Hi there Dr Gonzo. I've recently purchased a Studio Electronics 1A mic for recording. It's pretty good. There are some clips of what I've recorded with it in "clips for review" if you want to check it out. I've also tried recording singing with it and it's pretty cool. As for performing, well, I'm used to using a pick up for performances, but the quality of the mic is so good I'm willing to put up with the hassel. I think I'll need to buy a preamp to be able to use it with my amplifier though, since it has the condeser mic plug thing. Please some one correct me if I'm completely deluded in my preamp theory.

zohn wrote: Hi
Don't know this mic, but my first reaction is hassle with the guitar clamp.
Did you consider on-board?

a Non-invasive top quality unit is Highlander's internal mic (standalone, with end pin preamp).
It clips onto a back-brace of the guitar, and the preamp is integrated into the clip.
It is available from Shoreline Music
http://www.shorelinemusic.com/amplification/highlander.shtml

Another possibilty is GHS's model:
It is available from Stewmac.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Pickups:_Guitar,_acoustic/GHS_Acoustic_Soundhole_Microphone.html
?

Thanks Zohn Im gonna def check it out... Do you have any first hand experience with either??
im wondering if we should rather get a good fishman pickup installed into my classical rather instead
- but which will sound better that is the question!!

Viccy wrote: Hi there Dr Gonzo. I've recently purchased a Studio Electronics 1A mic for recording. It's pretty good. There are some clips of what I've recorded with it in "clips for review" if you want to check it out. I've also tried recording singing with it and it's pretty cool. As for performing, well, I'm used to using a pick up for performances, but the quality of the mic is so good I'm willing to put up with the hassel. I think I'll need to buy a preamp to be able to use it with my amplifier though, since it has the condeser mic plug thing. Please some one correct me if I'm completely deluded in my preamp theory.

cool thanks viccy - I have seen this in my local - and it is very reasonably priced! I have been very keen to get the Rode Nt5's but they are quite a bit more - im sure the SE is pretty close in quality
will have a listen and get back to you!

The NT5 are a matched pair of mics though... BTW, there was another mic discussion a while back and Matta made some good suggestions too.

I've been reading a bit about the Fishman Rare Earth Blend. Some people like it and some think it's a bucket o' dung. I like the idea of magnetic and microphone. Man these stretchy johnny walker and wife carrying ads are distracting hey!

Ray wrote: I've been reading a bit about the Fishman Rare Earth Blend. Some people like it and some think it's a bucket o' dung. I like the idea of magnetic and microphone.

The thing about that offering is that it's a neat installation.

As you no doubt know, I recently had the Baggs "Dual Source" fitted to two of my guitars. This combines mic and UST. As with most things there are those that like it and those that regard it as a pail of excrement. I am not in the latter camp.

For me a blend of two sources is a step towards a more realistic amplified acoustic guitar sound. Despite the kit being so good these days, I don't think a mic, a UST, a contact transducer, a magnetic pickup or whatever BY ITSELF does it all. You need to start combining.

Assuming that a faithful reproduction of your acoustic guitar's natural sound is what you want.

Man these stretchy johnny walker and wife carrying ads are distracting hey!

Click on them! That's revenue for GFSA.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: The NT5 are a matched pair of mics though... BTW, there was another mic discussion a while back and Matta made some good suggestions too.

Cool I will check it out.
I have been very keen for the NT-5's tho hye - but that is based purely on reviews and clever marketing from rode!
what is your, highly valued, opinion of them Alan? ?
For recording Acoustic guitars mainly. also, If i was to say short list 3 microphones for acoustic guitar with in the NT5's price limit?!!

I'd be happy with a pair of NT5's myself. I'd prefer a pair of Oktava MC012s, but they can be difficult to find locally and they often have consistency and QC issues.

I think i have decided to go with the SE electronics SE3 condenser... I just cant afford the matched rodes at the moment and am in dire need.
It has some great reviews and an exceptionally low price - on top of that I can actually go to my music store tomorrow and take a brand new one home to try it out for 7 days no charge...
Hope its what i'm looking for!

@ DrGonzo...........Let us know how it turns out.....very keen to hear your verdict.....

TomCat wrote: @ DrGonzo...........Let us know how it turns out.....very keen to hear your verdict.....

As it turns out, no dealer in gauteng has stock of the Se3 for next 6 weeks! Darn
so either its back to the drawing board for another mic they have in stock, or alternatively order it from maybe CT or overseas!

With regards to the latter, does anyone have any experience/feedback with ordering Microphones online?? which online dealers would you recommend and have had success with?!?

I've got an Astatic jt30 on order from take2. also thinking about getting an sm57 from them.

TomCat wrote: @ DrGonzo...........Let us know how it turns out.....very keen to hear your verdict.....

I could not wait any longer for a mic, so I went with the Se 2200a Large D Condenser,
Its pretty sweet hey, It brings out the sound of the guitar quite well, with some nice colour on the high end that sounds very natural!
I still plan on getting a Small condenser like a rode nt5 or Se3 to use with the se2200 to get a even better sound with the 2 combined!

I will post some clips up soon! ?

yeah , the world of condenser mic's on classicals is a mine field, and yet it will give you the best sound........ but the choices of mic's and even placing and the room acoustics will all affect the sound .......

but the other alternative internal pickups do not reproduce the true acoustic tone....... and even fishman(from fishman pickups) himself has said on a you tube video that the pickup technology has not reached the stage of getting true acoustic sound....... so a pickup whatever it is will be a compromise...........

so fabulous you opted for a condenser mic ........

however if you play live a pickup system is essential as a condenser will not work well onstage unless you in a very low volume gig with an audience who does not talk or make noise during the show......... so a classical recital is perfect but a noisy restaurant will just have the condenser pick up all the crowd noise and amplify it too... i been there ....

and against my will had to fit LR baggs ..i beam systems into my 2 classical gig guitars but i will say the mic'd sound is far superior .......but the problems involved in feedback, noise, lack of volume in a big venue is too much to deal with when using a condenser at gigs with no sound crew to ride the faders and no rack of compressors and noise gates , low pass filters

keen to hear your clips , good luck and have fun