Which guitar cab mic should I get?

[madbutcher]

All I really have right now is a sm57, and I know they are great and all and everybody else gets awesome tones with it, but I just can't seem to get exactly what I want no matter what I do with it when tracking high gain stuff. I want something else, ideas I have are a sm7b or a md421, I have used them both before and liked them much better than the 57. But maybe something else I should check out? Price range would be less than $400-$500 new.

 

[Pot]

id go for a md421 to use together with the 57
or a beyerdynamic m160 (ok it´s more expensive, but i lked whar i´ve heard...).

 

[decoy205]

I don't think you can go wrong with the SM7 or the 421. Both get great results and can compliment the 57.

 

[BLUElightCory]

I'd grab a Heil PR30 or the SM7. I hate the MD421 on guitars but I'm in the minority I think.

 

[mva801]

Yeah I've never loved the 421 on guitars... I know many use it to great effect but I wouldn't go for it. LOVE the Beyer m160. SM7 is also great (doubles as vocal/ snare mic too) Try the Heil's too. PR30 or 40.

Alos Lasse and Andy Sneap seem to like that Audio Technica 25DE or whatever? The dual capsule one...

 

[JakeAC5253]

An SM57 is like the easiest mic to use when tracking high gain guitars, I wouldn't throw another variable into the mix until you can control the ones you have to be honest. Sorry to ruin the GAS, but that's what I think.

I use either an Audix i5 or Heil PR20 sometimes if I want something different. The i5 can get bright and the PR20 can get dull if you don't watch your placements. Cascade Fathead II is a popular one, but that can get bassy real quick, not recommended for a beginner. Honestly the SM57 is probably the most balanced single mic for high gain guitars, I would tackle whatever problem is keeping you from getting good tone with it before you diversify. You'll learn something in the process and be in a better position for later.

 

[PhilTheBeard]

i5 and 421 are awesome on guitar cab's. i5's work great when your bored of that 57 sound

 

[Josh Burgess]

What amps(s) and cab(s) are you using now? just out of curiosity

 

[madbutcher]

An SM57 is like the easiest mic to use when tracking high gain guitars, I wouldn't throw another variable into the mix until you can control the ones you have to be honest. Sorry to ruin the GAS, but that's what I think.

I use either an Audix i5 or Heil PR20 sometimes if I want something different. The i5 can get bright and the PR20 can get dull if you don't watch your placements. Cascade Fathead II is a popular one, but that can get bassy real quick, not recommended for a beginner. Honestly the SM57 is probably the most balanced single mic for high gain guitars, I would tackle whatever problem is keeping you from getting good tone with it before you diversify. You'll learn something in the process and be in a better position for later.

Yea, i understand. But I've been doing this for about 8 years. I've done everything I can with it. It's not a bad sound, others like it, it's just not exactly what I want. I've used a couple other mics at other studios (my favorite being the sm7b) and liked them better, and always ended up having about 75:25 ratio of blending the two to get what I liked. But I'm not wanting to even blend two mics, I just want one good one for my own project studio. The 57 just has this fizziness or something I hear whenever I put it on anything I record, high gain guitars, bass and even vocals.

Josh Burgess What amps(s) and cab(s) are you using now? just out of curiosity

Bogner Uberschall and Mesa Dual Rec. Bogner V30 cab, Blackheart Eminence Redcoats cab, Marshall G12T75 cab.

I've heard good things about ribbon mics on guitars. Might try to find one of those m160 s to try out or get used.

 

[C-Martin]

Older 421 are good (never treid the newer II version) especially if you already have a 57, both combined will give you allot of different tone options, classic combination. I would also try out the M160, they're great on guitars and IMO probably the best ribbon in the "cheap" price range especially if you find one used in good condition. I have the fathead and although i had fun using them, i've always used it in combination with the 57 and it was mostly 80% 57 and 20% fathead, never could get it to work how i wanted on it's own or as a main mic. If i could go back in time i would have picked up a 160 instead of the fatheads (i got a matched pair). I now have a Royer 121 and i barely use the cascades on anything other than on room mics.

 

[Clark Kent]

If you don't plan to use the SM57 as a conjunction with this other mic I'd say a condenser or a ribbon maybe?

 

[ThatGuitarGuy]

I know this might be the odd ball one out, but check out the sE electronics X1 condensor mic. I've used them a lot live and I've always gotten tons of reactions from people asking "WHAT MIC IS THAT?! IT SOUNDS SO GOOD!"

Totally a surprise, that's for sure. You can get it for less than $200 new on ebay.

 

[Shinozoku]

I'm gonna be "that guy" and suggest...

Peluso P12.

 

[Rex Rocker]

AKG C414 for the Adam D tone.

Or maybe a 214 will do the job on a budget?

 

[Leon--]

Usually nowdays i prefer condenser mic's,the debut of my black metal band has a neuman TLM and it sounds fucking awesome.I'm gonna upload some stuff when i get this fucker out

 

[SethTheGreat]

An SM57 is like the easiest mic to use when tracking high gain guitars, I wouldn't throw another variable into the mix until you can control the ones you have to be honest. Sorry to ruin the GAS, but that's what I think.

I use either an Audix i5 or Heil PR20 sometimes if I want something different. The i5 can get bright and the PR20 can get dull if you don't watch your placements. Cascade Fathead II is a popular one, but that can get bassy real quick, not recommended for a beginner. Honestly the SM57 is probably the most balanced single mic for high gain guitars, I would tackle whatever problem is keeping you from getting good tone with it before you diversify. You'll learn something in the process and be in a better position for later.

I agree.

I could suggest an audix i5 or a cascade fathead, but if something (guitar, cab, room, etc...) is keeping you from getting a decent tone from an sm57, you're not going to get better from any mic.

Spend hours moving that sm57 1/8th of an inch at a time until you get something useable. If you can't, move the cab into a different room. Listen with your ears in the same room as the cab and decide if the actual sound in the room is close to what you're after. It's impossible for a mic to pick up a sound that doesn't exist.

Hopefully that makes sense! I'm a little hammered

 

[colonel kurtz]

ribbon mics are cool on guitars, but only if you're cool with a bit of a "darker" tone than 57...they don't have that bump at 4k, and most fall off a bit on the top end

other than that, i'd spring for the SM7 which you already mentioned having liked in the past. not only is it great on cabs, but it works really well for pretty much anything else.

 

[if6was9]

I don't think he's saying he can't get a usable tone from it, just that all the tones he's getting have a particular characteristic that he doesn't like so he wants to try something new. Nothing wrong with that, there are plenty of guys who say they don't like 57's out there.

Maybe see if you can rent a few choice mics from a rental company/studio for a big re-amping session and see what mics you're leaning towards? With something like this it's hard to say. I haven't liked my SM7 on guitars at all but guys are getting good results, I've quite liked my D2 as a blend with a 57 but lots of guys say they hate it.

 

[Trevoire520]

I've had nice results mixing I5, SM7B, AT4040, MD421, SE Titan and even D112 with a 57. Or you could try removing the transformer from a 57.

 

[SethTheGreat]

I don't think he's saying he can't get a usable tone from it, just that all the tones he's getting have a particular characteristic that he doesn't like so he wants to try something new. Nothing wrong with that, there are plenty of guys who say they don't like 57's out there.

Maybe see if you can rent a few choice mics from a rental company/studio for a big re-amping session and see what mics you're leaning towards? With something like this it's hard to say. I haven't liked my SM7 on guitars at all but guys are getting good results, I've quite liked my D2 as a blend with a 57 but lots of guys say they hate it.

Yea, i understand. But I've been doing this for about 8 years. I've done everything I can with it. It's not a bad sound, others like it, it's just not exactly what I want. I've used a couple other mics at other studios (my favorite being the sm7b) and liked them better, and always ended up having about 75:25 ratio of blending the two to get what I liked. But I'm not wanting to even blend two mics, I just want one good one for my own project studio. The 57 just has this fizziness or something I hear whenever I put it on anything I record, high gain guitars, bass and even vocals.

Whoops! I think you're right... Told you I was hammered!