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Double Bass Which mic: Shure 57 or 58?

T

thedreaded6

Aug 19, 2009
82
0
Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
#1
Hey everyone, I am looking to get a mic for my bass, since I am beginning to use my upright quite a bit for live performances. I think i want to go the dynamic route, either getting an h-clamp, or trying out that poor-man's mic placement idea that i read in this forum.

From reading many, many threads on this topic, i have seen mixed opinions on which mic is preferred- the SM57 or the SM58?

Which is better for getting the sound i need? I play a lot of jazz, although do play some classical stuff on occasion. I also play weekly in my church worship group. I would like a fairly detailed sound. I could also use the mic alongside a k &k bass max pickup- if that changes things.

Let me know your thoughts/opinions, thanks
 
#5
If you are using the old "wrap it and stuff it in the tailpiece" method, you want an omnidirectional mic, as it won't have the nasty low-mid roar from proximity effect. The EV635 is an old standard.

If you are going to use it on a stand or clip it on, an Audix D4 or Sennheiser E906 would be decent choices that aren't too pricey if you get them used. An Audix ADX20 or M1244/M1245 or Shure Beta 98 would work well too.

However I prefer a K & K Bassmax or Gage Realist through a Radial Pro48 or other good active DI.
 
#6
I'm not convinced that the SM57 is a good choice for bass.
Looking at it's frequency chart..

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we can see the huge bass roll off starting at 200Hz! There are better mics for bass, ie. SM94, check out Audio Technica, or AKG mics too. The SM57 is great for hi-hat, cymbals, guitars and tenor and above register instruments. Bass instruments need a mic that can capture the fundamentals.
 
#9
Though I have used a 57 stuffed in the tailpiece, I got a much bigger rush off of using a large diaphragm condenser (Rode NT1, etc.) stuffed in the tailpiece...side address, hi-fi. I'm not convinced that a cardioid microphone facing straight up is the proper way to mic bass. In my little peanut brain, facing the capsule straight at the wood of the bass makes way more sense and my ears tell me the same thing...regardless- have fun!
 
#10
Between the 57 and 58, i had heard some people on this site mention it had a voicing better suited to the DB, i don't know if they are identical internally or not, I am not an experienced person when it comes to microphones. However i did read on the Shure website that the 58 is specifically voiced for vocals, so i don't know.

Judging from the general reaction I am getting, it looks like the 57 idea doesnt seem like the best option. Everyone seems to be suggesting a condenser microphone? possibly with a large diaphragm?
The only question i have to that is- i am wanting to use this for live performances, where often i will be standing very near a drummer, amplifiers, etc. To my limited knowledge, i thought dynamic microphones, being somewhat less sensitive and often uni-directional, would be a better choice because it would pick up less of the rest of the band? or am i just not understanding something- again, I am not exactly what you'd call an expert.

The other thing is that all these microphones people are suggesting seem to be fairly pricey- I am a college student, and don't have a terribly large amount of money to spend, so value is another aspect here.

thanks for all the help so far.
 
#13
IMO Condensers can be tricky on stage because they pickup so much spill/bleed from drums and other instruments. I'd recommend the dynamic route, recommending the Telefunken M-80. It's a dynamic mic that one of the engineers I've worked with at the Danish Radio Broadcast
used on my bass for a "Kind of Blue" tribute show we did in the spring.
I bought one for myself, and I've gotten praises for it from the engineers everytime I've used it live.
I just use it on a stand pointing between the treble strings and the F-hole slightly below the bridge. It takes some discipline to stand still, which I kinda like; it focuses me in a way.
It's somewhat more expensive than a Shure though...
 
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#15
I use 57 and 58's for vocals and for a quick fix mic on amps or instruments but, for preference, a good condenser mic that attaches to your bass in some way is really preferable. As stated above, for a 57 to really work with a bass you need it to be on a separate stand and that can really be a big pain because you have to stand perfectly still the whole gig to keep a consistent sound.

If you're going to use a 57, put a good pop filter on it so the air being pushed by the bass doesn't get to boomy
 
#16
I keep a SM58 and a Beta57a in my bag. The SM58 is a little darker sounding on my bass but in certain rooms the Beta57a works better as it has more 'air'. I've tried pretty much all of them and for the price the 58 beats the Beyer or Sennheiser or EV. If they are in the soundman's mic drawer fine but you can get a 58 for less than $100 (even less used) and they are bulletproof.

I have never been able to use a condenser live. They are far superior in the studio but are way too sensitive live. Even if you can avoid feedback you'll get tons of drums (if you have a drummer of course) in your bass mic.
 
#20
I up until recently had a k&k bass max pickup that had been using, but i was never completely happy with my sound, and after doing some research, it seems that a pickup can't quite replicate all aspects of the upright on its own. That is why I am looking to buy a microphone to 'pick up those artifacts'- as fingers stated in the previous post.

It seems there are mixed opinions on dynamic vs condenser. The bands i frequently play with all use drums. I would prefer a mic that i could fix to my bass somehow- with an h-clamp or whatever the situation calls for. I would like something that really picks up the bass well, a reasonable amount of bleed is alright, but of course it could be an issue.

What would be the better option? a condenser such as the audio technica atm450, and just deal with the difficulties of using it live? or a dynamic microphone? are there any dynamic mics that would capture my bass "almost" as good as a condenser?
 

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