RE: [Harp-L] Microphones (& maybe an amp)?

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Chris Michalek" wrote: 
"The 441 is not cheap.  Do you think these players would use a $150
mic like the SM58 if there were only marginal differences? Heck, I'm
just a frugal as the next musician but I choose to have three 441s
and no SM58s."

1)  The SM58 now retails from dealers like Musician's Friend
(musiciansfriend.com) for less than $100.  So it's an even better deal
than it used to be.  
2)  I sometimes have backups for particular pieces of gear, but I rarely
buy three of anything (except harps, of course).  Since mics all have
different characteristics and strengths, if I had three mics I'd want at
least one of them to be something different. 
3)  Regarding Mike Stevens using a Sennheiser 441, yes, he does, but not
solely. This is what Mike told me about his gear when I interviewed him
for the Pro Page:
****************************
 Live Performance - Acoustic

Acoustic Jazz or Fusion - when I want the harp to cut thru a mix and
still sound acoustic and quite horn like, I will use a Sennheiser 441
mic. The proximity affect of this mic really adds to the warmth of the
sound.

Acoustic for Bluegrass ("natural") sound - I prefer a Beyer m160 ribbon
mic or a Microtech Geffel with an M7 capsule. These mics naturally roll
off a bit of the high end, but sound very natural. You can also use an
old ribbon mic, but they are very prone to wind noise.

Recording - Acoustic

Any mic that accents the chest sound in your voice will generally sound
very nice for harmonica; that frequency, when hyped, makes a harp sound
really fat. One mic that accents this frequency is the RCA 44 BX ribbon
mic. It doesn't have much high end response, but it has a really meaty
sound. I personally like Neumann tube mics that have the M7 capsule.
These generally are very warm, with a little more high end response than
the ribbon mics. I also use small condensers in various locations to
capture the sound where it's produced thru my hands.

Other ribbon mics that come to mind are Coles 4038, the Royer Labs
ribbon mics, and the Shure 330. I will also use a Sennheiser 441 in the
studio when I want the harp to sound acoustic, but cut through the mix
like a horn.  
********************************
So as you can see, the 441 is just one of Mike's tools, by no means the
only.

My own mic collection includes a wide variety of $1 yard sale specials,
including the Labtec AM-22 that I now use for most of my electric work,
and mics by Aiwa, Sony, Radio Shack, and others; a decent Astatic JT-30
that I use for Chicago blues; A Shure 565 and Unisphere A that I bought
39 years ago; an AKG 330BT and ElectroVoice MC100 that are both similar
in sound and application to a Shure SM58; a very battered but working
Shure SM58 that I got at a secondhand store with 3 other mics for $10;
and an Audio Technica AT4050 CM5 large-diaphragm condensor that I use
for recording acoustic harmonica.  As per Mike Stevens' comments, I
believe that a good ribbon mic or a large-diaphragm condensor -- coupled
with a decent tube preamp -- produces the best sound you can get for
recording acoustic harmonica. My AT 4050 was over $500 used, but I
really wanted a good mic for acoustic recording, and I A-B'ed it with
four other large-diaphragm condensors before I made the buy.  When I
record in a studio that owns either Lawson or Neumann large-diaphragm
condensors, I use those.

I also own a Shaker dynamic that I never use, because I've never much
liked the sound, though the ergonomics are fabulous.  

Some of these mics have fairly unique applications, e.g. there are some
I use when I want a mic that sounds terrible. 

After the player, the mic is the most important element in the sound
chain.  More mics = more choices, though most players tend to find a mic
with a sound they like, and stick with that mic.  But when you get the
chance to add to your collection at a low price, take it.  I buy any mic
that I can get for $1, anytime, without even trying it, because you
never know.  

I bought many of my mics at yard sales, used, or when a musical
instrument store had a blowout sale.  Most of the mics in my collection
cost well under $100.  

Thanks and regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com