Best Microphone for Acoustic Guitar 2023
If you’re looking to capture the beauty of your acoustic guitar, you’ll need the best microphone for acoustic guitar that can pick up the sound as accurately as you play out. Without a proper microphone, your acoustic guitar recordings could be muffled or lacking in detail.
Shure SM57
The Shure SM57 is one of the most versatile microphones around. Being a dynamic microphone means you have less to worry about when it comes to noise levels and room treatment. As such, it can even serve as recording live performances on stage. The Shure SM57 works excellently on guitars; you can even use it to record other instruments, such as drums as well.
However, if you work in a more quiet environment, and can afford to spend a little extra, you could get better sound by using a condenser microphone.
Most Versatile
Technical Specifications
- Dynaimc Microphone
- Cardioid Pickup
- Frequency Range: 40 Hz - 15kHz
- Phantom Power Not Required
- XLR Connection
AKG P170
The P107 is a small diaphragm condenser microphone ideal for recording instruments, such as, among other things, acoustic guitars.
Unlike the SM57 however, being a condenser microphone means it’s more sensitive and thus more susceptible to noise, so make sure you’re working in a quiet environment, preferably one that’s been acoustically treated.
If those boxes are checked, then it’s incredible what this microphone can provide for its value. So if you’re shopping on a budget and want to stay under $100, this is your best microphone for acoustic guitars.
Best Value
Technical Specifications
- Condenser Microphone
- Cardioid Pickup
- Frequency Range: 20 Hz - 20kHz
- 48V Phantom Power
- XLR Connection
Rode M5 (Matched Pair)
It’s perfectly fine to record acoustic guitars with one microphone. But if you’re a fan of that wide guitar sound, I recommend trying out some stereo recording techniques. Thanks to matched pair microphones such as these Rode M5s, you can achieve a very wide stereo sound for your guitar recordings!
Rode advertises to have carefully selected the M5 pairs to achieve a difference in sensitivity of less than 1 dB. If you are willing to experiment with microphone positioning you can see how wide you like your guitar recordings to sound, or even record an entire live band performance with these. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Rode microphones and the Rode M5 Matched pair are the best microphones for a wide acoustic guitar sound.
Widest Soundstage
Technical Specifications
- Condenser Microphone
- Cardioid Pickup
- Frequency Range: 20 Hz - 20kHz
- 24/48V Phantom Power
- XLR Connection
Sennheiser E614
The E614 from Sennheiser is a super-cardioid condenser microphone designed for demanding instrument and performance recordings that require extended frequency response, high SPL handling, and fast transient response. It comes at a slight premium, but it’s not disgustingly expensive so if you want to go for a wider soundstage you could buy two and set them up for stereo recording without breaking the bank.
If you can afford to spend a little extra, the Sennheiser E614 is the best microphone for acoustic guitar (without selling your organs – no pun intended!).
Best Premium
Technical Specifications
- Condenser Microphone
- Super Cardioid Pickup
- Frequency Range: 40 Hz - 20kHz
- 12/52V Phantom Power
- XLR Connection
Best Microphone for Acoustic Guitar Accessories
Unless you have some lying around your home studio, you will probably need some accessories to set up your new sweet microphones. Here are the most common ones!
Newcomers to Acoustic Guitar Recording
Finally, if you are completely new to the world of home studio recording, you will also need an audio interface to plug these microphones into. An audio interface acts as a link between your microphones (or instruments) and your DAW (digital audio workstation) that’s on your computer. Don’t forget to have fun and always experiment a lot every step of the way!