[Kris]

I need some advise on a condensor mic for my jazz archtop guitar.

In terms of application, this will be for both live and studio
purposes, so I need to consider feedback implications. I also have
some acoustic guitars, nylon and steel, and the main challenge here is
that the archop projects less volume (perhaps up to 50% depending on
the archtop and the acoustic in comparison) than a fulll bodies
acoustic, and tends to sound thinner. This is of course due to the
fact that many archtops only have f-holes and not sound holes, they
have less volume (relatively speaking), and are often strung with flat
wound strings. I am playing a custom archtop made by Cris Mirabella in
NY, 17 inch body width, 4 inch depth, etc.

Hence, I need a mic that will address this difference in the archtop
vs. traditional acoustic. It may sound like I'm asking for the
impossible, for a mic to make an archtop sound bigger than it really
is, which is why I will usually blend the mic signal with my mag
pickup/amp signal.

A lot of what I'm reading suggests the condensor caratoid mics,
somethign like a Sure SM81, sE Electronics SE4, Audio-Technica AE5100,
Rode NT5-S, Neumann KM184, Sennheiser e914, or Josephson C42.

However, I am wondering whether a large diaphram condensor would be a
better choice, something like the Rode NT2-A, which can be omni,
caratoid, or figure 8.

Any suggestions from you experts out there?

Regards,

Kris

[PStamler]

A lot of the answer is going to depend on the volume at which you're
performing. If the house level is reasonably quiet, and the monitor(s)
reasonably quiet, you can get away with a large-diaphragm condenser
mic; I regularly use a Microtec Gefell M930 in live gigs at moderate
volumes.

However, if things get loud, you'll have big problems with feedback.
The problem is that most large-diaphragm mics have peaky off-axis
responses which can feed back badly. Smaller diaphragms are flatter
off-axis, and less prone to feedback; the SM81 is good in that regard.
So is a Neumann KM 84 if you can find one on eBay.

An alternative which may or may not work (I've never tried it with an
archtop) might be a really small tieclip mic. If you can find your
guitar's "sweet spot" you may be able to make such a mic work. Audio-
Technica makes some decent ones at moderate prices; other people make
more expensive ones.

Peace,
Paul

[Nate Najar]

On Mar 14, 10:34*pm, Kris wrote:
I need some advise on a condensor mic for my jazz archtop guitar.

In terms of application, this will be for both live and studio
purposes, so I need to consider feedback implications. *I also have
some acoustic guitars, nylon and steel, and the main challenge here is
that the archop projects less volume (perhaps up to 50% depending on
the archtop and the acoustic in comparison) than a fulll bodies
acoustic, and tends to sound thinner. *This is of course due to the
fact that many archtops only have f-holes and not sound holes, they
have less volume (relatively speaking), and are often strung with flat
wound strings. I am playing a custom archtop made by Cris Mirabella in
NY, 17 inch body width, 4 inch depth, etc.

Hence, I need a mic that will address this difference in the archtop
vs. traditional acoustic. It may sound like I'm asking for the
impossible, for a mic to make an archtop sound bigger than it really
is, which is why I will usually blend the mic signal with my mag
pickup/amp signal.

A lot of what I'm reading suggests the condensor caratoid mics,
somethign like a Sure SM81, sE Electronics SE4, Audio-Technica AE5100,
Rode NT5-S, Neumann KM184, Sennheiser e914, or Josephson C42.

However, I am wondering whether a large diaphram condensor would be a
better choice, something like the Rode NT2-A, which can be omni,
caratoid, or figure 8.

Any suggestions from you experts out there?

Regards,

Kris

Kris,

I replied a few times to your thread over at rmmgj, but paul's post
here reminded me of something else to consider-

I have a dpa imk4061 which is a miniature omni lav. I've used it for
upright bass and my nylon string acoustic for both recording and live
sound (not the only source in live sound- blended with a pickup) with
good results. even though it's an omni, you can still get a lot of
gain before feedback because you can get it super close to the source,
since there's no proximity effect. I would think if you attached it
to the guitar near an fhole you'd be in good shape. I stuck it inside
my nylon string's soundhole once, hi passed it at 110hz and it sounded
great.

N

[Scott Dorsey]

Kris wrote:
I need some advise on a condensor mic for my jazz archtop guitar.

Go out and audition a bunch of them and pick one that you like.

Hence, I need a mic that will address this difference in the archtop
vs. traditional acoustic. It may sound like I'm asking for the
impossible, for a mic to make an archtop sound bigger than it really
is, which is why I will usually blend the mic signal with my mag
pickup/amp signal.

Close-miking any instrument will make it sound bigger than it really is.
The mike changes some of this, but the technique matters more than the
mike.

Is this for PA or just for recording?

A lot of what I'm reading suggests the condensor caratoid mics,
somethign like a Sure SM81, sE Electronics SE4, Audio-Technica AE5100,
Rode NT5-S, Neumann KM184, Sennheiser e914, or Josephson C42.

Some of these are very good mikes, but they all sound very different.

However, I am wondering whether a large diaphram condensor would be a
better choice, something like the Rode NT2-A, which can be omni,
caratoid, or figure 8.

That sounds different too.

Any suggestions from you experts out there?

Go to a studio, audition some mikes. Don't get caught up in the whole
cardioid thing either... try the Sennheiser 441 and the EV N/D 468.
Also be sure to try the usual standby mikes like the AKG C451B and the
U87.

They will all sound different. Record a few bars on everything you can,
listen to it in the studio. Take it home and listen to it there. Listen
in a lot of places, until you can't listen any more. THEN decide what to
buy.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Ty Ford]

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:34:36 -0400, Kris wrote
(in article
):

I need some advise on a condensor mic for my jazz archtop guitar.

In terms of application, this will be for both live and studio
purposes, so I need to consider feedback implications. I also have
some acoustic guitars, nylon and steel, and the main challenge here is
that the archop projects less volume (perhaps up to 50% depending on
the archtop and the acoustic in comparison) than a fulll bodies
acoustic, and tends to sound thinner. This is of course due to the
fact that many archtops only have f-holes and not sound holes, they
have less volume (relatively speaking), and are often strung with flat
wound strings. I am playing a custom archtop made by Cris Mirabella in
NY, 17 inch body width, 4 inch depth, etc.

Hence, I need a mic that will address this difference in the archtop
vs. traditional acoustic. It may sound like I'm asking for the
impossible, for a mic to make an archtop sound bigger than it really
is, which is why I will usually blend the mic signal with my mag
pickup/amp signal.

A lot of what I'm reading suggests the condensor caratoid mics,
somethign like a Sure SM81, sE Electronics SE4, Audio-Technica AE5100,
Rode NT5-S, Neumann KM184, Sennheiser e914, or Josephson C42.

However, I am wondering whether a large diaphram condensor would be a
better choice, something like the Rode NT2-A, which can be omni,
caratoid, or figure 8.

Any suggestions from you experts out there?

Regards,

Kris

for live or studio?

Ty Ford



--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

[Kris]

On Mar 15, 11:24*am, Ty Ford wrote:
On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:34:36 -0400, Kris wrote
(in article
):





I need some advise on a condensor mic for my jazz archtop guitar.

In terms of application, this will be for both live and studio
purposes, so I need to consider feedback implications. *I also have
some acoustic guitars, nylon and steel, and the main challenge here is
that the archop projects less volume (perhaps up to 50% depending on
the archtop and the acoustic in comparison) than a fulll bodies
acoustic, and tends to sound thinner. *This is of course due to the
fact that many archtops only have f-holes and not sound holes, they
have less volume (relatively speaking), and are often strung with flat
wound strings. I am playing a custom archtop made by Cris Mirabella in
NY, 17 inch body width, 4 inch depth, etc.

Hence, I need a mic that will address this difference in the archtop
vs. traditional acoustic. It may sound like I'm asking for the
impossible, for a mic to make an archtop sound bigger than it really
is, which is why I will usually blend the mic signal with my mag
pickup/amp signal.

A lot of what I'm reading suggests the condensor caratoid mics,
somethign like a Sure SM81, sE Electronics SE4, Audio-Technica AE5100,
Rode NT5-S, Neumann KM184, Sennheiser e914, or Josephson C42.

However, I am wondering whether a large diaphram condensor would be a
better choice, something like the Rode NT2-A, which can be omni,
caratoid, or figure 8.

Any suggestions from you experts out there?

Regards,

Kris

for live or studio?

Ty Ford

--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demoshttp://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

More for live, than studio. Ideally, both.

[Ty Ford]

On Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:29:19 -0400, Kris wrote
(in article
):

More for live, than studio. Ideally, both.

I had an old "monkey on a stick" pickup I sold to an arch top guy here in
Baltimore last year. You might have liked that. He sure did.

last year I also put K&K's archtop pickups on the inside face of my flat top
Harmony 12-string. It took a little fiddling to find a nice spot. For me that
was between the bridge and the sound hole.

I think K&K has suggestions as to where they should go for an arch top.

\Call K&K and ask to speak to Dieter.

Regards,

Ty Ford

--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA