Internal mics

[DarkHorseJ27]

I've heard soundhole pickups, external mics, USTs, and SBTs talked about a good bit here, but not really anything about internal mics. Does anyone here use them? Are they worth the cost and hassle?

 

I just a the DiMarzio Acoustic Reference soundhole pickup that I really like, but I want to add some woodiness and air to the sound. I know about the Rare Earth Blend and the Seymour Duncan Mag Mic, but both were prohibitly espensive and I didn't like there overall sounds better than the DiMarzio or the M1 (probably because I didn't like the sound of the pickup half of it as much).

 

What are some good internal mics that clip onto the bracing? Also, I heard that internal mics can be bass heavy. Is that true? There also seems to be debate on the placement. Some people say soundhole, some say under the bridge plate. Where should it go? I want something non-invasive, so is it possible that I could run the cord out of the soundhole? I could always figure out a way to overcome a cord that is too short, and I could wind the cord around the soundhole pickups cord so it is not pulling on the mic.

[DeepEnd]

Mikes like that are typically similar to the GHS version. Unfortunately, most are permanently attached to an endpin jack. Audio Technica also makes a clip-on mike like what you're talking about. If you want something cheap, Washburn makes a mike similar to the GHS for the Rover travel guitar. It crops up cheap on eBay. I haven't used any of these but I've heard that feedback can be a problem.

[Verne Andru]

Some may cry blasphemy, but here's my story [and I'm sticking to it].

 

I happened across a stereo Sony ECM939T Electret Condenser Mic in my travels. It's more common in the TV industry and used with pro video recorders. It's like a pencil mic only square - if that makes any sense to you. The sound quality is absolutely superb.

 

I also have an old 50's big body dreadnought style 12 string that had the neck reset in the fashion of the day by putting a big-ass bolt through the neck heel into the body with a good few inches of bolt sticking through on the inside. After just hanging the mic inside the guitar and getting favourable results I decided to rig something a bit more usable. I took a piece of metal strapping, bent it to shape, put some velcro on one and and used the bolt to hold it in place on the other end. I put some velcro on the mic and - voila! It is suspended toward the south end of the sound hole and I can place it so the mics are either top and bottom or side to side. I was running the cable out the sound hole but have since installed an endpin jack with a female plug on one end so installation of the mic consists of plugging it in and attaching the velco bits.

 

Now I'm sure the type that clamps to the bracing is much more elegant, but this works real well using the bits and pieces I already had. The tone is superb as it's a quality mic suspended in the middle of the guitar body picking up the soundwaves as they are happening. I have not gigged with it, but have used it for recording numerous times. Better sound than an external mic [no boominess] and the player doesn't have to be concerned about moving away from the mic so they can concentrate on playing.

 

Not for everyone, but that's my story.

[Melodeous]

 

I've heard soundhole pickups, external mics, USTs, and SBTs talked about a good bit here, but not really anything about internal mics. Does anyone here use them? Are they worth the cost and hassle? I just a the DiMarzio Acoustic Reference soundhole pickup that I really like, but I want to add some woodiness and air to the sound. I know about the Rare Earth Blend and the Seymour Duncan Mag Mic, but both were prohibitly espensive and I didn't like there overall sounds better than the DiMarzio or the M1 (probably because I didn't like the sound of the pickup half of it as much). What are some good internal mics that clip onto the bracing? Also, I heard that internal mics can be bass heavy. Is that true? There also seems to be debate on the placement. Some people say soundhole, some say under the bridge plate. Where should it go? I want something non-invasive, so is it possible that I could run the cord out of the soundhole? I could always figure out a way to overcome a cord that is too short, and I could wind the cord around the soundhole pickups cord so it is not pulling on the mic.

 

 

I've used everything. I had the Fishman system with the goose-neck condenser and UST combo. It was called the Ellipse Blend, IIRC. I didn't like the mic mounted that way. It was way too flexible and didn't want to stay put. That same system I had in a Seagull. It was Seagull's Quantum II system but the mic on a goose neck just isn't the best place for it. I now have the Baggs dual element system in a guitar and the mic is hard-mounted on the inside of the back pointed directly at the bridge plate. This is a great spot and picks up pretty well. The other component is a UST and a blending wheel is located on the control just inside the sound hole next to the volume wheel. This Baggs system is the best I've had yet out of the (Fishman, B-band, Seagull) systems I've owned. OTOH, the K&K (through a preamp) I have mounted in another guitar is no slouch.