[Harp-L] Your favorite harp mic?

[Doug Schroer <dougharps@xxxxxxxxx>]

For playing harp through an amp (tube amp or even the EH 44 Magnum), or to
the PA if I am not singing much, Shure 585AV is BY FAR my first choice.  I
even bought a spare!.  Some breakup from the mic, feedback resistant.  Not
as much breakup as a bullet with CM or ceramic.

For harp and vocals to the PA, Greg Heumann's Ultimate 58 is tops.  I use
it hand held and/or in a stand with acoustic and electric bands.

Other mics that are good:

The ubiquitous SM57 can do it all, and one of Greg's volume controls
helps.

Audix Fireball V is decent for clean PA playing or to a digital modeling
unit, and you can get by with some vocals.  It is OK and feedback resistant
when played through an impedance matching transformer to a tube amp that
distorts on its own.  This mic does not break up at all.

EV630 Hi-Z is pretty good for harp to an amp, and my Low-Z EV630 is OK for
playing harp to the PA.  Not so good for vocals.  For a while they were my
favorite mic to my tube amps.  I should probably sell a couple backup
EV630s I bought now that I have committed to the 585s as my favorites!

My brown Astatic biscuit with the chrome grill with my CM from a Mexican
520D, or my Turner 22X with a ceramic element are good if that sound is
needed, but not usually my first choice.  Greg's volume controls help.  The
bullets don't get quite as loud without feedback as the 585AV, but they do
have distinct sounds.

I never planned to accumulate so many mics.  It just happened.