Jan 7, 2013
I realized that we haven’t done a giveaway in awhile – time to change that, loyal Samurai fans, and what better way to kick off 2013??
What we’re giving away this time is a small diaphragm condenser made by the fantastic Brad Martin at 12 Gauge Microphones. They’ve developed something of a cult following in the recording community, partially because of their unique design/housing, as well as due to the fact that they’re just great microphones, especially for the price!
Why are they unique? It’s easiest just to show you.
These products were (probably) not tested on animals.
Yee-haw!
That’s right – they’re actually built into spent shotgun casings! I dunno about you, but I find that to be super badass.
Currently there are two different types of SDCs made by 12 Gauge Mics – the Red12 and the Green12. The difference between them is that the Red12 is an omni-directional mic (picks up sound from all directions) while the Green12 is a cardioid pattern (mostly picks up sound from the front).
Now, I’m no microphone expert, so I’m not going to try and talk about tech specs or frequencies or whatever. I’m just going to tell you what I like about these mics:
- Shit, they look so badass.
Okay no, seriously. These two mics are great – how do I put it in my layman’s terms? To my ears, they capture some extra ”detail” that a dynamic doesn’t, and for me, they’ve been great at capturing a warm, more intimate vibe, especially for acoustic/vocal recordings. Here are a couple of recordings I’ve used them on.
First up is an acoustic cover of a blink-182 song (yes, laugh it up!) – here I used the Green12 on vocals. Because they don’t have a built-in shield, and I don’t have a pop filter, I found that the best way to get the vocals in was to address the mic at a bit of a slant, so that my breathing etc didn’t ruin the take. For this one I just plugged my acoustic straight into the interface, so don’t worry about listening to that too closely. I really like the way the vocals come out though – warm, and intimate.
Next is a cover of Richie Kotzen’s version of “Stand” which he originally wrote for the Poison album Native Tongue. Here, I used BOTH the Red12 and Green12 on my Walden acoustic, just to give it a fuller sound. They’re panned left and right, and I used a Green12 on vocals too. I think it does a good job of making a not-so-high-end acoustic sound pretty decent.
Pretty cool, huh?
That’s not all they’re good for – I chucked a Red12 in front of my cab to record my Marshall AFD100, which was ultimately blended with the signal from an Audix i5 to get a better “room” representation of the amp sound. However, by itself, it’s still warm, and fat, and presents a perfectly usable alternative to add a bit of spice to your guitar recording.
Though I haven’t personally had experience with them in this capacity, I hear also that the Red12 mics are GREAT as stereo drum overheads. Here are a few more applications taken from Brad’s Soundcloud account, further showcasing how versatile these mics are.
The possibilities are endless with these great little condensers – you can just chuck a pair in an equipment case, or even in your pocket, and use them wherever, whenever in a pinch.
Let’s get onto the winning part.
The price on these is already great value – but what’s the greatest value for money? Getting it for FREE. We’re giving away one BRAND NEW 12 Gauge Microphones Red12 Omni-directional SDC to one of you lucky readers.
Now, how do you go about winning?
Our previous giveaways have been Facebook-centric, so I want to give our email subscribers first go at this one (especially for those of you who don’t happen to have Facebook). Here goes.
2 Simple Steps:
- Sign up as an email subscriber (refresh the page and wait for that little box to pop up, then enter your email address).
- Comment on this post – tell us how you intend to use the Red 12 omni condenser.
… and you’re into the draw! Don’t forget to add thesamurai AT sixstringsamurai.co.nz to your safe senders list so we can let you know the results!
The winner will be announced on the website and on Facebook/Twitter at the beginning of February – so you can get your entries in all through January.
Let’s get cracking!!
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Awesome giveaway! I’d use one for vocals, I can record everything at home confidently except vocals, as I don’t have a mic.
You should have done a chocolate rain cover to properly explain how you move away from the mic to breathe in
I’ve been wanting to blow harp (play harmonica) through one of these bad boys! If I get lucky and win, I’m going to see what a Hohner Blue Midnight Harmonica sounds like through a Red 12 Gauge, a Swollen Pickle Fuzz and a Fender Blues Jr. Badass, indeed!
I’d love to check this thing out! Maybe try mic’ing my amps or vocals with effects!
Not sure how it would sound but I would try it in front of my 1968 Jansen Bassman 50 in a live setting. Sounds like it would capture the warmth of the amp nicely.
Awesome giveaway, I’d be really keen on winning one of these for doing some recording of my band
I’d use it for recording acoustic guitar and drum overheads. Maybe some vocal work too
This little guy would go nicely in front of my teeny tiny 12AU7 guitar amp 8)
oh boy, I’d try it as a room, maybe an ambient vocal recording (in a nice room), I’d try it on everything to see what I get, yay experimenting!
Great giveaway idea
I’d use these for micing up a guitar cab or drum overheads, for home recording.
If I got the mic I would probably spend the next week testing on everything. I looks like it would be nice on acoustic instruments so i’d give it a go on banjos, acoustic, vocal and I would probably end up using it on electric guitar and everything else as well. This would be a great asset to me as I am studying audio engineering at SAE and it would give me another mic for studio use at course for assignments and also my home recordings that I do.
Awesome give-away Ed!
drum over heads for me is the big one,and room sound for when i have 5 speaker cabs all running a wall of utter doom!
If I won the red 12, I would use it to mic my Remington 870 acoustic shotgun.
Hahahaha, I like it!
Wow. These look cool. If I win I’ll be using it for miking the Princton Reverb at home and for recording my lil Gibbo acoustic. Wicked.
Cool mic. If I won it I would use it to mic my Ceriatone 18W for gigging and for that home recording I’ll do one day… promise!
Oh awesome always wanted a 12 Gauge mic.
I’d use em for acoustics and a different vocal sound to the one I get from my Joe Meek Condenser, but would be handy in a pinch for drums and rooms too.
Neato ! Been looking for drum overheads. Be would be Ace !!
I’d love this for recording Acoustic guitar and Weissenborn. I have an SM57, but it’s a bit clunky sounding, and a condenser would be 50000 times better
Great microphones, I’m going on to my junior year of audio engineering at New England School of Communications and doing some personal recording on the side, so a new microphone would be perfect for a guy like me!
Drum Overheads
Kick Ass Giveaway !!
I would use it for recording vocals/gat for Reapers Lucks first album when we start working on it
I intend to record myself doing One Direction covers with an Indian accent and a distorted to hell baritone guitar.
Tony, I would like to produce/record this for you, and together we can go viral, baby.
I would use it for vox, acoustic guitar. I have heard these mics are very good.
This past summer I lost my Nephew and Niece in a horrible auto accident near Williston N.D. Their oldest Brother wrote and performed a beautiful song at the funeral that paid homage to their memory and legacy they left behind. I would use the Red12 Omni would be a complement microphone to capture the guitar part of this song… it has been long over due that we commit this song to a recorded medium. Thank you for consideration…
Such perfect timing! Am trying to start a acoustic duo with my girlfriend and we are having a hard time with recording, as we am only recording with a camera’s mic.
The girlfriend will be thrilled if we have this badass 12 Gauge mic! Help a metal-head-going-acoustic out too! 
Id mic my Hot Rod Deluxe with it while Im smashing the hell out of some blues!
I’d use it for group vocals (easy to record a bunch of people in a circle with an omni mic!) and acoustic guitar!
I have just started writing my own solo acoustic songs, and want to record them, this would be perfect!
I intend to use this microphone to learn how to record things without plugging my HD500 into my laptop. When I inevitably fail, I will use it as an ornamental paperweight and office conversation piece.
I’d use it to try to capture the sound of (somebody else playing) the Ryanmat of Awesomeness!
Awesome giveaway, would definitely make an excellent addition to my live PA setup
I want to use the shotgun mic on my acoustic for my demos on the run and then my release recordings as well. They look way cool and sound awesome!
Thanks!
Awesome microphones! I would use it while filming skateboarding. Small and fun to use!
The truth there are a thousand ways to use this thing, I’d try at least 999 of those ways!
I’d like to use one of these mics to try and record the sound of minds being blown. Then I would use that recording to try and blow other minds thus beginning the infinite loop.
I’d love to add one to my burgeoning little home studio setup. Thanks for the opportunity and all the best for Six String Samurai in 2013!
This would be rad for our live-barn recording tracks, both on guitars and drums… might need to get a couple more to complete a set of ready-to-go demo mics!
I’m such a lousy singer and guitar player I’d probably take it duck-shooting
I’ve just started a project with a bunch of young talented musicians together in Malaysia, where we’re experimenting with some covers, taking them to new directions, and also writing our own material. However, we’re working with our own limited gear. We’d definitely try our bestto put these amazing microphones to good use!
Cheers.
Ohhh man… gimme.. gimmee.. gimmeeeee.. If I got one of these bangers I’d hook it up to to record the local cats whaling in the middle of the night – Then load it into my 12-bore speaker cab and blast the f@ckers while their trying to sleep… (Not really I love cats ;o)
These look great. I think I’d try micing my new acoustic with it seeing as I couldn’t afford the model with the lovely Expression System
Like em for being more badass than hamburgler krumping in a KFC drive thru.
I’d use these on me double bass. And the trumpet
I’d definitely would love to try using the mic when doing sound design and foley works. Imagine capturing sounds at locations with a mic that looks like that. Would definitely stand out.
On non working day’s I’d use it to record my Taylor acoustic.
I want to attach one of these to my cameras for field shooting and live band filming!
Over the next 6 months, I will be reviewing expensive guitar picks for several custom pick crafters, such as Brossard and Gravity to name a couple. I am intending to record the guitar’s electrical output, but the pure acoustic sounds that these picks make deserve to be represented properly.
Good luck to all!
Interesting! Who are you doing these reviews for – do you have a website or magazine?
Everyone’s gotta start somewhere. So I am going to be posting the reviews on some popular internet forums and see where that leads me. I’m fortunate enough to have the picks sponsored directly by the luthiers and pick makers, so you could say I’m doing this for them. I’ll send you a link when I’m done if you’re interested.
Sure thing – send me a link when you’re done. In fact, if you want, email me a draft when it’s ready and if it’s suitable we could put it up here as well. Always looking for motivated writers.
Awesome. Will get in touch when I’m done.
Awesome giveaway! I’ve never heard of these lil guys before but damn are they cool.
I’d use em to FINALLY get my recording project up and running and to record live jams my friends and I have.
Thanks for the opportunity!
I’d use the mic to record vocals (and maybe acoustic guitar) for some demos. Nothing fancy (at the moment) but very important.
As a multi-talented musician, frontman and primary producer of my band, myself and the coproducer would have a blast with these awesome little devices. They would make great auxilary mics for multiple sound sources especially our backup percussion sections.
I really hope we can get in on this giveaway. Fragmenta is quite big in our home town and beyond so the mics would definitely stand to get some great exposure.
I’d use this overhead to records drums onto my album, that I’m recording using my own written material.
My cousin sings so i would surprise her if i won
check check, this would make me look even cooler!
Would be used to Mic up my acoustic alongside a DI to give her a sexy 2 channel output
Awesome giveaway! It could be really cool to win it
What instrument(s) would you use the Red12 to record, Bozhena?
I would play around with it a bit first then decide what to use it for
Plan on using it on acoustic guitar, electric cab, sax and vocals!
Hard case sounding little mics, like all my other mics, I’d just use it on everything until I liked the sound of it.
i would use it on my acoustic lives (guitar-vocals) and, of course record my acoustic songs! cheers…
These look and sound pretty sweet. I would use this mic on my fender hotrod deluxe and on my overheads for my drums.
This would be a great contribution to make to a friend who has been doggedly setting up a pretty nice home studio for some years now. It would be used to capture my Gibby Songwriter Deluxe and vocals, and I’d love to hear what my little home built AC15/18watt Marshall head sounds like through my Mode Four cab recorded through one of these. I’m sure I would get a little time on the house in return.. (: They sure look cool!
Well, this is straight A Badass! First of all this would go great with my zombie survival pack, not only could you blow a zombies brain out but you could record the whole thing in style (Talk about phantom power >.<)!! But seriously looks like a handy piece of equipment/audio-arsenal to have (sorry about all the puns). I think I would start by recording the $15 dollar Kapok guitar I purchased at the market the other day, Great tone for a 3/4 sized guitar not to mention the model number inside states it's called the M6. Might even dedicate the song or recording to this website so you get a bit out of me winning
.
I would so use one of these to record foley sounds! Yeah amateur filmmaking
That looks so ruthless, I would use this mic for band recordings of our practices so we can listen and get tighter. I would also like to use this for sampling out in the field as it looks like it is nice and small being a shotgun cartridge!! \m/
This would be perfect as a second microphone for recording ambiance for guitar parts. That or a cool vocal mic.
Stephen, it’s an honour and a privilege to see you commenting here!
Hope writing for the SD blog is going well?
I only have a tiny collection of mics so I’d try it on anything and everything-guitar, drums, b.v’s reckon it’d sound mean on a harmonica too!
If I win a red, I’ll be mostly using it in conjunction with a 57 or 906 to reinforce my guitar track recordings! I have a pair of greens and they kick ass as drum OH’s/room mics as well as on an X-Y bar for acoustic guitar.
I’ve been using a set of Red12′s for stereo drum overheads the last few days… truly stunning sound… seriously. If I had another then tracking drums would sound even sweeter!
I just want to try it on many sources, guitars & amps, drum room mic…
I would use these as an awesome room mic, and nuke the ever living dog piss out of it for some crunchy mids.
We have just added a vocal lesson studio and recording suite and these would be awesome to use for our new classes!
I would be tracking my vintage acoustic guitars for my next record with mine if I win.
I would be using this as a vocal mic. I like the size to throw in the protable studio/DAW case. Im sure it would get used on a few amps as well.
I would use this in my small project studio. I am trying to start as a singer/songwriter in the near future, and this would be a great addition to my Mic arsenal.
if won i would buy a second one and use them as audience ambient mics to feed to room audio to my artists in ears. or id get a pair of the greens and use them as live oh. that would look pretty sweet…
I’ll record it all with that
I’d love to win this mic!
I’d try it on a sweet Mid-Side configuration (MS) in front of a drum kit.
Such a sweet looking condenser
PS – The subscribe box never displayed for me (feel free to add me to your mailing list, I’d love a chance to win this!)
Hi Jon, thanks very much for that, but unfortunately the competition is now over! However, if you stick around and check our FB page we should have more competitions going pretty soon