Best mic for acoustic guitar under $100

What would it be?

Or is there even anything tolerable in that price range?

A small diaphragm condenser is what I want, right?

I currently own a Rode NT-1 for vocals.

Also, if I wanted to get a second SDC sometime in the future for recording things in stereo, is it really necessary to get a matched pair? How much different can two of the same model mics be?

MArshall MXL 603. Also useful as a high hat mic, electric guitar cab mic, and it really hit the spot on a certain male vocalist I was recording.

Can be found for under 100 bucks with shipping...

Brandon

Wasn't there an AT mic like the AT2025 or something like that for under $100 that got rave reviews? It was an LDC.

Not a traditional style acoustic guitar mic... but Behringer's acoustic test mic the ECM8000 omni sounds great on acoustic. It's a little noisy but since it's an omni you can get in pretty tight and still have a clear sound.

I reach for my Octava's or my GT33 first but the ECM8000 gets used when I want a clinicly real kind of sound. Old style blues, cajon, etc.

50 bucks I think.

Yes, that was it, the AT2020. I read a couple of really good reviews, saying it was really quite a bargain.

Again, never used it, but it'd probably be a good bet for acoustic guitar and lots of other stuff.

You might look at the MXL 990/991 kit from MF.

Under a hundred bucks for a pair of mics and if the 991 doesn't do the trick the 990 does work pretty well for an acoustic.

Samson CO2. You can get a pair now for $130, and they are amazing little SDC's. Put one about 18" from the 12th fret aiming where the body meets the neck, and the other about 18 from the body at the butt, aiming at the bridge. Pan hard L/R. Huge, natural sounding acoutic that sits well in the mix.

Check this out:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AT2041sp/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/C02/

Sold as a stereo pair with case and shock mounts for $120. They sound like 5x that price.

Originally posted by Aldea Check this out: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AT2041sp/

Yeah, I got two of those packs. What I really wanted was a single LDC 2020, and pair of the SDC's for stereo applications. I don't believe the SDC is available outside of the combo pack.

Anyway, I recently tracked an acoustic guitar solo (single note lines) through the 2020, set about 12" in front, and slightly above the soundhole, and I was pleased with the results.

I initially had the mic lower in height and aimed more or less at the neck/body joint, but that sounded too boomy to me. KISS - throw a mic on a stand, put it somewhere, then move it around until you like it, that's my motto. If I had an engineer to help move the mics and press the red button, I would try a pair with the the two SDC's.

My brother has an AT2020 that I have used for acoustic before, and it's not bad, I was just under the impression that a small diaphragm is what is generally suggested for acoustic guitar.

Anyone else had any experience with the Samson C02? $120 for two mics seems too good to be true.

I realize it is over 100 dollars, more like 260, But the Heil Pr-40 is really good on acoustic, and it is useful for many situations since it is a dynamic cardiod and rejects the rest of the sound in the room quite nicely.

The lower priced Pr-20 and 30 may work as well, dunno.

I just wanted to mention this is a good mic for using with people who want to play and sing at the same time as it sounds great and is easy to keep the vox or other room sounds out of.

It has a nice detailed, almost vintage acoustic sound with out that weird "open hand pushed in your face" effect.

FWIW, my first experience with the CO2's was outdoors on violins and violas at the Plymouth Ma 4th of July celebration last year. I spec'd 81's as I usually do, as was quite pissed that these el cheapos were substituted without my consent. I was assured by the supplier, an old aquaintance they were very suprizing, and indeed they were. I acutally like them better than 81's, and have since used them for many other SDC applications with great success. They are amazingly smooth, especially in the top end, where most cheap SDC's get harsh. They were perfect on the strings, requiring a very slight lp on the Series 5 I was on, which is typical of string section micing anyway.

I know $120 a pair sounds too good to be true, but in this case it really isn't, they are a diamond in the rough.

Thanks, where.

Looks like I'll go for the C02's. I was wanting a stereo pair in the long run anyway. For $120, even if I don't like them, they're worth a shot, and I can record things in stereo.

How would you compare the CO2's to 4041's or Oktava MC012s?

I would like to get a slightly more open SD pair to balance out my chunky (but cool) GT33's.

The CO2 is not as precise and crisp in the top end as the 4041's, and a bit more open in the pattern.

They are no comparison to the Chinese MC012's which I think suck. They are more clear in the mids than the Russian MK012's but very similiar sounding otherwise. (FYI I love the MK012's.)

Try this a MXL 603 on the 12th fret and a MXL 2003 near the sound hole (move the 2003 until you get the desired low tone you desire). I have found this to be a amazing combination. I will try to post a song that I have used that combination with soon. I have heard many compliments on the acoustic guitar sound with this combination.

In the used $100 market >> AT 4030 .. Rode NT 3...ShinyBox 23...

When recording acoustic guitar, keep mics away from or pointing at the soundhole unless you want a very boomy, bass heavy unnatural sound.

I agree, I just meant to have it around the area then move it to the point where you get the right amount of full sound. Then together they sound very good.