Gordon Lightfoot Forums - To Technical?

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Would anyone know what kind of vocal microphone GL uses at his concerts? Like manufacturer and model number?

Any guess?

Re: To Technical?

Would love to know, Wes.

Re: To Technical?

Gordon Lightfoot uses the best there is : (SHURE MICROPHONES)

Vocal & instrument microphones.

http://www.acguitar.com/issues/ag85/gear85.shtml

"In the last decade or so, Lightfoot added pickups to his acoustic guitars, a change from the mic-only stage setup he described in a 1985 Frets magazine interview. His pickup of choice is a Fishman Acoustic Matrix II, which he mixes with a Shure SM-57 microphone and feeds into a direct box and then into the mixing board and a Fender Twin Reverb amp he uses as a stage monitor."

Re: To Technical?

Jesse,

THANKS for the info... That SHURE 57 is what he uses for the vocal? Please excuse my stupidty when it comes to these things...

On some of those videos of him (Sounstage), it looks like he's using the Shure 58.

What do you think?

Re: To Technical?

Unless he's very different from most he'd use a 57 for the guitar and a 58 for vocal. About the best combo there is.

Re: To Technical?

fezo,

Those two are "working man" mics'...

I am impressed...

Re: To Technical?

I have a Shure but am certain it's a much cheaper, working woman (ok barely working these days, that is) model. Along with my little Dean Markley amp, on loan to a friend right now.

Re: To Technical?

podunk,

The SHURE 58 is an "el Cheapo" in all reality... around $100.00 Heard somewhere that Frank Sinatra used to use it live.

You can pound nails in the afternoon with the 58 and use it at night to sing. Built for the road. VERY tough. Probably the best buy for an all around mic... been around since day one.

Re: To Technical?

Wow. Surprised that he still uses the Shure. They are tried, true, and sturdy for shure. ;) I'm now partial to the Heil PR20 for vocals-crispy like a condenser. Lots of folks like the EV767 and the Sennheiser 935.

Re: To Technical?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes Steele (Post 160242)

There is no stupidity on your part Wes ! :biggrin:

I didn't explain myself correctly what I meant is that he uses Shure microphones for both vocal & instrument, (guitar) but for certain the guitar one (SM-57) wouldn't work for vocals !

It certainly does look like the 58 when I see him on stage, & that is the reason I posted that pic of the {58's} not 100% sure about that one tho ? :eek: :redface:

That article from the guitar magazine that I posted is a really nice little informative read, especially about the strings & their guages that he uses.

http://www.acguitar.com/issues/ag85/gear85.shtml

"He uses Ernie Ball Earthwood Bronze strings, but substitutes a D'Addario .053 11th on the "straight" 12-string, "because [Ernie Ball] doesn't make the odd .053." The other 12-string takes the same configuration but with an .054 on the dropped 11th string. He also substitutes a phosphor-bronze low G (fifth) on the 12-strings because "it makes it easier to hear." For his Martin, "the medium-light Ernie Ball set really gives a lot of snap," says Lightfoot. "I raised my gauges on the low end a little bit, and I found that it helped."... what a perfectionist & a pro he is eh ! :headbang:

What a guy ! :)

Re: To Technical?

Jesse,

THANK YOU for the additional info...

I did enjoy the article but most of it was three feet over my head.

Simply amazed with all the "strings" that he uses.

Yes Jesse....a perfectionist... thats why he sounds so good and we all love him...

Thank you again,

Re: To Technical?

I am almost sure he uses a Shure 58, most performers do, and it would fit his voice range just fine. On his strings, they can be so cruticial to a great sound. Back around 1980, I had put some new strings on my 1969 D28 Martin and they were so outstanding in sound, that a friend who had stopped by and who also a band back then, offered me $1000 for the guitar. I didn't sell it of course, but when I looked for the make and size of strings, (when I wanted to change them finally) I couldn't find the package, and of course, I couldn't remember who made them, what size, where I got them or when. I always had many different sets of strings in a draw that I had purchased when ever I saw a decent price on them. I tried a few different sets after that, and darn if I ever found the same sound as I had with that set. Fortunately it never was as important as it would be for someone like Gordon, where the sound matters very much.

Re: To Technical?

John,

VERY interesting... NEVER would have thought in a million years they had that many different strings and those strings can make that much of a difference.

I have enjoyed all of your posts concerning the "tech" information.

Interesting. Thank you,