OM-03 WL (cedar/walnut)

[BlueBowman]

I'm an audio engineer and I recommend just setting up some of your mics, moving them around, and finding what sounds good to your ear. A neutral mic is usually a good idea but really any type of mic can work as there's a HUGE variety of sounds coming out of an acoustic, depending what angle and distance you're listening at. A lot of the advice I see out there regarding acoustic ranges from uninspired to just bad. Remember, acoustics were mixed pretty terribly for decades. Thin and jangly, like a tambourine. Just like people are learning that there's more to the acoustic than the dread, they're also getting treating acoustic recording with more respect. To truly get the most out of your recordings, learn about phase relationships between mics and experiment, experiment, experiment. Don't feel that you need a certain mic until you've worked with your current mics. While I have Schoeps as my main acoustic mics, I consider ALL of my mics to be acoustic mics as any one might work well for a certain sound on a certain guitar.

Great stuff, Bowie. You may have just saved me a lot of time. 

Most of my musical life has revolved around playing live. But I always just show up, focus on the music, and get out after. I wish I had paid more attention to the sound techs and engineers. Not a bit of that stuff rubbed off, unfortunately. "Learn about phase relationship between mics." Definitely will. I thank you for the advice.

[B0WIE]

Great stuff, Bowie. You may have just saved me a lot of time. 

Most of my musical life has revolved around playing live. But I always just show up, focus on the music, and get out after. I wish I had paid more attention to the sound techs and engineers. Not a bit of that stuff rubbed off, unfortunately. "Learn about phase relationship between mics." Definitely will. I thank you for the advice.

Happy to help and, you can always feel free to message me as consulting people about audio-related topics is a big part of my job.
Live sound is a very different beast than studio recording so you didn't miss a lot. Regarding phase relationships, the traditional mic positions you'll learn about (spaced pair, X/Y, etc) are ways of setting up mics so that they aren't collapsing the sonic image. When sound waves arrive at the same time, they null. You can either get the sound waves to arrive at different times (one mic close, one 3' away), or get them to perfectly null, then flip the phase on one of them. That's 80% of acoustic recording right there and the rest is just deciding what position compliments that particular guitar and song.

 All that said, pointing a mic at the 12th fret from 2' away is your all-purpose safe bet. And, that's why you see so many acoustic guitar reviews/sales on YouTube done that way.

[BlueBowman]

Happy to help and, you can always feel free to message me as consulting people about audio-related topics is a big part of my job.
Live sound is a very different beast than studio recording so you didn't miss a lot. Regarding phase relationships, the traditional mic positions you'll learn about (spaced pair, X/Y, etc) are ways of setting up mics so that they aren't collapsing the sonic image. When sound waves arrive at the same time, they null. You can either get the sound waves to arrive at different times (one mic close, one 3' away), or get them to perfectly null, then flip the phase on one of them. That's 80% of acoustic recording right there and the rest is just deciding what position compliments that particular guitar and song.

 All that said, pointing a mic at the 12th fret from 2' away is your all-purpose safe bet. And, that's why you see so many acoustic guitar reviews/sales on YouTube done that way.

This is gold, Bowie. Thank you. I'm way behind the curve on this stuff.

And no wonder why I think half (or more) of all acoustic guitar recordings sound terrible, even when a fine guitar is the subject. It would seem it's not so simple. I'll see what I can come up with.

[guitarman001]

I recall being in a store in Glasgow trying two Furch guitars. One was walnut, the other rosewood. I just could not choose between them. The walnut was definitely the in betweener - a sweet deep bass with a bit of that 3D sound and still had some of mahogany's punch. The rosewood was deep and lush, a bit plinkier in the trebles and less mid range but the deep dark bass was alluring (I would never call rosewood warm - mahogany bass is warm but rosewood I would call deep/dark).

The answer is obviously to have one of each.

[guitarman001]

You might be right about keeping it simple and going with a Zoom. I have used their products in the past, and they always work well. I've come to really enjoy SIMPLE in life, which probably is one part why I've gone all-in on acoustic guitar. It's my (unintended) rebellion to our overly saturated techie lives    Me and the guitar. No rig, no gear. The purity of tone. I love that.

That's right, you also have an OM-02! Do you know what generation yours is? Mine is a fifth, which they designed to be like the OM-40. It's quite a guitar. I leave it Open D most of the time. Glad you dig yours!

I'm with you on simplicity. I used to play in a band and did the hi-tech electric guitar playing for 20+ years until my wife died. That side of me died. After 8 years of not playing, it hurts (because my electric gear is soooo good and costs a fortune new) I have decided to sell on most, if not all of it. The winds of change! Yesterday my Suhr Pro S4 sold. I was in the guy's house and he had a few electrics and one acoustic in the corner and my heart said "that acoustic is what it's all about" - simplicity (plus, you ARE the band... Voice + acoustic and no amps/cables/troublesome bandmates)


My 02 is a 2010 original or 2nd gen, Canada. No scalloping, which is my preference. To be completely honest I've had it up for sale because my 05 has more girth in the bass register and sounds harmonically richer BUT... The satin finish also sounds good, I'm a different way.. and unlike most I really love the compound radius fretboard. It plays like butter and has a matured sound (I AB'd it against a sinker hog custom shop Martin costing a LOT more and there was barely anything in it). Maybe I should just keep and give it some love. Problem is I need to reduce the collection (simplicity, space) if want to buy anything else (engelmann/special-back Northwood OO or Larrivee 60th model...)

[BlueBowman]

I recall being in a store in Glasgow trying two Furch guitars. One was walnut, the other rosewood. I just could not choose between them. The walnut was definitely the in betweener - a sweet deep bass with a bit of that 3D sound and still had some of mahogany's punch. The rosewood was deep and lush, a bit plinkier in the trebles and less mid range but the deep dark bass was alluring (I would never call rosewood warm - mahogany bass is warm but rosewood I would call deep/dark).

The answer is obviously to have one of each.

That describes this guitar pretty well. The mids are so saturated. The triads up the fretboard on the D, G, and b strings sound quite good -- alluring even.

My 02 is a 2010 original or 2nd gen, Canada. No scalloping, which is my preference. To be completely honest I've had it up for sale because my 05 has more girth in the bass register and sounds harmonically richer BUT... The satin finish also sounds good, I'm a different way.. and unlike most I really love the compound radius fretboard. It plays like butter and has a matured sound (I AB'd it against a sinker hog custom shop Martin costing a LOT more and there was barely anything in it). Maybe I should just keep and give it some love. Problem is I need to reduce the collection (simplicity, space) if want to buy anything else (engelmann/special-back Northwood OO or Larrivee 60th model...)

If you're not playing it, definitely move it on. Had I kept every good guitar I bought, I'd be sleeping with cases!

[guitarman001]

The problem is when I do play it and think "wow" :D but yes, I hear you..