Joe the banjo guy - Posted - 06/14/2013:  06:55:47

I've been looking at the Gold Tone ABS-C, the Audio Technica ATM350, and the DPA 4099g. 

Anybody have any experience with any of these, and even better if perhaps could you provide some comparisons? 

championofnorthhuron - Posted - 06/14/2013:  07:14:41

Hi Joe. I've been using an Audio Technica Pro 70 lavalier, designed with guitar/string instrument applications in mind. It comes with a clip for guitar sound holes, but I mounted it in a foam block that I wedge between my dowel stick and the bottom of the head; with the mic just under and a little behind where the bridge makes contact. It works great, installs and removes in literally 30 seconds or less, stays securely in place, is invisible to the audience, and is completely out of the way while playing. I can take pictures of the mic and how I mount later if you are interested. Actually I got the mounting idea from Jason Mogi... banjo builder/professional performer/member here. He apparently uses this set-up when performing.

Edit... you can find these mics new for as little as $100.

Edited by - championofnorthhuron on 06/14/2013 07:17:29

terje_t - Posted - 06/14/2013:  07:30:58

There's also the Shure BETA 98H/C, which Béla Fleck uses in combination with a Gerald Jones pickup.

I guess the nice thing about the Gold Tone ABS-C is that it comes with a preamp with a simple eq. I'd also love to hear if anyone has compared any of these or have sound clips comparing them :)

Joe the banjo guy - Posted - 06/14/2013:  07:35:36

Thanks for the heads up.  If Bela uses it, it should definitely be in the running. 

FYI, Goldtone actually makes two clip on mics, the abs and the abs-c.  (c is for condenser).  I don't think the abs-c comes with the preamp/stompbox. 

I actually own the original ABS now, but I just don't care for the sound.  I blend it with my EMG pickup.  The blend is pretty nice, but I just don't think the ABS is that great soundwise. 

Edited by - Joe the banjo guy on 06/14/2013 07:42:58

Joe the banjo guy - Posted - 06/14/2013:  07:52:08

Found another one.  K&K Golden Bullet

terje_t - Posted - 06/14/2013:  07:53:22

Ah, I didn't know that. :)

What do you use to blend the two signals?

Joe the banjo guy - Posted - 06/14/2013:  08:11:10

I just run them into my acoustic amp, which has two channels.  I'm awaiting the arrival of my new Marshall as100d amp, which actually has separate eq's for both signals. 

The final piece of the puzzle is figuring out how to incorporate a volume boost into the system.  Currently i've been running a line out from the amp to my LR Baggs Venue DI, which has a volume boost.  Seems to work, but i'd like to try hooking it (or a different clean boost) to the effects loop of the amp so I can hear the boost in my "stage monitor" i.e., the amp.

Aradobanjo - Posted - 06/14/2013:  18:52:31

Hello, 

I gave up on the gold tone ABS. I tried to use it with a Shure ULXS24 instrument kit. Too much weight and little tone. I use the Shure 98H/C. This works great with the gear. Too many cables equals loss. 

Joe the banjo guy - Posted - 06/14/2013:  19:09:03

Yeah, I will probably end up going for something like that eventually.  I'll see how much mileage I can get out of my new Marshall amp using my ABS.  I just think it sounds thin/echoey.

rudy - Posted - 06/14/2013:  19:59:35

If your goal is to locally mix a condenser mic and a pickup,  be able to use it to feed your monitor amp and DI out to the PA, add some nice effects, and have a button for adjustable output boost up to 12 db, then you could consider the new Zoom A3.  It's made for acoustic guitar, but it's being used for many types of instruments.

samsontech.com/zoom/products/a...fects/a3/

Joe the banjo guy - Posted - 06/15/2013:  07:05:40

That's a pretty cool little device!  I like that it combines dual inputs with a volume boost.  That's pretty sweet.  I wonder if the presets there would work well for banjo?  Yeah, I could use that to feed my amp and use the amp's DI out, and it would open up an extra channel in my amp, since I wouldn't have to use it to do the blending.  Not that I really need an extra channel, but I guess it's better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it.

If they added a DI out on that zoom, it would be even cooler.

Joe the banjo guy - Posted - 06/15/2013:  07:08:35

Never mind, it does have a DI out.  Very cool.