this forum, you got responses from people that have either owned one/used one, and were simply telling you about their own experiences with it.

In my personal experience with GS, If you had posted your query about the SM59 there, you would have probably received responses telling you why the mic you posted sucked, and how you can't be serious about recording unless you own a U47.

;)

pcrecord Tue, 11/25/2014 - 08:57

Tommy osuna, post: 421498, member: 48582 wrote: Thanks pcrecord these forums are different and I like it

I still like to see what other people think of gear not bragging about what I have but to see what they have done with it

Go ahead without further doubts !

My first initial post said :

pcrecord, post: 421423, member: 46460 wrote: This post is not about telling you, you are wrong for asking, but just to let you know we have a very different approach.

From the bottom of my heart, the only reason I wrote this post was because we both answered on a thread with different opinions.
You were proposing a nice choice of gear and I was proposing to learn more before buying. None of those answer are right or wrong.
But I wanted you to know that I wasn't oposing you on purpose and the last thing I would like is us having a conflict.

I'm happy we cleared that out and now ; LETS MAKE MUSIC !! ;)

x