Mics for Recording Acoustic Guitar

[audiokid]

Mic choices for recording an acoustic guitar? Maybe your top 2 favorites

 

[Paul Schubert]

Great Poll.
Unfortunately I haven't had the time or pleasure to use all of the mentioned microphones. Therefore my response is subjective.
I may never really know the BEST two mics for recording acoustic guitar.

 

[groundcontrol]

Most of my favorite a/g mics are not even there!

 

[bette]

Hi Chris,

same problem as groundcontrol, here is my favourite (not in the list too):

Schoeps MK2S

The Schoeps are fantastic for acoustic guitar.

Christoph

 

[Steve Hudson]

My faves aren't on the list. I use a 460 at the neck and a Soundelux U95s on the body. Killer combintion. Pre's make a big difference, too.

 

[dave-G]

My fave ain't there either. The Sennheiser MKH-80 ... Deeee-licious!

And what's with the 0% (0) mics getting the long bargraph on the results?

--dg

*******************
dg, I don't see that? Maybe refresh or something.

audiokid

 

[mwagener]

It will be different for each guitar but my favs are:
GrooveTubes AM 40
Schoeps CMC5/MK4

 

[Ed Kinsella]

Hi guy,

Am new to the forum but I love it

I have not used all those mics by any means, but I have had good results with c414 (lovely) and calrec 2050's

just my $0.02 worth.

 

[anonymous]

I'm afraid this whole idea is quite ridiculous... as it doens't take the player, the instrument, the song, nor the environment into account. Without those elements included (as well as they myriad of transduction devices that have been omitted from the survey), I would have to say that this is at best a 'popularity contest', and at worst a 'marketing referendum'.

Fletcher

 

[Ed Kinsella]

whoa man, thats a little harsh really, surely this represents votes on kit that has produced good results for us in the past. I think it is safe to assume that we are all big enough and ugly enough to take the poll with a pinch of salt and use it in the way it was intended. After all, there is no such thing as too much information, the art is in the weight applied to each idea.

 

[mgod]

I voted for a KM254, my fave for pop-style acoustics, and other. The other is a pair of EAR mics in a Blumlein setup - most people who have heard this will have heard it on the Ry Cooder/Vishwa Mohan Bhatt collaboration "A Meeting By The River."

DS

 

[Kurtstudio]

I have found that this combination works the best.
1. AT 4051 small diaaphram mic. Calrac pre/eq with 10 db 12k, 4 db at 8 k, 1 db at 160, :w: roll off 60 htz. Red 3 compressor set to fast attack. and release.
2. BK small diaphram mic . 1272 Neve pre with red 3 comression set on medium attact and medium release.
Set the mic's at 90 degrees use the AT to get you accack and the BK to get your tone. You can reverse the mics and compressors also, I've found different acc. gtrs. to speek in either setup.

 

[kip gynn]

I had nice results in a live amplifed recording situation simply using a Tram mic. This mic, used with the PZM adapter close to the neck and hanging slightly over the body opening, gave consistent signal to noise without the variable proximity effect of microphones mounted on stands away from the guitar.

 

[Mad John]

I have a very sterile Taylor acoustic (510 series) that I have hated for 9 years now!

Funny thing is that at times it can be captured on tape quite nicely.

Dont laugh , but the only mic that seems to give the proper ballence and depth is a CAD E-200!

Go figure!?!

Oh , the Universal 2-610 isn't too shabby ither!

Mad John
Zythum Studios

"The present day Composer refuses to die!"
Edgar Varese - 1921

 

[Scott Daley]

My mic favorites, for recording acoustic guitar, are the Russian made Oktava MC012, and the Lawson L47 tube mic. I've tried a number of mics but, so far, these have given me the best results.

 

[glitchless]

Originally posted by Dan Schwartz:
I voted for a KM254, my fave for pop-style acoustics, and other. The other is a pair of EAR mics in a Blumlein setup - most people who have heard this will have heard it on the Ry Cooder/Vishwa Mohan Bhatt collaboration "A Meeting By The River."

DS

I was playing this album last night for dinner guests with ecclectic tastes. This is a fine recording. I don't have the mics you mentioned so I use what I have which works fine as long as I match the guitar and pre to the style and mic etc....
I have AKG 541's AT4041's and Marshall 603's and a Octava MC012 with all three caps.
The cardioid on the Octava and the Marshall's up close add a lot of low mid from the proximity effect. The AT's and the Omni cap on the Octava produce a very natural sound. The 451's and a bit more present and agressive.
I'd say currently I go with the 451 and the omni Octava for my two favourite flavours of the month.

 

[Groovetree]

So far the most beautiful acoustic gtr sound I've heard is an AT451 or KM84 through a Martech MSS-10 Mic pre.

Folk/Rock acoustic... KM83 with AKGC414 x2 further away. Neve pre. - great

Jason

 

[Ted Nightshade]

I have to go with Fletcher a bit on this one, although maybe not quite as far. Why not just the Best Mic For Acoustic Guitar instead of the Top 2?
It's the reductive nature of this that is missing the whole point. It's evident from reading this and the top 10 thread that a lot of people get the best results by doing completely different things, and as their situations are rather different this is not such a big suprise, perhaps.
Still I think that the big insight of all this is: "Every situation is different, and there IS no best mic or even 25 best mics for acoustic guitar."
This I think is news well worth repeating. Even a list of all the contenders, all though bulky, can be instructive, if only to show how very many routes may be the best for a given situation.
Ted

 

[klay@klay.com]

What? No Telefunken 251?

 

[audiokid]

The top 2 was meant as "what top 2 (two) do you use". Earlier this week while gathering mic names for this "poll" I also learned that alot of us use "2 (two)" different mics when recording an acoustic. It only came to my realization from this poll in the first place.
Can we keep this positive