Check, check. Microphone, microphone.

Lately I have been writing about how the guitar market is terrible.  I mean, it is worst than terrible.  I don't know what that word would be, but let's just say it's "even below terrible."  At the beginning of the year I made it my mission to sell four guitars.  I already had way too many guitars, so getting rid of five of them wasn't going to make much of a dent into my collection. 

Out of the five, I only sold one.  And then that guy wanted to return the guitar the next day.  That did not go over well.  Here's the hilarious adventure of everything that happened (short version.)

1.  Traded an Ibanez Artcore for a 99 Fender Stratocaster with case.  Great deal!  (I kept the Strat.)

2.  Traded a 2008 Fender Stratocaster for a Japanese Jackson DNKY.  I then traded the Jackson for a Dean ML 79 Bubinga Guitar.  (I kept the Dean.)

3.  I sold the 1993 Stratocaster with tons of upgrades.  That's the one the guy wanted to return to me.

4.  I traded the Rosewood Telecaster I built for a Dimarzio Super Distortion, M-Audio Interface, and Shure SM-81 microphone.

5.  Since no one knew what the Luna Andromeda was I did two things.  I took the EMG pickups out of it, and sold them on Ebay.  I actually made a good deal on that.  I then took the Luna to Sam Ash where they weren't sure what to do with it.  There's not much info on it if you aren't a Dean fan.  So I told the guy I would trade it straight up for a Sennheiser 835 microphone.  Since they have a fair mark-up on Pro Audio items, it made it worthwhile for him to say yes.

So this brings me to the meat of my blog.  I've never really had that much Pro Audio equipment.  True story.  I once bought a microphone on sale for $20 back in 1994.  It made it through six band practices until it came apart. 

So I never had a good one before.  So now I have two.  I know a lot of non-musicians are wondering why two?  Well, one is for recording, and one is for live use.

Here's the write up on the first one:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/condenser-microphones/shure-sm81-condenser-mic

Eventually I will want to record, and the Shure SM-81 is the way to go.  I wandered through Guitar Center, and noticed it's about the most expensive microphone of it's kind.  To get any better you really have to start paying some big bucks.  So I'm glad to have it.

The Sennheiser 835 was recommend to me by a few Pro Audio guys.

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/304221.html

I tested it out versus my friend's time tested Shure SM-58.  The Sennheiser was much more clear with a spike in the treble frequencies.  The Shure had a more pronounced bass, but was not as clear.  I guess it's like ice cream.  It depends upon what flavor you like.  Only you can tell you what you like. 

So after five months I have finally traded all the guitars I was planning to.  But I can't actually say I actually pared myself down.  I mean, I traded for two other guitars, traded for microphones, and actually bought a bass with the sale of the pickups.  So I think I am right back to where I started.

And where is that?  Remember at the beginning when I said that the market was terrible?  Well it certainly is for selling/buying.  However, for trading it's surprisingly okay.  I may have to stick on the trading train for a while.  At least until the economy improves.