Acoustic Guitar Live Mic

Colin Perry

Loren--

What guitar are you using again, and what is the scale? I used to use 14's on my epiphone from time to time, but they pretty much rendered it strictly a rhythm guitar. With a 24 3/4 or 25 inch scale, I imagine the results would be a little different.

badjazz

My L5 is a 24 3/4 scale. On a 25 1/2 it would be murder and probably useless for anything other than rhythm. On the epiphone that I had that was 25 1/2, the 13-58's where about the same in feeling as the 14's are on the shorter scale length, which I guess also points to 14's being the intended gauge for my particular guitar.

How does the walnut affect the sound of that epiphone? I've always been interested, but never had the chance to play a walnut archtop.

BTW, in regard to that $100 epiphone deluxe, this guitar was brought in to my luthier friend's (who doesn't know much about archtops) shop:
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/msg/283070732.html

The guy was looking to sell it, umm let's just say cheap, and knew nothing about the value (neither did my friend). Unfortunately, instead of calling me immediately, my friend sent the guy away. The guy got home and put it on craigslist, where it was promptly swooped up by another local guy. A few weeks later my friend finally remembers to tell me about it. D'oh! I am in real, physical pain over this.

nwilkins

I feel for you Loren BTW I had no idea that they made any short scale (24.75") 17" L-5s - are you sure it's not a 25" scale?

I love how this thread has turned into an archtop love fest.

Campusfive

Did you use the mic on the gig? Did it work out?

Colin Perry

I would say that the walnut makes the guitar a little brighter and more cutting. It is still very full for rhythm, but you can also play more single string leads and cut through. It is also gives it this resonance that makes it sound slightly like a resonator guitar. I figured 14's would feel much different on a shorter scale guitar. On the epiphone it was pretty tough. That having been said, I read that Eddie Lang's strings were something ridiculous like 15-72. Apparantly, Gibson gave him a new L-5 every year because the top would collapse upon itself.

badjazz

nwilkins wrote:

I feel for you Loren BTW I had no idea that they made any short scale (24.75") 17" L-5s - are you sure it's not a 25" scale?

Yes, it is definitely 24.75 17" L5. It is the original style advanced L5 that has the x-bracing. Here it is:

And here is me doing my best eddie lang (at least that I could do in one take):

nwilkins wrote:

I love how this thread has turned into an archtop love fest.

yes, I suppose that it has, but after all, the picture used on the forum is of Django with an archtop, so it isn't all that bad, right?

Campusfive wrote:

Did you use the mic on the gig? Did it work out?

Yes, I used the mic and it worked out great. In fact, by the end, the singer, who just had some crusty old mic from the stone age, was asking if he could sing through it. I think he might be ordering one, too. Thanks for the excellent recommendation.

Campusfive

I'm really glad that it worked out. I haven't a ton of experience with a lot of mics, but I knew that it sounded pretty darn good.

I don't know about using it for a vocal mic. Rode has a condenser mic just for live vocals. Actually, she should try the Beta since you still have it. The EQ profile it designed for vocals probably and the proximity effect benefits vocals (not like guitars).

nwilkins

badjazz wrote:

Yes, it is definitely 24.75 17" L5. It is the original style advanced L5 that has the x-bracing.

I think you must be measuring it wrong - better send it over to me to double check Looks and sounds great!

Colin Perry

I just posted some new recordings of one of my bands where I am using the broadway, for any one interested. You can hear them here:

www.myspace.com/houserentserenaders

Bob Holo

Neat - it sounds like you've been listening to Jerry Krahn...

I also have a Walnut Broadway - though it's a '38. So, it is just prior to the truss rod and just after the introduction of the Frequensator.

It's a nice rig for sure - not louder, but more focused tone... less lush but it really gets down to business in the midrange. I hesitate to say that it "cuts" because that makes it sound as though it is harsh (it is not) but it definitely gets heard.

Here it is next to its younger brothers.