Mic on mandolin for live work.

[Paul G.]

I'd like to use my old Stradolin for some live work with my band.

It is a cheap, 1960 plywood A model instrument. It plays easy and doesn't sound terrible. I don't think I want to spend the time and money on a pickup (unless there's an inexpensive, easy way you can suggest).

Just wondering if I could just point a SM57 or Sennheiser 421 at it and get creditable results.

Anybody have experience that can help me?

P.

[J. Hayes]

My main mandolin (see picture) is usually played plugged in with a Fishman bridge pickup but I do some bluegrass gigs occasionally and for those I use a Shure SM-57 mike which does a great job. They're fairly directional and you can get some good usable volume from one of these..........JH in Va.