Best mic to pair with SM57 for recording guitars at home?

[Chubtone]

I'm looking to pick up another mic (since I have another channel of mic pre) to put on my cabinet for recording guitars. I was thinking Sennheiser 421 as that was a classic combined with SM57's for years. I see on ebay everyone is touting the vintage 421's as being way better than the current ones. Anyone have experience with the difference between the two eras of Sennheisers?

Is there any other mics I should look at to pair with my SM57? I'm on a budget.... probably $250 at most is all I can allocate to this second mic.

I've tried the e609 and the i5 and preferred my SM57 to them but didn't try combining them. Are either of those a good combo?

And my guitar cab is in a soundproofed, but small walk in closet so I'm talking about something that has to be within 1 foot of the speaker.

Thanks

 

[CaseyCor]

Try the E609 with the SM57. I've had some good results with that combo

 

[Vrad]

How about condensor?

I've tried several times, but I just couldn't stand the E609.

 

[Greazygeo]

I have a new 421 I like it alot. I have 57's but quit using them for now....I like the Heil PR30 with the 421, pretty nice sounding. Also have the I5, 609, Beta 57 and reg 57's.....I really don't like the 609 and the I5 doesnt sound good unless mixed with something else.

 

[Audioholic]

for your budget, perhaps a fathead II, or a heil pr 30

 

[CaseyCor]

How about condensor?

I've tried several times, but I just couldn't stand the E609.

I've found, with my limited testing, that the E609 is quite picky. While I (and the general consensus) like the 57 with pretty much every amp and cab combo, the E609 just didn't work with certain things. I liked it in combination w/ the 57 on V30's and Mesa style amps, but when trying EL84 style amps, I wasn't impressed. Neither on V39's or Greenbacks (A Mesa recto cab and an old Marshall straight). It seemed like the 609 just couldn't grab any of the warmth of the tone in the room. Everything came out almost brittle sounding. But on the Mesa, it sounded great.

I also liked it when I tried it behind the cab. Sometimes when I'm recording, I throw a mic behind the cab facing the back of it (closed back cab), and mix that track in really low in the mix. It adds some depth and "liveliness" to the tracks, IMO. The 609 was an interesting choice for this application.

 

[Vrad]

How about condensor?

I've tried several times, but I just couldn't stand the E609.

I've found, with my limited testing, that the E609 is quite picky. While I (and the general consensus) like the 57 with pretty much every amp and cab combo, the E609 just didn't work with certain things. I liked it in combination w/ the 57 on V30's and Mesa style amps, but when trying EL84 style amps, I wasn't impressed. Neither on V39's or Greenbacks (A Mesa recto cab and an old Marshall straight). It seemed like the 609 just couldn't grab any of the warmth of the tone in the room. Everything came out almost brittle sounding. But on the Mesa, it sounded great.

I also liked it when I tried it behind the cab. Sometimes when I'm recording, I throw a mic behind the cab facing the back of it (closed back cab), and mix that track in really low in the mix. It adds some depth and "liveliness" to the tracks, IMO. The 609 was an interesting choice for this application.

THose were my findings. I used it with an Marshalls and Greenbacks.. Didn't care for it. Bought 2 of them.. .a couple years apart. Didn't work either time. SM57 forr me.

 

[CaseyCor]

How about condensor?

I've tried several times, but I just couldn't stand the E609.

I've found, with my limited testing, that the E609 is quite picky. While I (and the general consensus) like the 57 with pretty much every amp and cab combo, the E609 just didn't work with certain things. I liked it in combination w/ the 57 on V30's and Mesa style amps, but when trying EL84 style amps, I wasn't impressed. Neither on V39's or Greenbacks (A Mesa recto cab and an old Marshall straight). It seemed like the 609 just couldn't grab any of the warmth of the tone in the room. Everything came out almost brittle sounding. But on the Mesa, it sounded great.

I also liked it when I tried it behind the cab. Sometimes when I'm recording, I throw a mic behind the cab facing the back of it (closed back cab), and mix that track in really low in the mix. It adds some depth and "liveliness" to the tracks, IMO. The 609 was an interesting choice for this application.

THose were my findings. I used it with an Marshalls and Greenbacks.. Didn't care for it. Bought 2 of them.. .a couple years apart. Didn't work either time. SM57 forr me.

Must be correct then. If my tone findings agree with the Vrad, then they are correct. You've always got a great sound

 

[Vrad]

How about condensor?

I've tried several times, but I just couldn't stand the E609.

I've found, with my limited testing, that the E609 is quite picky. While I (and the general consensus) like the 57 with pretty much every amp and cab combo, the E609 just didn't work with certain things. I liked it in combination w/ the 57 on V30's and Mesa style amps, but when trying EL84 style amps, I wasn't impressed. Neither on V39's or Greenbacks (A Mesa recto cab and an old Marshall straight). It seemed like the 609 just couldn't grab any of the warmth of the tone in the room. Everything came out almost brittle sounding. But on the Mesa, it sounded great.

I also liked it when I tried it behind the cab. Sometimes when I'm recording, I throw a mic behind the cab facing the back of it (closed back cab), and mix that track in really low in the mix. It adds some depth and "liveliness" to the tracks, IMO. The 609 was an interesting choice for this application.

THose were my findings. I used it with an Marshalls and Greenbacks.. Didn't care for it. Bought 2 of them.. .a couple years apart. Didn't work either time. SM57 forr me.

Must be correct then. If my tone findings agree with the Vrad, then they are correct. You've always got a great sound

Hee hee.. Thanks man...

 

[CaseyCor]

How about condensor?

I've tried several times, but I just couldn't stand the E609.

I've found, with my limited testing, that the E609 is quite picky. While I (and the general consensus) like the 57 with pretty much every amp and cab combo, the E609 just didn't work with certain things. I liked it in combination w/ the 57 on V30's and Mesa style amps, but when trying EL84 style amps, I wasn't impressed. Neither on V39's or Greenbacks (A Mesa recto cab and an old Marshall straight). It seemed like the 609 just couldn't grab any of the warmth of the tone in the room. Everything came out almost brittle sounding. But on the Mesa, it sounded great.

I also liked it when I tried it behind the cab. Sometimes when I'm recording, I throw a mic behind the cab facing the back of it (closed back cab), and mix that track in really low in the mix. It adds some depth and "liveliness" to the tracks, IMO. The 609 was an interesting choice for this application.

THose were my findings. I used it with an Marshalls and Greenbacks.. Didn't care for it. Bought 2 of them.. .a couple years apart. Didn't work either time. SM57 forr me.

Must be correct then. If my tone findings agree with the Vrad, then they are correct. You've always got a great sound

Hee hee.. Thanks man...

If only I could just get those mids to be...I don't know..weirder perhaps. I can just never get there.

 

[Vrad]

How about condensor?

I've tried several times, but I just couldn't stand the E609.

I've found, with my limited testing, that the E609 is quite picky. While I (and the general consensus) like the 57 with pretty much every amp and cab combo, the E609 just didn't work with certain things. I liked it in combination w/ the 57 on V30's and Mesa style amps, but when trying EL84 style amps, I wasn't impressed. Neither on V39's or Greenbacks (A Mesa recto cab and an old Marshall straight). It seemed like the 609 just couldn't grab any of the warmth of the tone in the room. Everything came out almost brittle sounding. But on the Mesa, it sounded great.

I also liked it when I tried it behind the cab. Sometimes when I'm recording, I throw a mic behind the cab facing the back of it (closed back cab), and mix that track in really low in the mix. It adds some depth and "liveliness" to the tracks, IMO. The 609 was an interesting choice for this application.

THose were my findings. I used it with an Marshalls and Greenbacks.. Didn't care for it. Bought 2 of them.. .a couple years apart. Didn't work either time. SM57 forr me.

Must be correct then. If my tone findings agree with the Vrad, then they are correct. You've always got a great sound

Hee hee.. Thanks man...

If only I could just get those mids to be...I don't know..weirder perhaps. I can just never get there.

Weird is in the ear of the beholder... LOL!

 

[fuzzyguitars]

i think the most classic pairing with the sm57 for hard rock would be the sennheiser md421.

if it works for ac dc it cant be that bad.

i like using the heil pr40

i think i was talking to blues saraceno and he uses a sm57 heil pr30 combo for his recording now.

 

[JTyson]

+1 for the 421, one of the best pairings ever
Petrucci's used this combo forever. Love him or hate him, you gotta admit his tones are huge

 

[MrDan666]

Hey Curt, have you considered using a ribbon mic together with the 57?

A lot of guys are running Royer ribbon mics with their 57's to get a massive sound.

The CAD Trion 7000 is a great sounding ribbon mic and i'm sure you would get some killer sounds by blending it in with the 57. It is nowhere near the cost of the Royer stuff either. Also the Cascade Fathead II is another good choice for a ribbon mic which isn't too expensive.

 

[Vrad]

Hey Curt, have you considered using a ribbon mic together with the 57?

A lot of guys are running Royer ribbon mics with their 57's to get a massive sound.

The CAD Trion 7000 is a great sounding ribbon mic and i'm sure you would get some killer sounds by blending it in with the 57. It is nowhere near the cost of the Royer stuff either. Also the Cascade Fathead II is another good choice for a ribbon mic which isn't too expensive.

57 + Ribbon should be a great combo.

 

[mboogman]

FWIW, I've used a 57 with an Audio Technica AE3000 on numerous guys guitar cabinets with outstanding results. It seems to catch what the 57 misses. They're not too expensive either.

I really prefer a small ribbon like the AT4081 for high gain though.

 

[MrDan666]

57 + Ribbon should be a great combo.

That's what I'm going to do for my recording setup, a 57 + ribbon mic. I like the 57 but not on it's own. I feel the 57 doesn't give an accurate representation of the sound you hear when sat right in front of the cab. But the ribbon mic does capture that sound more realistically and has a lot more body to the sound. Mixed with a 57, you get all the big tone but the extra bite in the top end of the 57

 

[PeteLaramee]

I use a 57 and an e609. I think they compliment each other very well. I have assloads of clips if interested.

 

[kannibul]

An Sm57 and an e609 sound good together...just you have to balance them to the amp - meaning sometimes the e609 sounds good, sometimes it doesn't - adjust the mix accordingly.

The e609, for clean guitar sounds great...it's when you add gain that it starts getting a bit "picky"

 

[JakeAC5253]

for your budget, perhaps a fathead II, or a heil pr 30

+1 on the Fathead II. That'll help bring out the fat low end and smooth highs that the 57 lacks. It's a good compliment IMO.