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Double Bass So I got an H-clamp - now what? Mic recommendations, please.

Stereo Joe

Stereo Joe

Jun 29, 2007
980
48
Ontario, Canada
#1
Anyone have any favourite mics they could recommend for live use with my new h-clamp? I'll mostly be using the mic to send a signal for FOH but I am curious to experiment with the mic into my amp (Clarus). This would mostly be for small, fairly quiet ensembles - jazz, and a variety of "world" music.

Sound-wise, I would lean towards clarity over warmth and I'd like a mic I wouldn't have to baby because it's really expensive or fragile.

I was very happy with the studio sound I got recently from a Rode NT1A but I don't know if that mic would be suitable live or with the h-clamp.

I'm also curious about the Audio Technica ATM450 but I can't find much info about it in the context of double bass micing.

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If you use a mic and h-clamp, I'd love your input and pictures if you've got any! There are so many mounting possibilities with this thing that it's a little overwhelming so some photo inspiration might also be helpful.

Thanks!
 
#2
I just bought a used Sennheiser e609 silver. It is a side-address, super cardioid, dynamic mic, light, tough, inexpensive and with a standard XLR jack. Best thing about it, is that the side-address design means I can mount it with a 50¢ foam tube and one rubber band instead of an H-clamp. But you can still use an H-clamp.

Sound: better than a pickup, but not that amazing compared to LDC type mics. It is a dynamic mic made for live use. But the pattern is tight, sensitivity is low, and it won't pickup a lot of bleed from other instruments. It is tough, easy to mount, and does not need phantom power, battery box, or mini-XLR to XLR adapters. That makes it very usable for me.

If you want to spend more money, Sennheiser makes the e906, or you can try to buy a used MD409 off of ebay or someplace.
 
#3
My latest acquisition: a Schoeps CMC6 with a MK41 hypercard capsule, pointed at the G-side foot of the bridge.

E2461AB2_zps15f38c03.jpg


Cheers,
Vincent
 
#4
For live use, often overlooked are mics designed for use on drums. I rather like an Audio-Technica mic I have (since discontinued in favor of a redesigned model) which is designed for "low toms."

These mics are often dynamic, reducing the aggravation - no phantom power needed, and they're usually less likely to create feedback as easily. And they also often have internal shock mounts (inside the mic, to isolate the mic from the shock of being mounted on a drum rim.) They're not as "detailed" as a condenser mic, but often have a desirable, warm sound with a "rounded off" top end, which actually works for bass pretty nicely. And, they're durable, affordable, and often have a "stubby" design making them smaller and less obtrusive.

Haven't tested anything recently, so I don't have specific models to recommend, but might be a "class" of mics worth looking at. Shure, A/T, and many other makers have mics like this.
 
#5
Mark Gollihur said:
For live use, often overlooked are mics designed for use on drums. I rather like an Audio-Technica mic I have (since discontinued in favor of a redesigned model) which is designed for "low toms."

These mics are often dynamic, reducing the aggravation - no phantom power needed, and they're usually less likely to create feedback as easily. And they also often have internal shock mounts (inside the mic, to isolate the mic from the shock of being mounted on a drum rim.) They're not as "detailed" as a condenser mic, but often have a desirable, warm sound with a "rounded off" top end, which actually works for bass pretty nicely. And, they're durable, affordable, and often have a "stubby" design making them smaller and less obtrusive.

Haven't tested anything recently, so I don't have specific models to recommend, but might be a "class" of mics worth looking at. Shure, A/T, and many other makers have mics like this.
Click to expand...

Similarly, I am enjoying my Audix D2 into my Coda Series IV. Picked it up used for $60. Never feedsback. Simple, tough, easy to mount on the H-Clamp.
 
#6
Stereo Joe said:
Anyone have any favourite mics they could recommend for live use with my new h-clamp? I'll mostly be using the mic to send a signal for FOH but I am curious to experiment with the mic into my amp (Clarus). This would mostly be for small, fairly quiet ensembles - jazz, and a variety of "world" music.
Click to expand...


Originally, I got the H-Clamp thinking I would go with the Heil "Stubby" version of the PR40. Unfortunately, that microphone was only a prototype and never released to the market. Oddly enough the PR30 and PR 20 have a smaller version. One of the finest microphones out there is the
Schoeps CMC6 with an MK41 Capsule. It will fit the H-Clamp perfectly, and sound wonderful. It's not cheap.

Stereo Joe said:
Sound-wise, I would lean towards clarity over warmth and I'd like a mic I wouldn't have to baby because it's really expensive or fragile.
Click to expand...


You can achieve that with the DPA 4099Dvote or the ATM 350 both microphones were designed to be used for live performance. Unfortunately, you don't need the H-Clamp since they both have their own (less evasive and easily removable) mounts. There
would be an additional cost for a Phantom Power supply to run those microphones, but that's also something you'll need for a most of the large condensers, with the exception of the Heil.

Stereo Joe said:
I was very happy with the studio sound I got recently from a Rode NT1A but I don't know if that mic would be suitable live or with the h-clamp.
Click to expand...

The H-Clamp will hold most microphones, but you have to be careful with Large Condenser mic's because of their additional weight.

Ric

P.S. You could also opt for a trial of the Ehrlund EAP and Pre Amp as it's a very microphone like pickup that has better feedback resistance. Gollihur Music offers a trial period for this device so you can test it on your bass.
 
#8
Hey When I got the Troll mic for trial (and I am saving for one right now) I put it on the H clamp and tried it in different spots...The Troll is usually between the bridge feet (hence the name)
But on an H clamp I found a bunch of different spots that sounded great. (up under the fingerboard is a great spot on my bass and so far the H clamp is the only thing that can get there.)
I like the Troll way better then the DPA (which I bought first and have tried to use into my amp but I have abandoned and use only for FOH and my vibraphone now)
The Troll is a great mic and the best mic solution if you want it to run thru your amp or personal monitor on smaller gigs. Check it out....
 
#10
Thanks for the replies! Now I have lots of options to look into. :)

The e609/MD409 recommendations are very intriguing - I'm going to ask some of my studio buddies if they have any of these I can try.

I like the idea of the H-clamp in terms of the flexibility it seems to offer with mic placement. I had a Troll for a little while but I found the mounting location under the bridge was problematic sometimes. I think I wrecked my first Full Circle pickup from bumping it around too much while installing the elastic bands for the Troll. I kind of wish I had hung on to that mic now that I have the H-clamp but really, a ribbon mic probably wouldn't have the robustness I'm after.

The DPA worked alright for me but was still a bit limited in terms of placement options. I couldn't get the Ehrlund system to work on my bass despite really wanting to - I could hear the potential but wasn't able to dial it in or find a 'sweet spot'.

I haven't tried the AMT but the reviews I've read suggest that it works best into an amp and isn't as satisfying as a FOH mic. It's also more expensive than I'm hoping to pay - although not as expensive as the Schoeps - yikes! Thanks for pic, Vunz - I'll have to try that location (probably with a different mic though...)

I know plenty of drummers so I'll see if I can try out a tom mic or two - that sounds promising as well.

Thanks again!
 
#11
lowEndRick said:
Similarly, I am enjoying my Audix D2 into my Coda Series IV. Picked it up used for $60. Never feedsback. Simple, tough, easy to mount on the H-Clamp.
Click to expand...

Here are a coupla pics of my Audix D4. I use Velcro tie wraps for strain relief: one on the H-Clamp and the other on the end pin. The D4 is similar to the D2—it is 4" long and weighs 4.5 oz. No dive at all.
 

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#12
I once tried a really cheap chinese dynamic tom mic and a cheaper AKG Perception Live P4 dynamic tom mic, but got too much feedback with both (a bit less with the AKG), even when using a feedback suppressor in the chain.
I think my Oktava MC012 small diaphragm condenser with the rubber band mounting method pointing to the top was better, but for the amp still too much feedback (but nice for recording).

Later I got an old now discontinued Audio Technica ATM35, which I mounted using the DPA bass holder pointing close to the top between the bridge legs. This works really fine with an amp. The sound is not as good as the Oktava or an DPA, but for a microphone it is very feedback resistant and the sound is better than any pickup I tried. Since it has its own battery adaptor, I don't need phantom power, just need to max out the gain on the amp (Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0-10T) and set the master a bit higher than usual.
 
#13
Stereo Joe said:
I haven't tried the AMT... more expensive than I'm hoping to pay...
Click to expand...

FYI, with their relatively new "Inline Preamp" (which requires external phantom power) the AMT Bass Mic is now $100 cheaper than the DPA (which also requires external phantom power). And they came out with a new, quick on/off tailpiece mount, too.

Just making sure you're up to date on the product line.
 
#14
Just wanted to post an update - I picked up an Audix D2 based on some of the recommendations in this thread. Some things I like about it are:

-small size and lightweight
-seems well built and tough
-no phantom power required
-good gain before feedback
-good off-axis rejection
-solid, useable sound

It's not super crisp or detailed but it's got a pretty natural sound. I've been using it with my H-clamp in a similar location to Vunz' pic. I plug it straight into my Clarus S4 and 1x10 custom cab.

I'm not 100% sure how the D2 will fit into my setup. I typically have at least 2 double bass gigs per week but when I just need a tiny bit of help from an amp I tend to just use a pickup for simplicity's sake. On louder gigs a mic isn't always the best solution so I've been revisiting the Ehrlund EAP as a possible alternative to my Full Circle (which is very useable at all volume levels but sounds less and less natural the louder things get).

The D2/H-clamp setup may end up being just for FOH in the right clubs and theatres but I also want to try blending it with a pickup.

Anyway, thanks for the recommendations. Off to the laboratory for experimentation!

*As an extra note: props to Audix customer service. When I purchased my D2, I got it home and it was missing the mic clamp, making it kind of useless. Long & McQuade (where I purchased it) wasn't able to help - they didn't have any extra stock and neither did their other locations. I emailed Audix customer service on a Friday evening and received a response within about 1 hr. The CS rep CC'd the Canadian distributor who gave me a call on Monday morning. They found a D-clip kicking around and shipped it off to me. A few days later, I got the clip in the mail at no charge. Pretty cool!
 
#15
I wonder if stereo joe has had a success with the D2. For live gig setting, I plan to get H-clamp n to use dynamic mic to capture more on the 'air' rather than to rely solely on piezo. Not necesary capturing the detail, i just need a touch of acoustic sound with minimum bleed n feedback.
 
#17
I have used the MXL 606 and V67n with good results. Currently running an ATU857QL which is a gooseneck mic. It is the same as the ATM350. I like it because I leave it mounted to the tail piece and I can position it between the strings, to the left or right of the bridge or out away from the body or bridge. All these can be found reasonably priced on ebay. All are condenser.
 

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