Hello,
First, I must say that this is my first post on this group. I have been
reading
your archives and sifting through searches for some help. It seems that
what I
am looking for is far too subjective for any one answer. Given that (and my
general lack of knowledge regarding microphones) I have decided to come
ask the experts for some opinions or maybe just some plain old guidance.

I am a solo acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and my story is that I want a
"bigger"
guitar sound for my next CD. For my debut CD I used two SM81's in X/Y.
It's a decent sound, but it's not big enough. So, I am considering adding
another mic to the mix.

I know Jon Best posts around these parts - Jon helped me put together my
home studio. Other folks where Jon used to work have told me over the
years that tube mics can make a guitar sound as big as a grand piano! For
me, that would be exactly what I am looking for.

Just for a bit more background information, I also mic my amps and use the
direct outs as input right to the board. So the tracks are composed from
all
of the inputs (unplugged and amplified).

What's the problem? Well, I need some help or guidance as to just where to
start. Your archives are full of, "let your ears decide", "there is no one
mic
that fits every solution or every guitar", "some mics when run through the
right
pre sound better than a tube mic", etc... The more I read, the more I
became
confused about where I should even be starting this journey... Here's a
couple
of questions that I fully understand may have about 100 answers that all
begin
with, "that depends".

Are there any non-tube mics that compare well (sound wise) to tube mics?

If I buy a tube mic, do you recommend using a pre-amp?

What exactly is the "right" pre-amp going to give me that I have yet to
capture using my SM81's by themselves and should I consider getting
a pre-amp for my SM81's?

About how much does a "good" pre-amp that would work with the SM81's
cost (keep in mind this is for a home studio on a budget)?

If I am only ever going to record acoustic guitar, can anyone recommend a
few large diaphram condensers mics that are generally real good for that
purpose?

Can I buy a "good" large diaphram condenser for less than $1000?

How about less than $600?

Am I even pointing in the right direction here - that is, am I looking in
the
wrong place for a bigger sound? Is adding another mic to the mix (one
that will surely give more depth to my sound) the right way to approach
the problem or is this just a matter of getting the mix right?

Sorry for the inane, neophyte questions you've seen 1000 times before,
but I think if someone can just help me eliminate choices, give me a
few good things to keep in mind, or a product line to investigate, I'll be
much better off than I am right now...

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Regards,

Steven Dillon

http://www.stevendillon.com
http://mp3.com/stevendillon