I use a Shure PGA48 (the budget friendly version of the SM58) when I play live, typically handheld. If you want to use a mic like that with a guitar amp, you need a Low Z to High Z impedence transformer for the mic. Here’s the one that I use:
Just a little head’s up that playing with a regular vocal mic, handheld and through an amp, is very unpopular and some will hate you for it. I know this from personal experience because many players online have told me that I needed to play using a mic stand, no amplifier or pedals at all, and people got extremely triggered when I showed and demonstrated my amplified rig. But then again, my whole existence is triggering to those people because I stand out as a harmonica player.
Thanks for your advice and true life stage experience.
What if I use a cord that goes from XLR female to 1/4” Jack is it ok without an impedance matcher?
Okay, so the answer is no. It’s just an adapter cord, a transformer is needed to change impedance such as a Shure A85f transformer . They cost about 20 bucks.. I personally have used an adapter cord( what I call one without a transformer) and haven’t noticed any negative effects. But I do have the transformer plug and use it when I can find it. That being said , I do have a bunch of bullet mics and hi z stick mics so the adapter cord and transformer plug sit in my gig bag.
Shure A85F from low to high impedance with 24 dB voltage amplification can also be used in the opposite direction balanced 3-pin XLR (f) to 6.3 mm jack plugThis text has been automatically translated and may contain errors.
The Sennheiser e835 is more for playing thru a PA as Jeremiah says “uncolored” sound. Thru an amp you’re wanting “colored” sound and here I think Jeremiah’s recommendations are OFF.
The best imo are Bulletini, Hohner HB-52, and Lone Wolf Jason Ricci mic. The NightHawk maybe deserves to be in the running too not sure. I need to buy it and try it out on some gigs. Of those just mentioned, the Bulletini will definitely pair most nicely with the orange crush mini. The Bulletini is very dark and so it compliments the “digititus” of little digital amps like that very well.
Also should mention Tod Parrott was showing me some cheap mics you can find used that are supposed to be like what Little Walter used on Juke:
Shure 275s
Argon AR59
Electrovoice 954
So if you can find any of those in your neck of the woods, it would probably be worth checking one of those out before you go and spend a whole bunch of money on one of the more expensive options that I just mentioned.
Hi @Stefano I posted this link a few weeks back . It has a lot of info on microphones . You should bookmark this as I did too . Useful info for the future too .
Hi @Luke, I appreciate your suggestions. Thing is I’m not into distorted or muddy sound too much, I prefer a clean sound that I can color a bit cupping my hands on the mic.
A lot of musicians play the harmonica with dynamic microphones and I like the way they sound more. It’s just a personal preference.
Vocal mics and bullet mics are two different schools. Each one with its pro and cons.
Anyway I’m just experimenting and still learning, most of all having fun.
OK, you said “Orange Crush Mini” so that’s a distorted sound that Lee Oskar NEVER uses.
Lee does use pedals, but he plays through the PA using this mic:
I just know that because I happen to be very good friends with his Sound Engineer.
The other contenders in that clean microphone world are the Audix Fireball - I actually bought one once but failed to ever put it to the test lol. And of course, the Ultimate 57 or 58 which are gonna be the best in terms of ergonomics and the practicality of having a volume knob.
Another option, which kind of just recently came on my radar is the Ultimate 545. I think maybe it can kinda do both a little bit?
At the end of the day when it comes to plane clean whether you’re talking about a 57, 58, Sennheiser, objects, or Lee’s expensive ribbon mic - we are talking about. VERY subtle differences.
On the other hand when it comes to what kind of mic you’re using playing into an orange crush amplifier. We are talking about huge, gigantic, colossal differences! And in THAT world, the bullet would be your friend.
If you want a “clean mic” to play into an amplifier I would probably look at the Ultimate 545. It SEEMS to me, and I’m just making a wild guess here that it might be somewhat similar in tone to the Lonewolf blues Jason Ricci signature mic. Maybe slightly cleaner/less compressed sound. I think Shane might have both I should ask him…
Thanks again Luke, i checked the Ultimate mics… I think I’ll go with breaking the rules and see what happens.
A dynamic vocal mic like the Sennheiser e835 will give me the clean sound I’m looking for, cupping will add the extra distortion without going back and forth turning the amp knobs.
In the meantime I’m saving a little more for an Orange Crush 12 that will give me control on treble, mid, bass, overdrive and gain.
What I’m trying to say is that I’m trying to shape the sound of my harmonica one step at a time and a bullet mic, according to me (no expert opinion) will add fixed distortion and compression..
so the adapter cord and transformer plug sit in my gig bag.
