Martin
693 posts
Sep 29, 2014
11:32 AM
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I need an extra microphone. It´s for the double use of micing an amp and playing through, but mainly as replacement if things f*kh up in a bad way.
A music store in my neighborhood has several that costs around a third of what I would have to give for an SM57 -- (which would be my choice if I wasn´t broke, but that I am and in a big way). Some of them are called JTS.
And there´s a Shure PG48.
Any of you guys tried the bottom ranges of the vast microphone territory and found something passable? "Bass" and "warmth" are the two qualities I´m after -- and I know enough to know that cheapo normally is antithetical to just those two qualities. But still. ("Dream on ...")
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HawkeyeKane
2641 posts
Sep 29, 2014
12:10 PM
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Behringer XM8500 is a mic that springs to mind. Just as good as an SM58, but only run about $20 most places.
A karaoke mic I've used for harp and amp purposes in the past is the Emerson M189. Got mine at Sears during the holidays for $8. Works great and has a super quiet switch on it.
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Hawkeye Kane - Hipbone Sam
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Rgsccr
287 posts
Sep 29, 2014
12:18 PM
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Sonotone mics can be found on Ebay, usually under $20. They can sound very good for harp. Of course, you may need to do some mods and you are not assured that it will work as is.
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Goldbrick
704 posts
Sep 29, 2014
1:44 PM
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PG 48 isnt a bad mike- very good for vocals and for recording.
Everything I have ever experienced with behringer has been bad-stuff just doesnt last at all ( my band used some of their mics, a guitar amp and a pa ). Luckily Musicians friend took it all back
I have never had a problem with any shure products whether made in USA, Mexico or China
Last Edited by Goldbrick on Sep 29, 2014 1:45 PM
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jbone
1779 posts
Sep 29, 2014
4:04 PM
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I tried a PG58 some years ago and it's like this- you get what you pay for. less range of freq response.
I'd consider Craigs list or fleabay to find a decent sm57 or better yet, a sm58 Beta.
I sing thru my Beta and also do some harp work through it as well. About $80 off ebay as I recall, with case and all.
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isaacullah
2859 posts
Sep 29, 2014
4:10 PM
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ditto on the Behrniger XM8500. I've got one and it's an incredibly versatile dynamic cardioid mic. For the price, it really can't be beat. Did an unscientific blind head to head with an SM58 at a friends house once: all of us picked the XM8500. All of us thought the XM8500 had better bass response than the SM58 too. (This was both mics on stands and me blowing acoustic harp a foot back.)
I have also used it to mic amps, and it works very well in that regard too.
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YouTube! Soundcloud!
Last Edited by isaacullah on Sep 29, 2014 4:11 PM
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Barley Nectar
538 posts
Sep 29, 2014
5:13 PM
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There are a lot of cheep mics that work well for harp. We live in a LoFi world. A Shure EE once told me the 520 was the best, worst mic they ever made! I have an old Jap ball mic that was given to me. It was in 3 pieces. Just so happened my DR was set up when I got home so, what the hell, I tapped it together and gave it a blow. WOW, Phat Mic! That element now lives in a Turner shell. Even some cheesy tape recorder mics work. Some my need boosted with an impedance xformer as Hakan showed us in his recent vid. Try every cheep mic you find, you'll find a winner...BN
Last Edited by Barley Nectar on Sep 29, 2014 5:14 PM
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atty1chgo
1160 posts
Sep 29, 2014
5:45 PM
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Sorry, I don't go cheap (meaning low quality). Vintage mics are many times available at low prices on eBay, because many sellers don't know what they have. An $8 mic will sound like an $8 mic. Knock yourself out and good luck with that.
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Martin
695 posts
Sep 30, 2014
9:42 AM
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Thanks guys, I´ve had some luck with cheap tape-recorder mics, but they can´t be used live -- and especially not for micing up.
But I´ll look into that Behringer as well as the Shure PG48.
Ebay is not an option, sadly. Costs more than the shops downtown.
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rogonzab
606 posts
Sep 30, 2014
11:26 AM
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Cheap mics are the way to go. We need a very small frq range, and the good mics are expensive because they work in a very large frq range (realy HIFI).
I love my DIY mic whit a $2 shure knock off dinamic element
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Barley Nectar
539 posts
Sep 30, 2014
2:58 PM
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Another one I use on occasion is the EV Cobalt CO-9. I think it is very similar to the EV CO-5. These are feedback resistant IMO and are pretty reliable. Not super cheep though...BN
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Harpaholic
550 posts
Sep 30, 2014
5:00 PM
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No one mentioned Akai DM13?
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Martin
700 posts
Oct 01, 2014
9:15 AM
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@Harpaholic: How do those Akais stand up to cleaner playing? Say straight to PA?
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HawkeyeKane
2643 posts
Oct 01, 2014
10:59 AM
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"No one mentioned Akai DM13?"
I'm a huge DM13 fan and user, but there's a reason I didn't mention it. It's good for cupped harp playing...but not so hot for mic'ing up an amp IME. Not to mention that, at times, they can go for a heftier sum of money on eBay than a lot of the other mics mentioned so far in the thread.
"How do those Akais stand up to cleaner playing? Say straight to PA?"
Now that it could probably hack. But keep in mind that it's got a hot hi-Z transformer in it that will make it balsier than your average SM58...
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Hawkeye Kane - Hipbone Sam
Last Edited by HawkeyeKane on Oct 01, 2014 11:00 AM
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Harpaholic
552 posts
Oct 01, 2014
4:03 PM
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Can't answer that Martin, I never play straight thru a PA. I missed the part about needing a mic for amping, my bad!
I don't think an Akai is any hotter than most other dynamic harp mics, Shure's, EV's, etc:
From my experience, the Akai's have to be driven harder to get similar output of a good CR. I own three, and there all the same.
Don't get me wrong there great mics! I paid less than $20 each for all my Akai"s on EBay, purchased separately.
They are definitely more feedback resistant than a CR/CM.
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HawkeyeKane
2645 posts
Oct 02, 2014
1:57 PM
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"I don't think an Akai is any hotter than most other dynamic harp mics, Shure's, EV's, etc:"
Well...I meant more in relation to other mics typically used for clean acoustic type playing with hand expression. Like the low-Z SM58 or Audix Fireball, etc...at least that's how I interpreted Martin's question...
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Hawkeye Kane - Hipbone Sam
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Jim Rumbaugh
1027 posts
Oct 03, 2014
9:52 AM
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This next comment is about cheap microphones for a PA, not for harp alone into a small amp.
When The Harmonica Club first started using a small PA, everyone would bring their own mic. The results were poor because every mic needed a different adjustment. We bought an economical 6 pack of Nady mics with a bag via Musician's Friend. Having all the mics match made adjusting the PA for a good sound much much easier.
I know this does not apply to a single mic & single amp for the Chicago sound, but I have been happy for over 5 years, working with the Nady mics. I'm not even sure which ones we are using now. The drummer got a 6 pac of the "5" series, I think I have the "4" series. We have used both with no big difference. It's the matching that I prefer.
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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