What have you been using?

I've A/Bed the following on 3 bass cabs: SM7B, M88, MD421, SM57, RE20, PR30, PR40. I preferred the SM7B on 10" and M88 on 15". I realize not many of these can be had for under $200. In your price range I'd strongly consider a used PR40. An SM57 honestly isn't terrible right up next to the grill pointed at the dust cap seam.

I have an e602II I love for kick drum but haven't really tried it on a bass cabinet. I'd probably consider that one as well. Especially if you're looking for bottom end. Those Audix mentioned are certainly cheap enough to give a shot as well. I know metal dudes like one of those.

Some people really love the D112 for both. I should probably retry one. I hated its exaggerated EQ when I last tried one 10 years ago. But I also knew a lot less about mic placement then.

tommy wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:06 am What have you been using?

I've A/Bed the following on 3 bass cabs: SM7B, M88, MD421, SM57, RE20, PR30, PR40. I preferred the SM7B on 10" and M88 on 15". I realize not many of these can be had for under $200. In your price range I'd strongly consider a used PR40. An SM57 honestly isn't terrible right up next to the grill pointed at the dust cap seam.

I have an e602II I love for kick drum but haven't really tried it on a bass cabinet. I'd probably consider that one as well. Especially if you're looking for bottom end. Those Audix mentioned are certainly cheap enough to give a shot as well. I know metal dudes like one of those.

Some people really love the D112 for both. I should probably retry one. I hated its exaggerated EQ when I last tried one 10 years ago. But I also knew a lot less about mic placement then.

I have been just using trusty SM57, which has been fine, but I just want that next step up for bass and low frequencies. The SM57 has been great for reproducing my guitars tones, sounds full and just what it sounds like; for bass it sounds not quite there. I had an Audio Technica AE3000 on loan that liked, but my friend needed it back.

My only bass cab is what I use live, a 2x15 and I use a Traynor YBA3 so it is moving air even "quiet."

There is a PR40 on reverb now for $225...hmmm.

Also, thank you everyone who has given advice, I have been reading and looking at all of your suggestions.

I generally prefer relatively neutral dynamics for mic on bass cab so my first choice as echoed by others: RE20. Unfortunately even used, it's not in your budget, not even close, not ever. EV is making a less-expensive derivative of this mic now, the RE320, but I cannot attest to its performance. A used SM7B would be my second choice I guess and would come in close to your budget. It sounds great on snare and guitar cabs, even vocals too (and so does the RE20, especially for rappers, other vocalists w/ wide dynamic range). Same for the Sennheiser MD421.

But if you really want to save $ by coming in at half your budget, get a Shure PG-52. You'll have to go used and should be close to $100. If you want to go new, current production of the Shure entry-level model is the PGA-52, but I cannot speak to it personally, however the freq charts on Shure's site are identical, so probably just an updated look but same capsule. Anyway, you'll get a ton of mileage out of this mic from bass cab to kick or floor toms, even down-tuned guitar. It has a bit of that upper-midrange bump that many kick mics have and I'm not a huge fan of this for micing bass cabs but I haven't found this one to be ridiculously over-hyped either. Best part of buying used too is that you lose a lot less $ if it doesn't work out for you and end up putting it back on Reverb.

Are you going to DI the bass too? I feel like you might be able to blend in a way where the DI delivers some clean low end, and you may have a little more flexibility in mic choices. I had a decent home recording last year where it was a music master bass into a DI + Fender Princeton with just a dumb 57 on it, and I could make it work pretty well.

I'm not mr bass guy or an especially talented recordist, but I think using a DI (or not) would be a significant aspect.

tommy wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:06 am Some people really love the D112 for both. I should probably retry one. I hated its exaggerated EQ when I last tried one

I can rarely get anything out of a D112 or a Beta 52 that I like on anything other than floor toms. If I have to use one on a Bass cab I usually use the Beta 52. Most of the time for bass mics I'm looking for mics that have a cool sounding mid range and let the DI do all the low end work. There isn't really in "tone" in the sub octaves anyway. All the character comes in above 150 hz or so.

EV 664 is another one I've had good luck with on bass. It's kinda the direct ancestor to the RE20. Doesn't pick up a lot of real low stuff below 100 Hz, but it tends to sit in the mix a bit better without a ton of EQ'ing.

For all of you DI bass people out there:
1) do you have any rule of thumb tricks you do to that DI'ed signal (certain compression ratio, boost or cut any certain freq)?
2) If an overdrive is used, do you DI it pre or post overdrive?

I ask because I have terrible luck with a clean DI signal (P bass), so I've mostly avoided it. I think maybe I'm just not a consistent enough player. But a buddy of mine sent me a DI track a couple of months ago and it sounded fantastic (Jazz bass).

I should note I don't have a DI box. I've mostly just plugged into the Instrument jack of an interface/preamp.

I normally do some slight processing to my DI signal going in (mild compression, settings depend on the song). Then I split to an OD signal chain (if I'm going to have one) and that will be my "mic'd" signal. Though so far, I haven't actually mic'd a bass amp. I run that signal through Helix Native to get my amp tone. Hoping to get a decent bass amp soon, though, and I'll start actually mic'ing (how do you spell "mic'ing"? "miking"? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

My thoughts on the processing going into the direct path is that I consider that my foundation for what I want the bass to sound like on that particular song. So if I were to reamp, I'd have that to start with. Of course once I've recorded it, I'm stuck with that tone unless I want to do it over again... but I'm generally OK with that. Keeps decision fatigue at bay.

You could always get a cheapish splitter for going DI plus another signal chain. If you're into doing some light soldering work, DIY Recording has a a few DI kits available. They're really easy builds, too. https://www.diyrecordingequipment.com/c ... ferrite-di

I know they’re not very cool, but I’d be surprised if a SansAmp BDDI couldn’t get you what you’re after in most cases.

Adam P wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 11:55 am I know they’re not very cool, but I’d be surprised if a SansAmp BDDI couldn’t get you what you’re after in most cases.

I think these are SUPER cool. This is one of the first bits of kit I've ever purchased for recording in the late 90s and I have continued to use it on almost every bass recording I've ever done since. Took it on tour w/ me when I wasn't super into the amp I was using and it still works great.

I probably also need to add that I'm way, way in the minority here and veering from the OG subject, but I almost always prefer bass from a DI over a mic'd cabinet. When I mic both and try to blend, I've never found like I was getting information I really loved out of a mic. Just seemed more loose and flabby regardless of mic I chose. Closest I've gotten was w/ RE20, but even then if I had to pick between the two, it would be DI almost every time. Best use for DI/mic combo for me was w/ distorted bass. An SM-57 or something to capture that combined w/ clean DI for lows worked really well for me before...although to tie it back, the SansAmp does the distortion thing pretty well tbh.

this however...

bishopdante wrote: Any decent quality small diaphragm pencil mic works great. The proximity effect of a cardioid capsule design can produce a huge boost in low frequencies, which can be usable at lower recording volumes.

...makes me feel absolutely thick for never having tried it. Total facepalm realization for me here because it really makes sense: I really like my Oktava MK012s on toms because they do a great job giving me clear low-end information that I dig. I can't believe I haven't tried this on bass cabs before. I have an SM81 that probably would be a good fit too, I've used it on acoustic bass and cello w/ pleasing results. Eager to try this next time.