Drum kit overhead Mics

[KJVMBird]

I'm on a very slim budget and have no top quality mics for overheads like 414's. Any ideas what I can use to get that clean crisp sound that overheads can produce? Most of my mics are sm57 & 58.

Thanks

[stootka]

Rode NT4 or NT5's. I've got some great results with them and they clock in around $400. Also look at SE mics or even MXL's. On a budget all of the above will work well. Good luck.

[JFreak]

Rode NT5's.

That, or the Oktava 012 which has multipattern option.

[theRog]

Anything that is a condenser mic...
It is easy to find a decent condenser that is inexpensive these days

Cheerio

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[MorganPost]

I just assisted on a session with Kevin Breit & The Sisters Euclid, guitar player on Norah Jones's first two CD's, at a great music studio in downtown Toronto. All four toms were miced with 414s and the only mic used for the cymbals/overhead was the Shure VP88 coincident stereo mic and it sounded absolutely amazing. I don't know the price offhand but it has all kinds of features including a MS setting as well. Totally impressed with this mic!!!

[Naagzh]

VP88 is very nice, unless you want a spaced pair configuration for your overheads, which I really like, especially for heavy-hitting rock and metal.

[EGS]

I'm on a very slim budget

Shure SM81. Actually, a fine mic, for about $350.
http://www.shure.com/microphones/models/sm81.asp

[JFreak]

Anything that is a condenser mic...

Except AKG C3000 will not work well, and neither does Shure KSM44. Also you want to avoid anything Sennheiser has to offer, and probably will do yourself a big favor if you skip the Behringer cheapos. It doesn't magically make a mic good if it's a condenser. In fact, I'd be happier with a pair of SM57 dynamics compared to anything that I mentioned earlier in this post.

For a small budget, IMO the best choices are Rode NT5 and Oktava 012 (but be sure to get original russian mics and not chinese copies).

[Keniko]

I have a pair of AKG C1000'S I use as Overhead Mic's and they sound great. Audio Technica has a new mic out called the AT2020. It's getting great reviews and street price is around $100. You could easily afford two of these. Hope this helps.

[Banister]

I got a pair of AKG C1000's for about $300 from Guitar Center (aka Musicians Friend) about a year ago.

I think it was some kind of deal where the web site offered a special package set deal, and the store didn't have the "set", but matched the price on 2 seperate mics.

I think they are great for doing xy stereo micing.