Views on Microphone Clamps - Small combo

SquireJapan

I'm fancying mic'ing up my little Princeton 68. At the minute it's just for home recording, but one day I might actually leave the house with it.

What's the view on those microphone clamps (where you use just a normal mic)? I'll be using an SM57.

I was having a chat with a nice chap at GAK, and he'd said they were poo, due to vibrations (?). To be honest, I'd have assumed you'd pick that up through the floor anyway (?)

Cheers!

Danny1969

I just use this little fella, and put it in the back of the cab after the gig. Doesn't take up any room or get in anyone's way 

John_BlackWolf

I'm using the Ampclamp WT-Pro on tour. I've had no issues brought up about additional noise/rumble being picked up. I don't even use the mountain bracket, Just wedge it straight under the cab.

I'd assume most guitars would have a HPF applied when close mic'ing Live?

Deijavoo

Just recorded with two on a Dual Rec at about 3 O Clock on the volume. Absolutely no vibration at all.

ICBM

I used to use a lectern clamp on my old Super Champ, attached to the top of the bottom back panel with an SM57 pointing at the back of the speaker cone through one of the gaps in the frame. It sounded great - more bottom end than micing the front, which is good with such a small amp. No idea if that was due to 'vibration' or just the bassier sound inside the combo.

The best thing was that you couldn't see it was mic'ed from out front, and once someone came up afterwards and said it was incredibly loud for such a small amp .

digitalkettle

I sometimes use an AmpClamp with a mounting bracket on a 20w tweed in larger pubs...nice and easy...never noticed any issues.

jd0272

Had no issues with mine on my 4x12.

Horses for courses tho.

ESBlonde

You can get a Zee bar or Zed bar for those of us that can speak english ;-)

http://www.thomann.de/gb/z_right_stuff_z_bar.htm

just slip it under the handle hanging down or under the cab pointing up. Simples.

or pop into maplins and get a desk stand which doesn't work when you stack or raise the cab off the floor.

SquireJapan

This is great - thanks for the feedback peeps. I'll definitely get one now - I was mainly concerned that I might be spending cash on something rubish

Looks like it will do what I need - not get tripped over, be nice and compact be part of my (pickup and go) gigging set.

maltingsaudio

Save some money!

Grunfeld

SquireJapan said:

This is great - thanks for the feedback peeps. I'll definitely get one now - I was mainly concerned that I might be spending cash on something rubish

Looks like it will do what I need - not get tripped over, be nice and compact be part of my (pickup and go) gigging set.

As per what the others have said.  Micing up with an Amp Clamp is one of those things I have a quick smile about every gig because it's no faff and I can feel it making life that little bit simpler

jd0272

Worth it to me as its one less bastard thing to trip over.

robinbowes

Another option is to use a side-address mic that you can just hang in front of your amp/cab. eg. a Sennheiser e609:

SquireJapan

jd0272 said:

Worth it to me as its one less bastard thing to trip over.

Exactly! I get probably more satisfaction out of neat solutions than I should too.

I've just managed to get my pedal board down to three pedals, plus one of those is a nice to have, so I've managed to get pretty minimal/compact.

This should just about finish it up

jd0272

SquireJapan;449096" said:

jd0272 said:

Worth it to me as its one less bastard thing to trip over.





Exactly! I get probably more satisfaction out of neat solutions than I should too.

I've just managed to get my pedal board down to three pedals, plus one of those is a nice to have, so I've managed to get pretty minimal/compact.

This should just about finish it up

With you all the way there bro.

SquireJapan

Yeah, this setup should be ideal. Pedal train Nano, Princeton and my strat and I'm good to go - public transport friendly too. Having my own mic and mount just removes another variable

jd0272

SquireJapan said:

Yeah, this setup should be ideal. Pedal train Nano, Princeton and my strat and I'm good to go - public transport friendly too. Having my own mic and mount just removes another variable

Public transport? With gear? Shudder...

SquireJapan

That's London for you. No place to park at either end.

That's why I've been on a misson to find something small, portable and giggable. Princeton isn't loud enough for cleans, but over driven it's good. Tone is amazing, so long as you don't want versatility. Once I sort the mic situation out, I'm golden!

Cabicular

Controversially I've stopped micing the cabs and replaced the sm57 with hk redbox 5s. Some venues I was picking up too much bleed from the kit. Do you know what ... They sound better. Bit of eq and a touch of plate and they are more consistent easier to manage and sound less boxy

SquireJapan

That's a good point actually - I have the Mesa cab clone (bought as a complete impulse buy), I've not tried it with the Princeton. That could be interesting.

Saying that, the little 10" Celestion on the Princeton is going to sound very different to the "emulated" cab sound coming out of the clone. Worth a try though.

jd0272

The options 'we' have these days are fab. Roll on Tomorrow's World I say.