mic for a very bright (almost harsh) Taylor

Price range? For taming brightness or transients ribbons are good. Almost any ribbon will work. A cheap condenser is the worst. Like a xheaper AT 3035, or even 4030. They're harsh. They start getting better by th AT 4050.
 
I second the ribbon mic - However - (isn't there always a however!)... You cannot polish a turd! - If the guitar sounds harsh, try a KM154 on the 12th fret, and a U87 on the sound hole or just behind it, then blend to suit - That will give you the ability to capture the real sound, and allow you many flavours to choose from by mixing the mics.

Thanks
Pauly
 
You could try different strings too. Different bronze mixes have different amounts of high end bite. Phosphor bronze tends to be a bit less bright than 80/20 bronze. Different coated strings have a more controlled high end too. Elixir Polyweb's have a thicker coating that makes them sound quite warm and played in.
 
AEA R84 ribbon mic is well known for smoothing out harshness. A KM184 is a go to depending on the tone you’re looking for. check out the Soyuz Fet017 too. I watched some very Imoressive acoustic guitar shootouts on YouTube.
 
henryrobinett said:
Price range?
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I really don't have one. Just a strong desire to tame these highs ;). Maybe 1k-2k.
mr_fender said:
You could try different strings too. Different bronze mixes have different amounts of high end bite. Phosphor bronze tends to be a bit less bright than 80/20 bronze. Different coated strings have a more controlled high end too. Elixir Polyweb's have a thicker coating that makes them sound quite warm and played in.
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I was using Nanowebs but they were bright so I then changed to D'Addario Phosphor bronze .13-.58 but I can't stand them lol. I will try the Polyweb's next to see if they help.
pauly said:
You cannot polish a turd!
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Completely agree but I wouldn't call the Taylor 214ce a turd...sure it's not their high-end guitar but I hear recorded middle ranged Taylors all over the web and they don't sound harsh or brash (overly bright) so I was just wondering what tools they may using to tame them.
 
Are recordings of your guitar sounding harsh with the gear you have now? Or, are you trying to find gear that will limit that problem, if it crops up?
 
secondwindow said:
Are recordings of your guitar sounding harsh with the gear you have now? Or, are you trying to find gear that will limit that problem, if it crops up?
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It sounds bright just playing in my room. I'm looking for options to record it but not have the recording so bright. I don't have any condenser or ribbon mics at the moment.
 
normanaj said:
It sounds bright just playing in my room. I'm looking for options to record it but not have the recording so bright. I don't have any condenser or ribbon mics at the moment.
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I'd try recording with whatever I have on-hand to hear how that sounds - dynamic mic, cell phone, direct (since you have the ce version of the Taylor). The results might help you see how much of a problem it is - if at all.

Is the room you're playing in bright sounding? Changing rooms or position in the room can make a difference, too.

I like the suggestions from others about fixing the issue at the source. Doing what you can to make your guitar sound its best in the room is a really good place to start.
 
The room is crucial. I avoided this problem forever. It doesn't have to be overly complicated, really. You can build some acoustic panels yourself. Preferably Owens Corning 703 4-6 inches. 6 inches for bass traps. Depending on your room - I mean you might have already done this, it'll make a HUGE difference. Even if it's not scientifically measured.

It also might be cheaper to buy a different guitar?

Ribbons I'd suggest - AEA r84. The best ribbon mic I own and perhaps the best mic is the AEA 44c. But that's a little expensive.

Otherwise I can't see recording acoustics with ribbons. The 44 kills on anything. I only speak from experience but regarding condensers I highly recommend the Bock 251 or Gefell 92.1. But if you want to reduce the brightness Gefell. These are out of your price range. ALSO Peluso 2247 fat body or LE. Closer.
 
Thank you for all the replies...yes, I've been at this a long time so I am aware I need to get this sounding as good as I can before recording. That aside, I have a sm57 and a few other dynamic mics kicking around I could try...maybe you're right...maybe it won't be a problem after all...but I'd rather find this out before spending $$ on a mic that will make it sound even brighter. I will also try Polyweb strings (13s) since they have the word 'warm' labelled on them ;). I had nanowebs (bright) on them before and then tried the D'Addario Phosphor bronze but didn't like either of those.
 
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