Ribbon Mics on Guitar Cabs?

[gorath23]

This is kinda a follow-on to the dual-mic thread and the 'Condenser on a Cab' thread, but I'd be really interested in hearing peoples experiences with using Ribbon mics on cabs. Particularly in conjunction with other mics, positioning, mic recommedations etc. I'm thinking of picking up a T-bone RB100 as it seems to have a good reputation and its not too expensive. Post away!

 

[johnny dove]

well i don't have any personal experience (yet, i'm ordering a pair of cascade fatheads in a week or two) the last studio i was interning at was all about the 57/royer 121 combo on guitars. most of the amps i mic'ed up were usually that combo and everything i heard in mixdown when i was there for it sounded pretty damn good.
one of the other interns had a pair of fatheads that he left at the studio and everyone was also a big fan of those, i dunno about on guitar but i saw them more than a few times as stereo room mics.

 

[Seizure.]

I love them!
In some cabs its better to just use one in the other its better to use a comnination with something brighter/dynamic (sm57/i5/sm7)

This is only Rb100 on guitars: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=579059&content=songinfo&songID=6638108
This is Rb100 + and Sm57 on guitars: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=245917110

I only have the rb100 but it has been treating me well till now

 

[Keiffer]

I love them, especially when mixed with a dynamic using my special mixing setup posted elsewhere. They deliver a very balanced tone to begin with and the tracked signal takes EQ very well.

I have the following Ribbons:
R84 (2)
Trion 7000 (2)
Fat Head (1)

 

[ProjectHamsterdam]

How does this 'figure-8' pattern with the T.BONE RB100 work on guitar cabs? I mean how do you point that thing to get results?

Sorry if it's a dumb question. I just haven't come across such a thing before.

 

[greyskull]

The Thomann ones will die very quickly in front of guitar Cabs, but i love ribbons on guitar (royer 121's please)

 

[Seizure.]

The Thomann ones will die very quickly in front of guitar Cabs

?

I had mine infront of a Sunn Beta amp and you don't get louder then those and it took it more then well.

 

[~BURNY~]

I have a T-B RB500 which is really decent and also an Apex 205 which is even better (and cheaper). I'd use em on a cab for a more rockish tone tho. I dig them on vocals.
What people seem to ignore is that ribbon technology was one of the cheapest way to make a microphone back in the day. Not saying that chinese ribbons are as good as Royer's and Coles. Just food for thought.

 

[theBlackLOBSTERmurder]

I got myself an RB 500 aswell for recording a rock band next week.
how do you set these mics up in front of the cab, close or 3 feet away or so?

 

[Seizure.]

I'm sorry to say that the thing the rb500 sucks infront of most is cabinets get the Rb100 for that!

 

[noarin]

The Thomann ones will die very quickly in front of guitar Cabs, but i love ribbons on guitar (royer 121's please)

+1

I ordered 2 at Thomann and returned them within a week because both died on me. 1 was in front of a guitar cabinet which was pretty loud.

The other 1 was put in front of a bassdrum by one of my not so well-informed bandmates, makes sense it died quickly since you may not blow air into them..

 

[Seizure.]

I think just about every Rb100 will die infront of a kickdrum haha, damn..
And maybe i got one of the more rugged ones

 

[musickey]

I use a rb100 in front of a cab and it has not gave me any problems. its a good mic to have. Like i said in another thread, its cool as a mono room mic on drums as well.

 

[Metaltastic]

How'd you get yours, Musickey? Since they're a Thomann brand, I wouldn't think they'd be too available in the States

 

[James-Doolan]

As far as i know they are re branded in the states as nady. I could be wrong though can someone else confirm this?

 

[Metaltastic]

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Oh god oh god oh god uke:uke:uke:uke:

I honestly regard Nady with more contempt than Behringer, cuz at least Behringer stuff can sound good (their bass amps, for example), even if the reliability is laughable. Maybe the Nady ribbons are tolerable, but I've had the great displeasure of using a drum mic set of theirs and sweet jesus it was wretched.

 

[noarin]

the nady series and the t-bone100 /500 /700 etc are exactly the same.

 

[johnny dove]

i've read on a few different forums that one of the major problems with nady/whatever chinese ribbon is that the ribbon itself is kind of slack in the enclosure, and that opening up the mic and tightening it to where it should have been in the first place makes a load of difference.
but i'm still going to go with my fatheads, because it's my understanding that cascade uses the same mics made from the same place in china but has good quality control.

 

[colonel kurtz]

I honestly regard Nady with more contempt than Behringer, cuz at least Behringer stuff can sound good (their bass amps, for example), even if the reliability is laughable. Maybe the Nady ribbons are tolerable, but I've had the great displeasure of using a drum mic set of theirs and sweet jesus it was wretched.

nady ribbons are just re-labeled OEM chinese ribbons that are sold under a myraid of brand names...

and yes, one of the main issues with chinese ribbons is slack ribbons - i got a chinese ribbon last year from an group buy at HR.com, and the ribbon was not only slack, but severely stretched...i guess new ribbon elements are being sent out to replace the old ones with the latest GB, but we'll see if i can manage to swap out the 2 micron ribbon without breaking it

 

[musickey]

How'd you get yours, Musickey? Since they're a Thomann brand, I wouldn't think they'd be too available in the States

I ordered it from Thomann, they ship to the states.