Clip on mics for acoustic live gigs?

[Bastion Highwalk]

Hey all,
My little acoustic Americana band is suggesting I stop micing my acoustic guitars and dobros with an SM57 (due to lack of skilled sound guys out my way) and use a clip on mic instead. What on earth are they talking about?? I’ve looked it up on Google and I know about brass player clip pjs but what should I be looking at? (Cost IS a factor, but so is tone, obviously).

I want to say I am completely against this and want to keep using what I use but the sound at gigs has definitely been an issue. We play mostly pubs and little halls and there’s a bass (di), fiddle (same micing issue was said to him), another guitarist/singer and me on guitar and vocals.

Help and thanks!
B

 

[Esquire Jones]

I’m with you.

I greatly prefer the sound of a microphone on an acoustic guitar compared to a D.I.

I mean, how hard is it to mix one 57?

Other hand, a DI can make things “easier” I guess.

I have a K&K in one of my Martins and it’s ok.

 

[Bastion Highwalk]

Haha harder than we think it seems! I forgot to say don't want to use pick ups, I'd have to put them in a few guitars so that's gonna cost way too much, much easier to argue with them and just use my 57!

B

 

[badscrew_projects]

Or do they mean a soundhole pickup?
I have this one and it's easily removable

Gretsch Deltoluxe Pickup

Pickup for Sound Hole Fits most sound hole sizes, Endpin connector included, Sizes from 86 mm diameter

www.thomann.de

I mounted mine permanently with an endpin jack installed and all, but you don't have to.
It came with an external cable and a straplock loop in the box.

 

[Freeman Keller]

What ever else you think about Bob Brozman I do agree with him that resonators just sound better played thru a good quality mic. I use a 57 whenever I want mine to be louder

 

[Bastion Highwalk]

Or do they mean a soundhole pickup?
I have this one and it's easily removable

Gretsch Deltoluxe Pickup

Pickup for Sound Hole Fits most sound hole sizes, Endpin connector included, Sizes from 86 mm diameter

www.thomann.de

I mounted mine permanently with an endpin jack installed and all, but you don't have to.
It came with an external cable and a straplock loop in the box.

They mentioned clip on, but I assume anything that would go DI would work, I dunno where on a dobro that would go though!

 

[Guitarteach]

There are various systems with mics and contact trasducers that fit inside.. but then you are putting pickups in several guitars or having the inconvenience of trying to swap something.

Most gooseneck mics for horns or violins won’t work with a guitar or they will just get in the way.

why not put a mic into an acoustic amp and handle it all yourself and let the venue deal with it if they want.

I did use a transducer I could mount on the front of the soundboard and swap occasionally (sticky pad’, but went K&K on my acoustics and mandolin. Never looked back.

 

[rze99]

DPA d:vote CORE 4099G Guitar favorable buying at our shop

Instrument microphone for guitar, dobro etc., supercardioid characteristic, incl. special holder

www.dv247.com

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/condenser-instrument-microphones/tie-tcx110-condenser-microphone-for-acoustic-guitar?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces&gclid=Cj0KCQiA8t2eBhDeARIsAAVEga37Bcl-1dxfTs3-RAqOwrYtZq_Wua43Zx60SA0OG_87YZLu6bk2bfkaAvYtEALw_wcB

 

[Bastion Highwalk]

Oh they sure do, as do acoustics. Except when you have terrible sound guys, hence my problem...

What ever else you think about Bob Brozman I do agree with him that resonators just sound better played thru a good quality mic. I use a 57 whenever I want mine to be louder

 

[Bastion Highwalk]

DPA d:vote CORE 4099G Guitar favorable buying at our shop

Instrument microphone for guitar, dobro etc., supercardioid characteristic, incl. special holder

www.dv247.com

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/condenser-instrument-microphones/tie-tcx110-condenser-microphone-for-acoustic-guitar?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces&gclid=Cj0KCQiA8t2eBhDeARIsAAVEga37Bcl-1dxfTs3-RAqOwrYtZq_Wua43Zx60SA0OG_87YZLu6bk2bfkaAvYtEALw_wcB

Yeah this kind of thing I think is the idea, then I can swap between guitars. Does Shure make one? I couldn't find one that didn't cost a fortune.

 

[Guitarteach]

Can you sort your own sound?.. we always take amps, PA mains & a mixer to festivals with PA and backlines. ‘in case’..

Two thirds the time we use ours, usually better than the house rig.

There are some compact great sounding PAs for acoustic groups.

 

[badscrew_projects]

They mentioned clip on, but I assume anything that would go DI would work, I dunno where on a dobro that would go though!

Ah missed this. I know nothing about Dobros...

 

[Bastion Highwalk]

There are various systems with mics and contact trasducers that fit inside.. but then you are putting pickups in several guitars or having the inconvenience of trying to swap something.

Most gooseneck mics for horns or violins won’t work with a guitar or they will just get in the way.

why not put a mic into an acoustic amp and handle it all yourself and let the venue deal with it if they want.

I did use a transducer I could mount on the front of the soundboard and swap occasionally (sticky pad’, but went K&K on my acoustics and mandolin. Never looked back.

If I had an acoustic amp in my stable of amps, I'd definitely do that, but sadly I do not....

 

[Bastion Highwalk]

Ah missed this. I know nothing about Dobros...

Resonators! I know I COULD put pick ups in them, but then money is flying out of my wallet faster than I can count!

 

[David Barnett]

Micing acoustic instruments in a small venue is a problem. A guitar is nowhere near as loud to the microphone as, say, a singer. So you really have to turn it up a lot to get the instrument heard. This brings feedback problems. Sometimes there's the choice of saying "I can only turn it up 'this' loud before feedback happens, or else hacking up the EQ to get rid of the feedback frequencies. If you want the guitar in your stage monitors, then it's two EQs that have to be hacked up, which will make all the other instruments sound "pinched". It's kind of a nightmare for the sound guy, unless it's a very well-equipped venue with unusually good gear.

 

[badscrew_projects]

Yeah this kind of thing I think is the idea, then I can swap between guitars. Does Shure make one? I couldn't find one that didn't cost a fortune.

A cheap clone? https://www.thomann.de/ie/the_tbone_ovid_system_guitar_bundle.htm

 

[Guitarteach]

Not tried one of these… looks interesting

 

[Nogoodnamesleft]

Agreed. I prefer a mic and one that clips on makes positioning consistent in a live situation. This one caught my eye. I'd have to fashion some kind of mount for it to clip to. Maybe something that would fit in the soundhole, or a clamp similar to what is used to attach chinrests to violins/violas.

https://www.shure.com/en-MEA/products/microphones/beta_98h_c?variant=Beta%2098H/C

 

[badscrew_projects]

Micing acoustic instruments in a small venue is a problem. A guitar is nowhere near as loud to the microphone as, say, a singer. So you really have to turn it up a lot to get the instrument heard. This brings feedback problems. Sometimes there's the choice of saying "I can only turn it up 'this' loud before feedback happens, or else hacking up the EQ to get rid of the feedback frequencies. If you want the guitar in your stage monitors, then it's two EQs that have to be hacked up, which will make all the other instruments sound "pinched". It's kind of a nightmare for the sound guy, unless it's a very well-equipped venue with unusually good gear.

Yeah. That's why I prefer soundhole pickups. Not quite a miked guitar but in 90% of the cases better than whatever you end up with by miking your guitar and relying on terrible soundmen

 

[Bastion Highwalk]

Micing acoustic instruments in a small venue is a problem. A guitar is nowhere near as loud to the microphone as, say, a singer. So you really have to turn it up a lot to get the instrument heard. This brings feedback problems. Sometimes there's the choice of saying "I can only turn it up 'this' loud before feedback happens, or else hacking up the EQ to get rid of the feedback frequencies. If you want the guitar in your stage monitors, then it's two EQs that have to be hacked up, which will make all the other instruments sound "pinched". It's kind of a nightmare for the sound guy, unless it's a very well-equipped venue with unusually good gear.

And this is exactly my problem! Not to mention the other guitarist's guitar is much quieter than all of mine, as is his voice compared to mine. And I thought just having a little acoustic side project would be fun....