No matter how good you are as a guitarist or how experienced you are as a sound engineer, recording a guitar with the wrong microphone will doom your song to oblivion.

This article is all about making sure you pick the right microphone for your guitar amp.

We’ll take a look at some of the best microphones to record guitars of all kinds, from acoustic to electric, clean and distorted: some are considered reliable workhorses, while others offer fantastic value for money.

We’ll also talk about how to make the most of your gear, and the different microphone types you might come across. My hope is that by the end of this piece, you’ll have found the perfect mic for your budget and needs.

Let’s dive in!

How to Mic a Guitar Amplifier

It’s almost unbelievable how the sound can change by simply moving your mic by an inch. So before you invest hundreds or thousands of dollars in a new mic, make sure you try all the placing options with your existing gear.

Start by putting your mic about halfway between the center and the edge of the speaker cone, making sure it’s directed at the speaker. Leave enough room to fit your pinky between the mic and the speaker grill.

If you’re having a hard time finding the speaker in the cabinet, use a flashlight or your phone to see through the grill, or press (gently!) on the grill to feel the edge of the speaker cone.

Why is the mic position so important? Because it affects what frequencies you hear when recording: if you move the mic closer to the speaker, you’ll get more bass, while pulling it back will mitigate lower frequencies.

In other words, for a brighter sound, point the mic at the center of the speaker, and for a darker tone, angle it toward the edge for a more low-end sound. You can also try to angle the microphone at a 45-degree angle to smooth out harsh high frequencies, if there are any.

Your goal is to find the mic position that enhances the sonic characteristics of your gear. If the sound is too heavy, move the mic back a bit. If you need more midrange growl, move it closer to the center of the speaker.

The mic "hears" the amp differently than you do when you’re standing three to five feet away. To get a better idea of the sound, stay directly in front of the speaker. Not too close, but in line with it.

Make sure you wear isolating headphones while moving the mic, so you can hear the changes right away instead of adjusting and then going back to listen in another room.

Mic Placement: The Options

When you place a mic directly in front of the speaker cone, you get a bright and punchy sound: this approach is called "on-axis," which enhances the sharpness of the notes and highlights higher frequencies.

If you position the mic off-axis, you usually get a warmer tone with softer highs, which can work well if you’re looking for a more laid-back vibe.

The sound also changes depending on how close your mic is to the guitar amp. This is called the "proximity effect."

A microphone placed very close to the speaker will enhance the bass frequencies and give you a more immersive sound. But if you move the mic further away you will capture the room’s acoustics and bring to life a more natural and cohesive sound.

Personally, I prefer placing the microphone a bit further away, but there’s no right or wrong here, as long as you focus on the guitar’s tone, bass response, and character when recording.

You can always add a second mic in the room to blend your guitar amp with the sound of the room. Try a few different options and see which setup works best for your equipment and the sound you aim for.

Common Miking Mistakes

It's always easy to blame the low quality of your microphone when a recording doesn't sound right. However, it seems to me that the issue is often that we don't know how to make the most out of our gear, or we're not aware of how we can enhance the qualities of our microphone.

In my experience, these are the most common issues you can come across when recording guitar amps:

Wrong Mic Placement : If your guitar sounds either dull or too sharp, the way you set up your microphone might be the problem. Try to go back to the mic positioning process to get the best sound out of your guitar cabinet. Remember that the center of the speaker gives you a brighter sound, while the edges produce a warmer tone.

Phasing: When you're working with two microphones or more, you might end up having phase issues. That's when two or more audio signals that are capturing the same sound source are out of sync and affect or cancel each other out.

It's a common issue when recording in stereo, but there are many ways to prevent this from happening. Check out this great video by Rick Beato if you want to get rid of phasing issues once and for all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn8rvcOtmVo

Wrong Recording Levels: If the mic level reaches 0dBFS, the recording will be distorted, and there's no way to fix that afterward. Keep the recording level lower to have a wider range of sound to work with when mixing, which also helps you capture the true tone of your gear.

Room Acoustic Issues : Even the best mic can’t fix a room that sounds bad. Before recording, make sure there are no echoes and frequency buildups of resonance. Use bass traps, acoustic panels and soundproof materials to keep frequencies at bay. Don’t be afraid to change and test different rooms.

Using the Wrong Mic for the Task : There are mics that can make your guitar amplifier sound great, and others that’ll drastically worsen its sound signature. Some trial and error is inevitable, but we’ll talk more about mic types in the next section.

 

Recording Acoustic Guitar vs Electric Guitar

First of all, electric guitars are usually recorded through amps, whereas acoustic guitars are directly miked, either with a microphone placed in front of them or through the DI. This is not a rule, but that’s how studio engineers usually handle recording these two instruments.

For electric guitars, you can use two mics simultaneously to record both the amp sound and the room's ambiance. As I mentioned earlier, this is a great way to capture your guitar sound and give it a natural feel.

On the other hand, acoustic guitars sound better with a large diaphragm condenser microphone or by using stereo miking.

Let’s dive deeper into this.

How To Mic An Acoustic Guitar

With acoustic guitars, the microphone you use to record it is actually not the most important aspect.

First and foremost, make sure the room you choose to record in is suitable for the task: an acoustically bright space without too much reverberation and good diffusion, like a kitchen or large wardrobe.

You can record an acoustic guitar with just one microphone, though having two mics will give you more options when shaping your sound in post-production.

Most of the sound comes from the soundhole and the top of the guitar. The sound changes based on how far the microphone is from the soundhole and its angle to the guitar; just like when you record a guitar amp, if the mic is closer to the soundhole, the sound will be louder and have more bass, and it’ll get softer and less rich the farther away you move the mic.

To get a more balanced sound, point the mic where the guitar body meets the neck.

As for the best mics for recording acoustic guitars, cardioid condenser microphones are your safest option, especially if you’re just getting started. The clarity and level of detail they provide are perfect for acoustic guitars, and they're sensitive enough to high-frequency transients to enhance the sound signature of your instrument.

How To Mic An Electric Guitar

Dynamic microphones are your best bet when recording guitar amps, because they can handle high sound pressure and capture a high amplitude naturally. Plus, they’re intuitive and forgiving, which is great if this is your first experience recording an electric guitar.

Start by placing the microphone close to the guitar cabinet. Now, it’s time to find the sweet spot, which is usually between the center and the edge of the speaker cone. Try that and see how it sounds, and keep experimenting until you find the ideal sound.

To spice things up, try to place an extra ribbon mic a few inches away from the cabinet. This mic can add depth and a smooth sound to the bass, and improve the overall sound.

You could also add a room mic (I’d recommend a condenser mic) to capture the natural feel of the space. This will give your recording more depth and realism, as if people were listening to you playing live. Just remember to keep an eye on phase issues as you set up multiple mics.

The Best Microphones for Recording Guitars

Dynamic Microphones

Shure SM57

This is one of the most reliable microphones you can get. I’ve never been to a recording studio that didn’t have at least a couple of those, probably because they’re versatile, inexpensive, nearly indestructible, and incredibly reliable.

Although being a jack of all trades mic, the SM57 is particularly good when it comes to recording guitar cabinets, because it can handle a maximum SPL level of 190 dB: pretty loud even if you’re a metal head.

The SM57’s sound signature is quite transparent, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your taste. If you want a vintage-like, warm sound signature, the SM57 is not for you, but if you’re looking for a reliable studio companion that does the job no matter what, look no further than this microphone.

Sennheiser e906

Another great option is the Sennheiser e906, a supercardioid dynamic microphone that works well with guitar amplifiers, but is versatile enough to also record drums and percussion professionally.

You’ll notice right away the flat front that defines this model. This design makes it easy to position the mic anywhere, and the switchable presence filter tailors sound to various styles, from aggressive metal to smooth jazz and anything in between.

With a broad frequency response (40Hz-18kHz) and a fast transient response, the e906 is perfect for recording guitar amps across genres. Plus, it’s particularly good at reducing bleed and interference, so you can even use it to record live performances.

Telefunken M80

The next option is the M80, a well-known dynamic microphone with a supercardioid polar pattern and a broad frequency response of 50 Hz–18 kHz.

While the M80 is technically a dynamic mic, it performs much more like a condenser; it has a very high SPL, so it’s perfect for dirtier sounds, although it handles cleaner tones pretty well, too.

Its frequency response may not be the flattest, but it offers a lot of midrange and presence in the highs.

Ribbon Mics

Royer R-121

A great ribbon microphone for recording guitars is the iconic (but expensive) Royer R-121. 

It has an impressive >135dB maximum SPL handling and flat frequency response, and its figure-8 polar pattern captures both the amp’s direct sound and ambient room characteristics, simultaneously.

The R-121’s sound signature is warm and realistic, which gives it more character when compared to standard condenser mics. Despite its tonal quality, this mic tends to minimize distortion while capturing the rich harmonics of electric guitars.

If you’re ready to pay around $1500 to record your guitar amp, the R-121 is a fantastic option.

Beyerdynamic M 160

My favorite Beyerdynamic mic, the M160 is a ribbon microphone that offers a great combination of neutrality and timeless sound signature.

It features a double-ribbon design and a hypercardioid polar pattern; as a result, it isolates the source while rejecting ambient noise, so it's the perfect option for close-mic recording.

It has a unique and subtly warm frequency response that softens harsh high frequencies, bringing to life a rich and detailed sound that enhances tonal clarity.

Cascade Fat Head II

For those into vintage vibes, here's a ribbon microphone with a natural and warm sound.

The Cascade Fat Head II comes with its iconic symmetrical ribbon and a Lundahl transformer, which gives it a smooth high-frequency response and a natural tone when recording amps.

What I love about the Cascade Fat Head II is that it emphasizes the character of electric guitar amplifiers without overshadowing it. It has a timeless feel unlike any other and adds a touch of subtle warmth that makes a guitar sound organic and three-dimensional.

Sadly, Cascade no longer produces microphones since 2022 due to its owner's passing. However, the brand and its philosophy behind ribbon mic production were taken over by Pinnacle Microphones, which released a new version of the mic: the Fat Top II. If you can’t get hold of a second-hand Cascade, the Pinnacle model is an excellent alternative.

Condenser Mics

Audio-Technica AT4050

A personal favorite among condenser mics, the AT4050 is a versatile microphone with a clear sound that works well with vocals, guitar cabs, acoustic guitars, and more.

It comes with three polar patterns: cardioid, figure-8, and omnidirectional, as well as a highly-praised high-pass filter, which is why it’s such a popular mic among singers. Plus, the microphone's transformer-less circuitry is designed to minimize distortion.

Durable, with a design that naturally reduces noise, and with multiple polar patterns, the AT4050 can easily become a jack-of-all-trades in your home studio.

AKG C414 XLII

The AKG C414 XLII is another multi-pattern condenser microphone, more expensive than the aforementioned AT4050 but with high-end features that make it truly stand out.

It has nine different pickup patterns, controls to adjust bass and reduce sound levels, and an LED light showing if the sound is too loud. The sound signature is clear and transparent, enhancing the depth and realism of your guitar recordings.

If your budget allows it, the AKG C414 XLII might well be a mic you use for a lifetime, in any situation.

Neumann TLM 102

Small but extremely powerful, the TLM 102 is another great condenser microphone with a large-diaphragm cardioid capsule that can capture anything, from guitar cabinets to kick drums, with the absolute clarity Neumann is known for.

The TLM 102’s sound signature is transparent and realistic, and it can handle high sound levels without breaking a sweat. It has a linear response from 20Hz to 20kHz, with a slight boost after 6kHz that adds an interesting "sweetness" when recording vocals. Finally, the transformer-less design keeps noise at bay and protects against interference.

All in all, the TLM 102 offers great value for money, and a versatility you won’t easily find anywhere else.

How To Choose the Right Microphone

Getting the right guitar mic can be a never-ending process. There are so many factors involved, from your speaker cabinet to the way you're playing guitar and your desired sound signature: every factor affects your recording quality.

My recommendation is to try as many microphones as possible, starting with the most versatile ones, like those mentioned above. These mics, all at different price points, can offer you a great overview of what a good microphone can do to enhance your recording sessions, adding more clarity and depth to your music.

It also comes down to what you actually need. While the perfect, high-end microphone can have a huge impact on your sound, a mid-range microphone with a reasonable price might offer just about everything you need for your home recording sessions. History is full of musicians getting a great sound with limited resources.

The dynamic range of your mic is crucial, so make sure you get a microphone that can fully capture the frequency spectrum of your instrument. Aside from that, options are virtually endless, so never stop experimenting with new sound signatures to create a unique sonic palette.

Have fun!