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bass amp microphones

A

attackbass

Jul 16, 2007
335
16
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist:Orange Amps, EBS FX, Ernie Ball, Fender Bass Guitars
#1
Hi,

im lookign to get a mic to mic up my bass rig and blend the signal with a di box. I'm looking for suggestions of different mics, makes etc... or if you could put me in the direction of a thread on this.... i would do the search but button doesnt work on my computer!
 
#3
SM57. You're very unlikely to find a mic that gets the solid low-end fundamental *and* does a good job with the high-frequency "color" that comes out of your cab. The direct signal will give you that fundamental so just use the mic to pick up the color. 57's are good at that job.

Although I personally have to wonder, could you even tell the difference in an A/B comparison when the whole band is playing?
 
#4
AKG-D112.gif


The AKG D 112 microphone is great for this sort of thing. When I did live sound a decade ago, I always prefered to use the D 112 instead of a DI...
 
#5
wow they took all my answers!

the sure sm-57 is the workhorse. the AKG D-112 is made to be used for kick drum but works great for bass. both are very durable and very available. the sure is cheaper. Both mikes also are very familiar to soundmen and pose no surprises.

FWIW, i would always take a direct out as well if possible.
 
#7
while 421's SOUND the best, they are also HUGE and expensive.

for live sound, id go with the beta 52 (if you want a flood of low), d112 if you want a little scoop, or the audix d6 if you want a LOT of scoop.

they are all smaller and decently priced. and they mount well. the size of the 421 and the brittle nature of that clip... well thats like using a ribbon mic at a punk show.. you're asking for trouble.
 
#11
I like mics like that, ones that seem to be able to do MANY jobs well. I favor a Beyer M88 which is a sensitive wide-bandwidth dynamic, with a less humpy presence peak that's higher up than you find on the Shure SM57, which I really don't care for especially. Actually every decent mic company makes mics that are similar to the M88 - it's just that SM57 and 58 are everywhere and a lot of people never find out that other mics may actually have better characteristics for this job or that. Maybe it's a money issue or something ; }
 
#12
I have only used d112 for recording, not live (for bass guitar, that is). I can't explain exactly what it is, but I seriously dislike what it does to the tone, to me it feels like it's stripped of all it's personality or something equally vague.

The 421 is superb both live and in studio, but as has been mentioned, it's price is a bit high for most people to use it in live situations.

SM57: (reasonably) cheap, good (enough). Doesn't fit all styles of music though.

I haven't used M88 much, but would like to disagree with greenboy regarding his first sentiment. The original poster specifically mentioned micing up (is there a proper English verb for the action of putting up a mic with the intention of capturing the sound of something?) his bass rig, and when you have a specific goal in mind, I'd pick a tool that does that job superbly over one that does that job and many others well.

Either way, you should (of course) try all the options out if possible, to see which one you prefer.
 
#13
Thing is, the M88 is a superb bass rig mic. If you value the contribution of your rig - amp and speakers - this one and others of its ilk from various manufacturers captures ALL of that without undue accentuation or falloff in various parts of the spectrum. Sure I've used SM57 and the like many times. But given a choice I'll go for a better implementation of an all-purpose mic instead of a cheaper jack-of-all-trades.
 
#14
Also at some gigs I've noticed guys using kick drum mics that have tailored response curves. Usually they sound like mud with little articulation. Unless you want a big midrange scoop avoid those - they are made to pick up the main brunt of the energy of the head in a fairly narrow passband, and the beater's best area for definition and impact. Two peaks and a valley in between, really...
 
#15
Put me in the "hates kick mics" category. I refuse to let them use one on my rig for reasons already mentioned. I like mics with fairly flat response, not scooped like a kick mic.

I use a Heil PR 40. Extended low end response, near-flat response all the way up, nice warm sound. The 421 and M88 are also great mics, as is the EV RE 20. And even the lowly Shure SM 58 makes a great bass mic. Not as keen on the 57 as the 58, but it's also a good mic for bass.
 
#16
JimmyM said:
I use a Heil PR 40. Extended low end response, near-flat response all the way up, nice warm sound. The 421 and M88 are also great mics, as is the EV RE 20.
Click to expand...

That's a good group right there. There's a couple Shures I think are a lot nicer for "faithful reproduction" bass rig duty than the 57/58 but I'm brainfarting on the 81 right now which I know is a condensor. And that's not right for the job. Damn Shure for all their models! ; }
 
#18
JimmyM said:
Put me in the "hates kick mics" category. I refuse to let them use one on my rig for reasons already mentioned. I like mics with fairly flat response, not scooped like a kick mic.

I use a Heil PR 40. Extended low end response, near-flat response all the way up, nice warm sound. The 421 and M88 are also great mics, as is the EV RE 20. And even the lowly Shure SM 58 makes a great bass mic. Not as keen on the 57 as the 58, but it's also a good mic for bass.
Click to expand...

With the exception of the Shures, I agree. The Audix D4 works well, as does any decent LDC or SDC. 421s work well, but are way overpriced for the performance you get (not to mention the exorbitant repair cost).
 
#20
The SM57 is an industry standard for micing guitar cabs, snare drums, anad rack toms, and can at times be used with vocals. I have used them for live sound with success on guitar amps and micing snare drums and rack toms. I'm not a fan of the SM57 for low frequency stuff like bass. It can do in a pinch but I would never make it my first choice for that. It just doesn't have the low end response needed IMHO.

I have used the Senheiser E602II for micing bass cabs during live shows and they worked great. They also have an E902 model that is more oriented (EQ'd) towards kick drums. The 602II is a better all around mic for a bass cab. They cost around $150.00. Super durable and priced right.
 

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