?The Shure SM57 is the first microphone a person should own. Everyone wants to have a pretty condenser microphone in a shockmount so the kids can walk in and say “WOW!!”, but in reality there isn't any “magic' to a condenser microphone. The SM57 has been used more on major label recordings than any single microphone. It's kind of the “standard” for recording snare drums and electric guitars, but has made it's way onto quite a few records as a vocal mic, too. This doesn't mean you are going to sound Rob Thomas or Pavarotti if you use an SM57, it just means that it's been used for vocals on hit songs. It may or may not fit your situation.

The Shure SM57 has a few great features. The sound is perfect for many sources. As I said, it's been used on many, many major label recordings. The price is another great plus in the SM57 corner. For $70 you can own a used SM57. In 5 years, you can sell the mic for $73 (sort accounting for inflation). You will never lose money with a Shure SM57, which is a big deal for any home recording studio owner who doesn't have a $3,000,000 facility yet.

Another major plus to the SM57 is you can relax when using it. If you haven't to drop it off the roof of your house, I bet it will still work. If it rolls out into the street and gets ran over by a truck driving by, it will still probably work. I can't say this about any other microphone I own.

Shure SM57 Guitar Tone

The SM57 is the standard for a reason. The sound of an electric guitar being picked up by a Shure SM57 sits in the mix very well. If you take a look at the Shure SM57's frequency response curve, you'll find that it has quite an upper mid peak. I would call this an “aggressive” sounding microphone. This aggressiveness can be used to your advantage or it can be used against you.

I've never had luck with putting a Shure SM57 dead center on the guitar speaker. The center of the speaker is the brightest. When you put a 57 right there, you will probably feel your ears start to hurt. However, moving the mic toward the outside of the speaker will quickly roll over some of that high end fizz.

A lot of young recording guys think they want a lot of fizz in their tone. Well, listen to your favorite records over again. In most cases, there is not as much fizz as one would assume. Keep this in mind when you are recording.

Note: I generally like to record my tracks just a little on the dark side. (Not Star Wars). I like my guitars to be just a tad dull because later on when I'm mixing, I'll probably add a high shelf to the entire mix to bring out the clarity. If I recorded fizzy guitars, the mix will sound too fizzy.

Shure SM57 Conclusion

For the price of an adequate engagement ring, you can get a mic that has been used on a zillion records. People will always look for sexier alternatives, but the SM57 works very well. If you are a beginner, don't even think about it. Mic up your electric guitar cabinets with a Shure SM57. If you don't like the tone, change the amp, guitar, or player. If that doesn't work, ask for help on the recording forum

The Shure SM57 can get a little fizzy and a little bit aggressive in the upper mids. This can be a strength or weakness, but either can usually be manipulated with mic placement. Just remember to move the mic away from the center of the speaker when using a Shure Sm57.