Best Guitar Microphones for Recording Amps and Acoustic Guitar

The Shure SM57 is still the safest first microphone for recording electric guitar, but it is not the only useful option. A no-stand dynamic like the Sennheiser e609 can be easier on a small amp, a condenser is better for acoustic guitar detail, and a USB mic can make sense when you are recording ideas without a full interface.

TL;DR: The Shure SM57 is the best first electric-guitar amp mic for most home studios. The Sennheiser e609 is the easy no-stand alternative, the Rode NT1-A is the cleaner acoustic-guitar condenser pick, and the Audio-Technica AT2020USB-X is the simplest USB route if you do not want an interface yet.

Best Mic for Recording Electric Guitar

The best mic for recording electric guitar is still the Shure SM57. It is cheap enough for home studios, tough enough for loud cabinets, and focused in the exact midrange where electric guitar has to cut through bass, drums, vocals, and cymbals.

If you are recording a real amp at home, start with one dynamic mic before buying stereo pairs or expensive condensers. Place the mic one or two inches from the grille, aim it where the dust cap meets the speaker cone, and move it outward if the tone is too bright. That placement change matters more than swapping to a more expensive microphone.

Electric guitar recording need	Best mic	Why
Most guitar amps	Shure SM57	Classic midrange bite, handles high SPL, easy to mix
No mic stand	Sennheiser e609	Flat body hangs over a cab and rejects room noise
Smoother premium tone	Shure SM7B	Fuller low mids and less harsh top end
Budget acoustic plus electric	Audio-Technica AT2020USB-X	Works without an interface, but less ideal for loud cabinets

For the full placement workflow, use this roundup with our how to mic a guitar amp guide and the home guitar recording guide.

Our Top Picks

Shure SM57, Best for Electric Guitar

Price tier: Budget studio staple | Type: Dynamic | Pattern: Cardioid | Connection: XLR

The SM57 is the default first amp mic because Shure designs it for high sound-pressure instrument sources and a contoured response that suits amplified instruments. Its cardioid pattern helps reject room spill, and its midrange emphasis usually makes distorted and clean guitar easier to place in a dense mix.

Best for: Electric guitar amp recording, live sound, all-around studio workhorse.

---

Rode NT1-A, Best for Acoustic Guitar

Price tier: Midrange condenser | Type: Large-diaphragm condenser | Pattern: Cardioid | Connection: XLR

The NT1-A is the acoustic-guitar pick when the room is quiet and you want more detail than a dynamic mic gives you. Rode lists it as a cardioid studio condenser with very low 5 dBA self-noise, which is useful for softer fingerpicking and singer-songwriter parts where hiss becomes obvious.

Best for: Acoustic guitar recording, vocals, singer-songwriter recording.

---

Audio-Technica AT2020USB-X, Best USB Mic

Price tier: Budget USB | Type: Condenser | Pattern: Cardioid | Connection: USB-C

No audio interface required. The current AT2020USB-X plugs directly into a computer over USB-C and includes a headphone jack, direct monitoring, mix control, and a mute button. It is most useful for acoustic guitar, scratch tracks, and amp-sim workflows rather than loud guitar cabinets.

Best for: Beginners, podcast-to-guitar-recording setup, no-interface recording.

---

Sennheiser e609, Best for Amp Recording (No Stand)

Price tier: Budget/mid dynamic | Type: Dynamic | Pattern: Supercardioid | Connection: XLR

The e609’s flat body is the convenience play: hang it over the front of a guitar cabinet when a stand will not fit. Sennheiser lists the e 609 Silver as a dynamic, supercardioid, wired XLR instrument mic with a rugged metal body, shock-mount design, and hum-compensating coil.

Best for: Live amp miking, rehearsal recording, stand-free convenience.

---

AKG P170, Best Budget Condenser

Price tier: Budget condenser | Type: Small-diaphragm condenser | Pattern: Cardioid | Connection: XLR

Small-diaphragm condensers excel at capturing the transient detail and high-frequency shimmer of acoustic guitars. AKG lists the P170 as a cardioid small-diaphragm instrument condenser with a 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range, a -20 dB pad, and XLR output.

Best for: Budget acoustic recording, overhead drum mics, instrument recording.

---

Shure SM7B, Best Premium Dynamic

Price tier: Premium dynamic | Type: Dynamic | Pattern: Cardioid | Connection: XLR

The SM7B is the premium dynamic option when an SM57 feels too forward or edgy. Shure lists it with a smooth, wide-range response, electromagnetic-hum shielding, and switchable response shaping, which makes it useful on vocals, spoken word, and smoother guitar-amp tones.

Best for: Premium amp recording, vocals, broadcast, all-purpose studio mic.

What to Look For in a Guitar Recording Microphone

Choosing the right microphone for guitar is less about brand prestige and more about matching the mic type to what you’re recording and where you’re recording it.

Dynamic vs condenser: Dynamic microphones (Shure SM57, Sennheiser e609) are the workhorses of guitar cabinet recording because they tolerate loud sources and reject more room noise. Condenser microphones (Rode NT1-A, AKG P170, AT2020USB-X) are more sensitive, capturing the nuanced transients and air of an acoustic guitar beautifully, but they will pick up every rattle and hum in your room.

Polar pattern: Cardioid mics pick up sound from the front and reject rear/side noise, ideal for isolated recording. Super-cardioid (like the e609) provides even tighter rejection but requires more precise mic placement. For home studios with acoustic treatment challenges, tighter polar patterns mean less room sound in your recordings.

Phantom power: Condenser mics require 48V phantom power from your audio interface or mixer. If you’re buying your first condenser, verify your interface provides phantom power before purchasing, all modern interfaces do, but some budget analog mixers don’t.

Placement fundamentals: With any microphone on a guitar cabinet, the sweet spot is usually 1-4 inches from the speaker cone, angled slightly off-axis to reduce harshness. Moving the mic from the center (brighter, more attack) toward the edge (warmer, fuller) gives significantly different tones, a technique worth experimenting with before adding any EQ.

USB vs XLR: USB condenser mics (AT2020USB-X) are plug-and-play without an audio interface, ideal for beginners. XLR mics require an interface but give you more control and can be upgraded with better preamps over time. If you plan to record seriously, invest in XLR from the start.

Microphone Comparison

Mic	Price tier	Type	Pattern	Best For
AKG P170	Budget	SDC	Cardioid	Budget acoustic
Shure SM57	Budget	Dynamic	Cardioid	Electric amp
Sennheiser e609	Budget/mid	Dynamic	Supercardioid	Live amp
AT2020USB-X	Budget USB	Condenser	Cardioid	USB recording
Rode NT1-A	Midrange	LDC	Cardioid	Acoustic guitar
Shure SM7B	Premium	Dynamic	Cardioid	Premium studio

Keep Reading

• Best Audio Interfaces, you need one for XLR mics
• How to Record Guitar at Home, complete recording setup guide
• How to Mic a Guitar Amp, practical speaker placement guide
• Best Studio Headphones, monitor your recordings

Sources Checked

• Shure SM57 official product page
• Sennheiser e 609 Silver official product page
• Shure SM7B official product page
• Rode NT1-A official product page
• Audio-Technica AT2020USB-X official product page
• AKG P170 official product page

FAQ

What is the best mic for recording electric guitar?

The Shure SM57 is the best mic for recording electric guitar for most players because it handles loud guitar cabinets, rejects room noise, and emphasizes the midrange where electric guitars sit in a mix. The Sennheiser e609 is easier to hang over a cabinet, and the Shure SM7B is a smoother premium option.

We select and review gear independently. To learn more about our testing process, read our Editorial Policy.