Nadine

the MOUNTABLE CONDENSER MICROPHONE
FOR UPRIGHT BASS

handbuilt in oregon - lifetime warranty-01-01.png

Effortlessly attach and detach the Nadine microphone to your upright bass in 30 seconds with the included velcro strap, 14” Gotham cable, and washer-mounted head, providing a secure and reliable setup for your performances. No tools required, designed to fit all sizes of upright bass.

What I love about this microphone is that it makes the instrument sound exactly how I hear it in my head. What people hear when they hear my instrument unamplified— the Nadine is able to capture that, but just make it louder.”
— Christian McBride

Amplify your upright as naturally as possible with Nadine for upright bass: a handbuilt medium-large diaphragm condenser microphone designed to mount easily on upright bass without tools in 30 seconds. The low end is tuned to give a flat response at the mounting distance, and the cardioid pickup pattern provides very natural sound by picking up as much of the surface of the bass as possible. Great rejection off the back of the mic allows for live use with stage monitors, in addition to professional-grade studio performance. With a sleek design and easy installation, the Nadine is the perfect microphone for upright bass players wanting to maintain the integrity of acoustic sound. Elevate your performance with Nadine's exceptional clarity, reproducing every nuance and subtlety of your instrument. The Nadine microphone ensures your audience hears what you hear.

Nadine’s unique physical design includes a body which securely straps to the tailpiece with velcro elastic, and a head, which mounts easily between the strings’ afterlengths above the tailpiece using a rubber grommet. The 14-inch Gotham cable that connects the two parts makes it easy to place the mic ideally on any bass.

Nadine is used and road-tested by artists like Christian McBride, Missy Raines, Barry Bales, Chris Wood, Daniel Kimbro, David Jacques, Jimbo Wallace, Kyle Whalum, Martin Wind, Mark Schatz, Viktor Krauss, and more. All our products are handbuilt in Oregon with a lifetime warranty.

$599

FEATURES

  • Hand-made microphone with unique appearance

  • Unique, easy-to-use mounting system designed specifically for upright bass. 14" Gotham cable and washer-mounted head to fit all sizes of upright bass.

  • Capsule and electronics tuned for live use with excellent feedback rejection

  • Internal shock dampers for minimal handling noise

  • Transformerless FET fully balanced electronics

  • Highest quality hand-wired electronic components - film caps, precision resistors, hand tested and matched transistors, with component values tuned for the individual circuit.

  • 30-Day Full Return Policy & Lifetime Warranty

APPLICATION

Upright bass, live and in studio

NOTABLE USERS

Christian McBride (8-time GRAMMY winner)
John Patitucci
Missy Raines (10-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year)
Chris Wood (The Wood Brothers, Medeski Martin & Wood)

Alan Hampton (Rufus Wainwright, Andrew Bird) • Barry Bales (Alison Krauss and Union Station) • Brad Hallen (Duke Robillard) • Bruce Gertz • Craig Akin • Dan Lutz • Daniel Kimbro (Jerry Douglas Band) • David Jacques (John Prine) • Denis Fernández Gridchin • Jeff Hill (Steve Earle) • Jeff Ratner (Langhorne Slim and the Law) • Rufus Reid • Jimbo Wallace (The Reverend Horton Heat) • Kyle Whalum (The Kelly Clarkson Show) • Mark Schatz • Martin Wind • Michael Fleming (The SteelDrivers) • Nate Query (The Decemberists) • Nadine Landry (Foghorn Stringband) • Sam Minaie • Todd Coolman • Viktor Krauss (Lyle Lovett) • Zach Smith (Town Mountain) • NPR Tiny Desk Concerts

REVIEWS

“Love at first sight – make that love at first listen. Nadine is a blessing to the upright bass. This mic takes the best of the thump and midrange clarity you want out of an unwieldy instrument, then sets it in the mix right where it belongs.”
TapeOp Full Review

Bass Musician Magazine (Derek Jones)
Nadine Upright Bass Microphone (Solon Mcdade)
Bass Gear Magazine (Chris Fitzgerald)

TECHNICAL SPECS:

  • TRANSDUCER TYPE: condenser, large (26 mm) diaphragm

  • POLAR PATTERN: cardioid

  • SENSITIVITY: (re 1000Hz, 94 dB): -41.9 dB (8 mV/Pa)

  • OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: <50 Ohm

  • NOISE FLOOR: <5 dBA

  • POWER REQUIREMENT: +24V to +48V phantom power

  • WEIGHT: 1 lb (4 lbs cased)

  • DIMENSIONS: 8” x 2” x 2”; head is 2” in diameter

  • SKU: ETL-NADINE

  • View product info

  • Download one-sheet

ACCESSORIES:

INCLUDED

  • Metal tool case with foam padding, 11” x 6” x 3"

  • Velcro strap for tailpiece mounting (plus a spare)

RECOMMENDED (click photo to add to cart)

  • Phantom power supply ($59) - if using with a combo amp or PA without phantom power

  • If using with an amp with only instrument inputs, you’ll need an Impedence Converter like this one in combination with a phantom power supply


PRAISE FOR NADINE

"What I love about this microphone is that it makes the instrument sound exactly how I hear it in my head. I think what people hear when they hear my instrument unamplified— the Nadine is able to capture that, but just make it louder."
—Christian McBride

"The sound of your microphone at my concert this last weekend really blew my mind. I am always trying to capture the natural sound of the Double Bass in a live setting, which is much more difficult than the recording studio. The Nadine really delivers a beautiful and natural sound live!"
—John Patitucci

“Love at first sight – make that love at first listen. Nadine, where’ve you been all my life?!… Nadine is a blessing to the upright bass. This mic takes the best of the thump and midrange clarity you want out of an unwieldy instrument, then sets it in the mix right where it belongs – plus, you don’t even need a mic stand!”
—Ben Bernstein for TapeOp

“She sounded great!  Very honest bass tone from top to bottom.  The lower range is were she really shined... With Nadine strapped on there was no need to use the pickup; the low mids to lows had the most natural bass tone I have ever heard out front. Thank You!  You have done it again! It is an honor and pleasure to use your mics.”
 
–Zach Newton
(FOH for Jerry Douglas Band and The Earls of Leicester) 

"From a small loud rock club in Cleveland, an outdoor festival in Texas or Music City Roots in Nashville, Nadine has been completely consistent and reliable. Every FOH engineer so far has commented that the mic sounds best with the EQ flat - relating the tone of the bass first and foremost. I have used monitors without any issues - sometimes even blending my piezo with Nadine - but I prefer just the mic. The best compliment I've had is, 'Your bass sounds great.'"
- Simon Flory, High Plains Jamboree 

"I've noticed that with most "bass" mics I use the pickup for the bottom, and the mic to get some of the upper mid range stuff back that I usually dial out of a piezo pickup... With the Nadine though, my favorite sounds are down there in the lower, creamy chocolate places. It's so, so, so nice with the bow.”
–Daniel Kimbro
(Jerry Douglas Band, Audio Engineer/Producer WDVX Blue Plate Special)

"What jumped out at me was the natural balance between the boomy thump of the lowest frequencies of the instrument, right up through the warm, woody mids, and all of that delicious top-end sparkle that comes from the face of the instrument. When you factor in someone who’s relatively uneducated in the audio engineering department like me being able to just read the simple directions, place the mic and leave it, and trust that I’m getting consistent tone in any application; that’s a major win. I actually leave it on the bass 90% of the time, whether I’m using it live or on the Kelly Clarkson Show or at home in my studio.”
–Kyle Whalum (The Kelly Clarkson Show)

“Wanted to let you know that I absolutely love my Nadine Mic on tour. Sounds fantastic. FOH peeps always comment on how rich it sounds, and surprisingly, very little feedback onstage.”
–Jim Stanley, The Kingston Trio

“The most important feature is the very natural and accurate sound of the mic. The articulation of the bass is spot on. The mid range is wide open and doesn’t give you that ‘basketball bouncy sound’ that a lot of mics do. The low end is not overwhelming and extremely accurate, which is quite important to the mix in jazz music. It marries well, if you will with the bass drum. The bass players that come through Parker Jazz Club in Austin are always quite pleased with Nadine.”
– Mac McDonnell, Parker Jazz Club, Austin, TX

"Love the mic! First time I’ve been able to amplify my bass with a purely natural sound. What a relief after all these years! I use a QSC K12 powered PA speaker as a combo amp and the clarity is really amazing with the combination of the two.”
–Dan Peterson

"As an in-ear user, I am so happy to finally have one bass sound that I can use and be so satisfied with. Suddenly these two guys who I have heard for hundreds of shows sound even better. Something I didn’t think possible and already head and shoulders above the rest of the fray. Thank you again for giving us all greater sonic unity.”
–Jerry Douglas

 “LOVE this mic!!!”
–Missy Raines

“Upright bass players, rejoice! The Nadine - newest addition of the Ear Trumpet Labs family - is here and is amazing! I've used it at outdoor festivals, concert halls, bar gigs, all kinds of venues and sounded great everywhere! Unlike pickups, the Nadine makes your upright bass sound like an upright bass- the way it's supposed to sound! With a sleek design and an easy installation setting right on the bass itself, the Nadine is the perfect microphone for upright bass players wanting to maintain the integrity of acoustic sound. The whole inventory of Ear Trumpet Labs products has made quite the impression on the acoustic world and the Nadine is no exception. Hurry up, get yours now, you can thank me later!”
Nadine Landry 
(Foghorn Stringband and Cajun Country Revival)

“Nadine? Honey, is that you?? The mic I’ve been looking for??? Love this mic! I’m able to hear what I want to hear, getting warmth AND articulation while being stable at the same time. Works so good with in-ears and a small bit of blended pickup signal that I have all but done away with a bass amp on stage for the first time EVER! Thanks, y’all!”
–Barry Bales
(The Earls of Leicester, Alison Krauss and Union Station)

“My favorite bass mic!”
–Taylor Shuck, Wood Belly

“Oh this thing kicks a**. I adore mine.”
–Fremont Recording

“The best!!!”
–Ben Ticknor, Never Come Down

“Best bass mic I’ve ever worked with. Live sound or recording.”
–Fred F.

“I’ve tried pretty much all the usual pickups/mics used for bass. This is by far the best for 99% of uses.”
–Ger O’Donnell