Recording - July 2015 - 20

By Beto Hale

Four mics are put to the test for recording electric guitar
In the last year or so, I've been lucky to
add to my collection some "staple" mics
that any studio owner should have. These
days, there is a plethora of choices, from
the very expensive to the quite affordable. What is unique about the options
we have today is that "cheap" rarely
means "mediocre" anymore, and an
expensive mic is not necessarily the best
choice for every application.
For this article I'll be writing about four
mics that I rely on for miking an electric
guitar amplifier: the Neumann U 47,
Audix i5, Royer R-122, and Mojave MA200. Remember that these are my choices, and they might not be yours for a number of reasons. But by learning why and
how I use these mics, you'll be able to
learn how to get the most out of your electric guitar and amp when tracking.
The sources
In preparing this article, I played a variety
of electric guitars, from recent reissues of
classic models to actual vintage axes (see
the sidebar). I used a Fender Custom Shop
Vibro-King amp, a 60 watt 3x10 combo
featuring Sovtek tubes. It is used by the likes
of Pete Townshend, and delivers an impres20

RECORDING July 2015

sively clear and transparent sound. It can
get very loud, and I find it is great for jazz,
country, rock and pop, and responds really
well to the use of overdrive pedals.
I ran all mics through my trusted (and
very transparent) BAE 1073 preamp,
without any EQ, and only adjusting the
input and output levels depending on
how the mics responded to the amp's
level. I recorded all sounds into Pro Tools
and have shared small snippets of the
licks for your listening enjoyment. Go to
http://is.gd/RECMyMicsMySound to
download them.
Neumann U 47
The importance of this largediaphragm, tube condenser microphone
in the history of recorded music is undeniable. Frank Sinatra sang though one,
and so did the Beatles, who also relied
on it for guitars and orchestral instruments. Manufactured in Germany
between 1949 and 1965, it is a coveted
piece of gear, as much for the cachet it
carries with it as for its faithful and warm
response. This is why today, a U 47 in
good condition, and with its original components, can cost the same as a small

sedan. When I made the investment to
purchase my U 47 from the knowledgeable and friendly folks at Vintage King
last year, I was excited and worried at the
same time. Will it be worth it? Is it really
going to deliver? My worries have been,
so far, unfounded.
Fender Vintage Reissue Telecaster: I
played some country-flavored licks on my
Tele; the amp had no reverb on it and I
played straight into the amp without any
pedals. The result was a faithful reproduction of the signature sound of this guitar: bluesy, "twangy," but full-bodied and
very clear.
1966 Rickenbacker 330/12: I played
a few different parts on the Ricky. Some
were strumming accompaniments; others,
more focused and aggressive riffs using a
bit of overdrive. I also played a lick that
was almost mandolin-like. All approaches
were captured brilliantly by the
Neumann. The Ricky 12-string delivers a
wide array of complex tones, and in each
case the Neumann was able to record
them faithfully, with a frequency response
that was both precise and very pleasing
to the ear. "Lush" is a great word to
describe the sound of the U 47.

http://www.is.gd/RECMyMicsMySound

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - July 2015