Best mic for cymbals

[Cailyn]

I want to record my cymbals, just the cymbals, to add over the electronic drum parts since I think the natural cymbals will sound much better than the samples I have. Is there a best mic for this and should I record them all at once with an overhead mic?

[ChicoBluez]

Try this company...by no means the best overheads. I purchased from this company and the mics are very decent for the price. The folks that run this company are quite friendly and helpful.

C61

Chico

[brandondrury]

Is there a best mic for this and should I record them all at once with an overhead mic?

I'd certainly record them all at once with maybe a stereo overhead unless the parts are just extremely simplified.

Different folks like different things in regard to the mics, but it's really hard to go wrong. What's your budget?

Brandon

[Doctor Steuss]

My MXL 603S tends to gobble up cymbals pretty well. I've never tried to just record cymbals alone with it, but when using a combination of overheads it tends to pick up the cymbals predominantly. To me, they usually sound a little more tinny than I like with the 603S, so some EQ is usually needed (my ears don’t work very well anymore though… too many live shows), but all-in-all I like it.

[zildjohn01]

I love my Oktava MK012s for drum OH's. I have to use the included 10dB pads to avoid clipping. If you buy online, make sure you don't get fakes. I'm on my phone, once I'm on my PC I'll give a link of how to tell real vs fake. (EDIT: DONE!)

From what I've read these are pretty similar to the MXLs previously mentioned, with the MXLs being the brighter of the two. These were actually my final two choices of what mic pair to get for drum OHs and acoustic guitar.

MORE EDIT:
MK-012's:

Originally Posted by http://www.mojopie.com/mk012.html

On drum overheads, they proved to be equally useful. Cymbals are full sounding but not overly bright, and the attack of the drums comes across very well. I love the way the ring comes across from my Arbiter snare with the MK012s. Toms have a well-rounded sound as well, with useable low end. Hi-hat came across very nicely as well, with good cut. I will be using these mics more as drum overheads, the sound is quite pleasing. X/Y pattern gave good imaging and an accurate sense of space.

MXL 603's:

Originally Posted by http://www.mojopie.com/603.html

I'd have to strongly warn against using them in a lot of overhead mic'ing situations. The 603 is great on snare. It's got more slap, snap, and pop than you can handle, so that's not the issue. Where it really disappoints is in the way it reacts to cymbals. Place a cymbal anywhere in it's vicinity, and it's like the freak is a hungry kid at fat camp, and the cymbal is a candy bar. What can we do? The freak has a cymbal fetish.. Do not use in the presence of loud, bright, cymbals unless you want them to dominate your mix.

That said, I've heard the 603 performs really well if you have dark cymbals. Bright cymbals are (apparently) a no-no

[brandondrury]

I've done well with a variety of overheads. The room is DRAMATICALLY more important than the mic being used.

If money allows, a pair of used AT4050s is a GREAT way to go. The Oktavas are nice but can get a bit aggressive in the upper midrange for my tastes. I really like MXL V69s when they actually function. I sometimes use AT4033s in a pinch but they also get pretty aggressive in the upper midrange.

Brandon