I've got a few 57s and 58s and two 58 Betas but I'm thinking I might like to start looking at some better mics. Considering other brands like Sennheiser or Neumann. Of importance to me is the ability to handle fairly high SPLs, tight tight pattern, super or hyper cardiod, very soft suspension to minimize handling noise and a very warm natural articulate sound but not so painfully accurate that it pics up every little mistake I make. I'll need mics for amps as well as vox. Both stage and studio. I welcome any and all comments especially those comments about your experiences with non-Shure models.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

For vocals, a Shure SM58 (what else?).

For my amp, an old AKG D1000-E (which replaced a Shure SM48).

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

I've had good luck with the AT4033 and its not crazy expensive.

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YMMV

Chont's Mustang Presets

For mics I'm using an older Shure model 575 I believe it is and a Peavey vocal mic that's really built rugged but has great sound reproduction.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

vocal - shure 58 beta
amp - shure 57
harmonica - astatic JT30
spare - akg D2300S

very happy with how they all perform... the JT30 is killer for the harp.
the only one i've had any trouble with is the akg... feedback is an issue, but it was a gift and it's a good mic.

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I use an Audio Technica AT813 condenser mic. It works great for just about everything to do with recording, but my favorite use for it is live vocals. I've had this mic for a long time only using it for recording, and I used it once live and the rest is history.
I have an older SM58 that I use as a backup, as well as a couple lower end Audio Technicas and a Senneheiser.
I also want to pick up a Shure SM55 (you know the old school 50s style mics). I saw one at GC recently that was flat black with red foam showing through. It was pretty sweet looking.

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My main live vocal mic is a Senheiser 635 (?) which was the top of their dynamic range at one time. My spare is an Audio Technica "Midnight Blues" MB3000L which was demoted when I got the Senheiser. I've got a Peavey Black Diamond DY22 dynamic mic as well somewhere, that really suits female stage vocals. My music collaborator uses an Electro Voice EV something or other for his stage vocal.

Our main recording mic is a modest, but still very good Audio Technica 4033. I also have 3 AKG C1000S's for general recording and theatrical stage sound reinforcement. I pick one up whenever I see one going cheap. Ridiculously good mics for the money.

On the very rare occasion I have to mic up my Blues Junior, I use a (almost obligatory) Shure SM57. I record the BJ with the Shure and the AT4033 in combination.

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

-Shure SM58 for live vocals.
Mine is twenty years old and has been dropped a hundred times (mostly by other people) and still works. I've used others, but that's my gold standard. Some people get a "better" microphone and realize they miss the warmth and richness of the SM58, and they also realize the SM58 was hiding some less-than-enjoyable qualities in their voice.

-MXL 990 for studio vocals.
Yes, it's cheap, but it has a great sound and it works for me. I've owned two and neither have ever failed me. I occasionally double it with the Shure SM58, blend the two for some nice contrasts. I have also sang through the MXL 990, SM58 and a harp mic into three different channels and blended the three for a clean and warm but nasty and gritty vocal track...have mercy!

-Shure SM57 for amp (live).

-I'll blend a MXL 991, Shure SM57 and Shure SM58 (pointing at soundhole, neck and nut) for recording acoustic guitar. The same combination works for overhead mics for the drums.

-MXL 990 for a room mic, ten feet away from all the instruments. It's not what it was made for, but it works to get a "live" sound in the studio.

-1940s Astatic 200s, 1950s Astatic 77a, 1990s Shure 520D "Green Bullet", or Shure SM57 (modified with a "Bulletizer" from BlowsMeAway Productions) for harp/harmonica...depending on my mood and the tone I want.
I also have a vintage/retro-styled microphone (looks like the small offspring of a Astatic 77a and a Shure SM55) made by Realistic (Radio Shack); I don't know how old it is, but it's at least twenty or thirty years old. I use it when I want a very bright sound for my harp.
I'm currently rebuilding a Shield M105 microphone; it's a big mic made in Japan many years ago...I have no background on the thing, but it looks cool and hopefully will sound good when I get done.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Hi BMW-KTM: I use the inevitable Shures for all my dynamic requirements; vocal, guitar cabs and drum close-mics. And for some years now I've been using ADKs for condensers: small and large diaphragm on drums and a large ones for vox and cabs.

Not to be confused with AKG, ADK are well worth a look. Good quality stuff in their budget range and very interesting models in the upper-mid price backets.

I couldn't begin to pretend that anything I have to record would be worth the cost of a Neumann, but more strength to you if you're prepared to pay out for one (or more).

Cheers - C

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vocal=sennheiser e815s,sometimes I use this for micing bass cabs too.it's cheep,rugid,and clear.this mic will do anything.

Amp=audix i5.great mic for recording and live.

Bass cab=I usualy dont use a mic when recording.I USE A HOT SPOT!it's an old beatles trick.they used a loud speaker as a mic!!!sounds great.feads back too much for live though.

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IF I DO SOMETHING STUPID,DON'T SAY A WORD...

Rode NT1A, Rode M1, SM58s, 57s, AT2020, Blue Snowball USB mic.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

This method also works very well for recording kick drums. In my last band, the sound engineer we worked with recording our album turned us on to this technique. Sounds very nice for the low frequencies, never tried it for bass before...

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I think you'll find the stage condensers sound great but have a lot of handling noise, are breathy sounding and a nightmare to EQ.

Best to stick to a dynamic for live use.

we use sm58s for vocals and i got a couple pg48s for my amps... not the best quality but they do the job

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blues - its a religion...