i purchased an akg c3000b a while ago and use it for guitar cab miking. it picks up from both sides, like a figure 8 mic, but it is cardiod. i get the room sound to much from the back end of the mic and have a lack of the in your face sound of the speaker. does any1 have any suggestions? placement...blah blah, thanks

- Use a different mic. I've had a C3000B and I've sold it on ebay because I was never happy with it's sound. As far as I remember, the mic has a -3db dent at 2kHz and a boost at 5kHz. I'd say that's not ideal for 12" guitar speakers.
The room artefacts that are picked up from the back of the mic will interfere with the sound you intend to record. The rear of your C 3000 is probably just picking up high mids and highs that will probably cancel out the frequencies that you need for your intended "in the face sound of the speaker". It's not like a figure of eight capsule with both lobes having identical frequency responses.

- Move closer to your cabinet.

- Deaden your room. Probably a pillow a couple of feet behind the mic will do.

Good luck.

the only think ive found the C3000b good for is shouting! the brittle high end brings it out quite nicely. it is a little too shrill to use on most things i find.

AKG also has poor quality control on lower end models. So you might just have a mic from a bad batch (not that there really was a good batch of that fucking mic).
I concede, just stick a pillow behind the mic so it doesn't really pick up any reflections of the room. and you're going to have to eq the fuck out of it.

But also try to back it off a bit, because i've found with very brittle mics, moving them away from the source cuts some of the brittleness.

Chris

A c3000 is best suited to hold open the door when you carry gear in..but snobby-ness aside....If you use the 3000 about 2' back and a 57ish mic on the grill ( the ATM29HE kicks a 57's arse for guitar....get one they are cheap..Full Compass ....and sound great) it sounds pretty cool....I used this on a Matchless Lighting for some Bill Dolan (5 style) sessions. Lately the 3000 has been demoted to things like ROTO TOMS and China Cymbals...I really like my 414 for guitars...the 4050 is great too.