Early 60s Studio Guitar Recording Information Needed, how to recreate that sound today*

I know there are people on this forum with a lot of knowledge about the history of studio recording. I am going to record some surf guitar instrumentals and am looking to get the sound of the early 60s surf bands like the Chantays, Challengers, Ventures, etc.

I have been trying to find out what mics were used on the guitar amps. I know Shure SM57s are the go-to mic for guitar cabs, but they didn't come out until 1965, so the very first surf recordings would not have used them.

I suspect condenser mics were used, but have no idea. Does anybody know or have ideas on what would likely have been used?

I could just use an SM57. I have also read that Seinnheiser e906s are great on clean electric guitars, but I would prefer something with the same frequency response from back in the day.

Thanks in advance.

 

Also what mixing console would have been used?

 

Your only thinking about microphones?
What about the source of the sound your wanting to capture?
Fender Jaguars, Reverb tanks, and 'Showman' amplifiers ....
Do you have those?

 

Probably the SM 57's predecessor, the 545



still made, still available, and cheap

Generally, I don't like the sound of condensors on guitar amps. I'm sure there are plenty of vintage surf recordings where they did this.

The truth is if you have the right player, guitar, and amp, with a nice, boingy spring reverb, the microphone doesn't matter much - other than you have to get the placement right, but that should be easy.

 

Microphones are the least important part of your signal chain. The guitar and pickups, the effects pedals (I.e. the reverb pedal) used, and lastly the amp, in that order.

 

I agree with this, but you don't want reverb from any pedal - you want a spring reverb, either one built into an amp (almost always a Fender) or a vintage standalone unit - these are insanely expensive, imo, as are the reissue versions of these units.

 

bottom line - this is a super easy sound to get and to record properly

fender amp with spring reverb, any unmodified fender strat or jazzmaster or jaguar, sm57

 

Mic : Reslo

 

Are you using heavy flatwound strings on your guitar?

 

It's hard to see what mic is being used on the amp, but it's such a great photo that I'm gonna post it anyway...

 

Here's shots of the Wrecking Crew at Gold Star. It appears to be some sort of dynamic mics on the amps:

 

Here, there's a Neumann on the guitar amp:

 

Looks like Neumann condensers:

 

And use FLATWOUNDS!

 

I have a Jaguar with flatwounds a reissue fender tube reverb and a showman amp.

 

You're good to go. Any decent mic will get you what you want. Don't overthink this, just plug in and hit record.

 

You found the sound.

 

want that sound, first get a amp from that period, fender/vox etc, note *do not get a reissue* next get a gtr (not quite as important as the amp) from that period, there were virtually no pedals in the chain, so Gtr ---> Lead ----> Amp, this is actually quite important..

Recording chain would be something like this...

Tube Neumann probably a U67, 47 or a Ribbon, RCA Etc, into Tube Console to tape... chain pretty damn important, position mic NOT on the speaker grill like modern way but anywhere from say 12/18 inches out from speaker *very important*

there you have it....

The old amps sound different to the modern ones, one reason (there are a few) is the transformers in them were manufactured differently (don't have time to explain why) and thus they respond differently, more musical if you like

 

This right here. With the right gear and a decent sounding recording rig you can nail the sounds.

I mean hell, this was just recorded with my iPhone: Dropbox - New Recording 18.m4a - Simplify your life