Attaching a lavalier mic to a guitar

[Sam]

I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.

The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth! Obviously this is ideal
for attaching to a shirt or tie, but not ideal for my guitar top. It's
very limited in terms of mic direction too - would be nice to have
flexibility here to experiment with position.

So I am looking to buy a guitar friendly clip, something secure and
discreet to attach the little microphone to the guitar soundhole. If
anyone knows where I can buy these things separately, or can suggest
some other ingenius way of attaching this, please let me know. I am sure
i read something here on the latter years ago that involved wire and
positioning the mic outside the guitar.

Thanks

S.

[George's Pro Sound Co.]

Post by Sam
I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth! Obviously this is ideal
for attaching to a shirt or tie, but not ideal for my guitar top. It's
very limited in terms of mic direction too - would be nice to have
flexibility here to experiment with position.
So I am looking to buy a guitar friendly clip, something secure and
discreet to attach the little microphone to the guitar soundhole. If
anyone knows where I can buy these things separately, or can suggest
some other ingenius way of attaching this, please let me know. I am sure
i read something here on the latter years ago that involved wire and
positioning the mic outside the guitar.
Thanks
S.

I have taken a clip apart and with some hardening putty(pc7 I believe. but
any epoxy ought be fine) I secured the clip inside and under the sound hole,
now when I want to use my mic I simply insert it to the 1/2 of the clip that
is permentaly mounted to the underside of the soundboard, then I gaff tape
the wire down the guitar and to the belt pack transmitter that is attached
to the strap
I use the sennheiser products.
if you do this , do NOT route the mic signal to your monitors
George

[hank alrich]

Post by George's Pro Sound Co.
if you do this , do NOT route the mic signal to your monitors

Correct. That is how Dougie Maclean does it - no monitors.

[Ty Ford]

Post by Sam
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth!

Duh. Don't use the clip. Use Gaffers tape.

Regards,

Ty Ford

--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar

[Rick Ruskin]

Post by Ty Ford

Post by Sam
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth!

Duh. Don't use the clip. Use Gaffers tape.

Gaffers tape won't be very kind to the finish. I'd use something that
leaves no residue like drafting tape.





Rick Ruskin
Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA
http://liondogmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/rickruskin

[Sam]

Post by Rick Ruskin

Post by Ty Ford

Post by Sam
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth!

Duh. Don't use the clip. Use Gaffers tape.

Gaffers tape won't be very kind to the finish.

Also looks awful. I do a lot of classical guitar wedding gigs and
somehow strips of gaffa tape across the guitar doesn't sound very
appealing.

...taping inside could be an option, I guess, though very fiddly, and
tricky to find a good position.

[Mike Brown]

Post by Sam

Post by Rick Ruskin

Post by Ty Ford

Post by Sam
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth!

Duh. Don't use the clip. Use Gaffers tape.

Gaffers tape won't be very kind to the finish.

Also looks awful. I do a lot of classical guitar wedding gigs and
somehow strips of gaffa tape across the guitar doesn't sound very
appealing.
...taping inside could be an option, I guess, though very fiddly, and
tricky to find a good position.

If you can reach any of the braces without removing the strings, you
might be able to use the "toothed" clip on a brace without damage of any
consequence.

MJRB

[Ty Ford]

Post by Sam

Post by Rick Ruskin

Post by Ty Ford

Post by Sam
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth!

Duh. Don't use the clip. Use Gaffers tape.

Gaffers tape won't be very kind to the finish.

Also looks awful. I do a lot of classical guitar wedding gigs and
somehow strips of gaffa tape across the guitar doesn't sound very
appealing.
...taping inside could be an option, I guess, though very fiddly, and
tricky to find a good position.

That's why scissors were invented Sam.

I've cut a small strip, just enough to hold the lav in place in the rt angle
between the fingerboard and face.

Regards,

Ty Ford


--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar http://youtu.be/yWaPRHMGhGA

[Sam]

Post by Ty Ford
That's why scissors were invented Sam.
I've cut a small strip, just enough to hold the lav in place in the rt angle
between the fingerboard and face.

Outside or inside?

Doesn't taping the mic directly to the guitar top cause problems -
feedback, rumble etc?

[hank alrich]

Post by Sam

Post by Ty Ford
That's why scissors were invented Sam.
I've cut a small strip, just enough to hold the lav in place in the rt angle
between the fingerboard and face.

Outside or inside?
Doesn't taping the mic directly to the guitar top cause problems -
feedback, rumble etc?

You cannot expect to get much SPL, and you should forego using monitors.

[Ty Ford]

Post by Rick Ruskin

Post by Ty Ford

Post by Sam
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth!

Duh. Don't use the clip. Use Gaffers tape.

Gaffers tape won't be very kind to the finish. I'd use something that
leaves no residue like drafting tape.

The G-tape I use is low tack, Rick. I'm tackier than it is.

Regards,

Ty Ford



--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar http://youtu.be/yWaPRHMGhGA

[Sam]

Post by Sam
I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.

Incidentally, here's the mic:
http://www.wiltsgrove.co.uk/sub-category.php?ID=5918&CID=0019&PID=MIC-
1008

It uses a battery, anyone know if it's likely to drain the battery if
the mic is switched on but its not plugged into anything? Just trying to
work out if I could leave it inside a guitar switched on, or whether I
will need access to that switch.

cheers

[Mike Brown]

Post by Sam

Post by Sam
I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.

http://www.wiltsgrove.co.uk/sub-category.php?ID=5918&CID=0019&PID=MIC-
1008
It uses a battery, anyone know if it's likely to drain the battery if
the mic is switched on but its not plugged into anything? Just trying to
work out if I could leave it inside a guitar switched on, or whether I
will need access to that switch.
cheers

I have a Radioshack (Tandy) lavalier that I bought some years ago. The
battery and preamp for that are in the plug.

MJRB

[hank alrich]

Post by Sam
I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth! Obviously this is ideal
for attaching to a shirt or tie, but not ideal for my guitar top. It's
very limited in terms of mic direction too - would be nice to have
flexibility here to experiment with position.
So I am looking to buy a guitar friendly clip, something secure and
discreet to attach the little microphone to the guitar soundhole. If
anyone knows where I can buy these things separately, or can suggest
some other ingenius way of attaching this, please let me know. I am sure
i read something here on the latter years ago that involved wire and
positioning the mic outside the guitar.
Thanks
S.

Dougie Maclean fastens a little Sony omni condenser to the edge of the
soundhole with a little holder he made from Romex.

[t***@gmail.com]

Post by hank alrich

Post by Sam
I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth! Obviously this is ideal
for attaching to a shirt or tie, but not ideal for my guitar top. It's
very limited in terms of mic direction too - would be nice to have
flexibility here to experiment with position.
So I am looking to buy a guitar friendly clip, something secure and
discreet to attach the little microphone to the guitar soundhole. If
anyone knows where I can buy these things separately, or can suggest
some other ingenius way of attaching this, please let me know. I am sure
i read something here on the latter years ago that involved wire and
positioning the mic outside the guitar.
Thanks
S.

Dougie Maclean fastens a little Sony omni condenser to the edge of the
soundhole with a little holder he made from Romex.
--
shut up and play your guitar * http://hankalrich.com/
http://armadillomusicproductions.com/who'slistening.html
http://www.sonicbids.com/HankandShaidriAlrichwithDougHarman

What is Romex?

[h***@ccanoemail.ca]

Post by t***@gmail.com

Post by hank alrich

Post by Sam
I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth! Obviously this is ideal
for attaching to a shirt or tie, but not ideal for my guitar top. It's
very limited in terms of mic direction too - would be nice to have
flexibility here to experiment with position.
So I am looking to buy a guitar friendly clip, something secure and
discreet to attach the little microphone to the guitar soundhole. If
anyone knows where I can buy these things separately, or can suggest
some other ingenius way of attaching this, please let me know. I am sure
i read something here on the latter years ago that involved wire and
positioning the mic outside the guitar.
Thanks
S.

Dougie Maclean fastens a little Sony omni condenser to the edge of the
soundhole with a little holder he made from Romex.
--
shut up and play your guitar * http://hankalrich.com/
http://armadillomusicproductions.com/who'slistening.html
http://www.sonicbids.com/HankandShaidriAlrichwithDougHarman

What is Romex?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoplastic-sheathed_cable

... perhaps ?

[Bart Candlewick]

Post by h***@ccanoemail.ca

Post by t***@gmail.com

Post by hank alrich

Post by Sam
I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth! Obviously this is ideal
for attaching to a shirt or tie, but not ideal for my guitar top. It's
very limited in terms of mic direction too - would be nice to have
flexibility here to experiment with position.
So I am looking to buy a guitar friendly clip, something secure and
discreet to attach the little microphone to the guitar soundhole. If
anyone knows where I can buy these things separately, or can suggest
some other ingenius way of attaching this, please let me know. I am sure
i read something here on the latter years ago that involved wire and
positioning the mic outside the guitar.
Thanks
S.

Dougie Maclean fastens a little Sony omni condenser to the edge of the
soundhole with a little holder he made from Romex.
--
shut up and play your guitar * http://hankalrich.com/
http://armadillomusicproductions.com/who'slistening.html
http://www.sonicbids.com/HankandShaidriAlrichwithDougHarman

What is Romex?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoplastic-sheathed_cable
... perhaps ?

Yep, but he probably meant that he used one of the insulated conductors
from the Romex, probably the black one. 12 or maybe even 14 gauge would
be stiff enough to make an effective holder out of.

[John Bennett]

Post by Sam
I am experimenting with combining a clip-on lavalier type microphone
with my (nylon strung) guitar's UST pick up system, and mixing the
sources via my PA. As yet I have not purchased a clip on mic
specifically designed for guitar, I just went and bought a fairly cheap
standard lavalier condenser mic purely to have a play with.
The trouble is the clip with the mic has teeth! Obviously this is ideal
for attaching to a shirt or tie, but not ideal for my guitar top. It's
very limited in terms of mic direction too - would be nice to have
flexibility here to experiment with position.
So I am looking to buy a guitar friendly clip, something secure and
discreet to attach the little microphone to the guitar soundhole. If
anyone knows where I can buy these things separately, or can suggest
some other ingenius way of attaching this, please let me know. I am sure
i read something here on the latter years ago that involved wire and
positioning the mic outside the guitar.
Thanks

I came up with a way of safely attaching a Sony ecm 50 lavalier to the
sound hole by using a standard electrical croc/alligator clip. I put
some plastic sheathing from a piece of cable over the teeth and attached
a short length of stiff wire to the clip then just taped the mic to the
wire. Choosing the right length and stiffness of the wire enables you
to place the mic wherever you want. I prefer the sound from inside the
guitar but I guess you you could use this method to place it outside as
well.

Picture here http://tinyurl.com/3y52f28

Regards John