Which ribbon mic would you recommend and why?

[HH1978]

Hi,

I'd like to acquire a good ribbon mic, that I'd use mainly for recording electric guitars, clean or at the edge of breakup most of the time. I'd likely blend it with an SM57.
Here are the options I could find in my budget range :

Used :
Royer r-121
Royer SF-1
AEA R84
Mesanovic model-2

New :
Beyer M160
Beyer M130
Coles 4038
Royer r-101
Royer r-10

I like a warm sound, but some of my amps (especially the Magnatone 213) are already very warm sounding. So maybe the extra top-end of the Mesanovic would prove useful?

I'd like to know which ones you love and why.

Also, would my Telefunken v676a preamp be good enough to make them work?

Thanks

[øøøøøøø]

I would get the Royer R121 as my first choice, and the Beyerdynamic M160 as my second choice.

The Royer gets the edge because I feel it complements the SM57 just a little bit better.

The 4038 and R84 are wonderful microphones, but especially in the case of the Coles, don't always stand up to super high SPLs as well as the Royers and the Beyers. You might have to move the Coles like a meter back off of a cranked Marshall 4x12 before it behaves itself. Not usually ideal.

It's just really hard to go wrong with a 121 and 57 (or 121 and MD421, which I've been using as a pair a lot lately) on distorted or near-distorted electric guitars.

With the Royer, you will have plenty of level... no problem with almost any preamp on a moderately-loud guitar amp. Certainly no problem with your Telefunken V76

[marqueemoon]

I'd also get the R-121. More versatile than some of the others.

For guitar amps I'd rather have an assortment of cheap mics though honestly. That and/or get a solid reamping setup together so you can experiment more freely if you haven't done that already.

[øøøøøøø]

For guitar amps I'd rather have an assortment of cheap mics though honestly.

I've kind of gone the other way lately, honestly!

For distorted guitar I like the old 57+421 combo, or a 121+421, or an M160 alone, sometimes.

But for clean guitar, I've gone more toward U67s and U87s. Sometimes paired with a ribbon or moving-coil dynamic, sometimes not.

[marqueemoon]

My friend has a Beyer 160. We usually use that and my EV 635A on guitars. I got a 421 in a trade. Don't really care for it on guitars, but I often don't like a 57 either.

[øøøøøøø]

There are certain speakers that I don't like a 57 on.

It's not a good match for a JBL. Nor for any of those 90s or early 2000s Fender amps with those very beamy, ice-picky Eminence speakers.

[mike fried]

The new Royer R10 is getting rave reviews everywhere, street price is $499. I love my Peluso R14, more accurately "vintage" than the Royers, especially the bottom end ($633 street), fantastic room mic too.