I want a Ribbon

not sure how yo managed to post your entire browser history, but may want to clean that up (for your own sake)...

Love the Coles for low drum overheads, there's literally nothing else out there like that. I would have a pair here just for that if I was recording more drums, just can't justify it. I also like them for doing really moody, dark piano sounds or adding some extreme weight to a piano part. That's probably the only two things I would ever use the Coles for, and they're worth it just for those niche situations. I would absolutely never use them on any loud sources pushing a lot of air like guitar amps. "Maybe" some specialized situations where it's a really low watt amp or you're backing it off the cab significantly. I've sat in two sessions where I watched someone blow the ribbon on a 4038, so I'm paranoid. The first time was someone grabbing it for a vocal part. Singer screamed into it and we literally heard a low frequency pop and that was it... It was like someone was rattling a mic around in a crappy shock mount. I'm glad I was just a fly on the wall that day, because it was at a really nice studio. Second time I was setting up a pair of Coles on a piano, something just sounded a little off and weird on one side. I put headphones on in the live room and started moving the mic around to hear what was going on, I could literally hear the ribbon rattling around in there. I told the engineer the ribbon was shot, he was surprised to hear that you had to be careful with the coles. They used them on guitars all the time... Again, I'm just paranoid about using them on anything pushing air now.

Beyer M160 is definitely a unique sounding ribbon. It takes higher SPL's and air like a champ, you don't have to baby it at all. If you're going to be doing a lot of electric guitar, the Beyer would be the only choice out of the two IMO. Most people have a love/hate relationship with the M160, I tend to see people love it to death or don't care for it. I've never been a huge fan, one of my friends absolutely loves them and uses them on everything. Every time I get tracks from him to mix I know immediately what tracks were done with the Beyer  . I don't want to dissuade you from the M160, it's a well loved staple. Find a way to demo one for a few days if you're never used one before.

As far as ribbons and acoustic instruments, I've never been a fan of either of those mic. There's been a handful of times where I used a 4038 to add body to another mic on an acoustic guitar. I've never been a fan of the Coles on its own for acoustic instruments. If you've got a specific vintage lo-fi/vibey vision for some acoustic instruments, the Beyer knocks it out of the park for acoustic guitars. Instant 70's acoustic sound to punch through a busy mix. It would be a struggle to get it to sound pretty and realistic like you can with an old RCA/AEA.

But that's just like, my opinion man.

M160 for utility and rejection, Coles for OH and maximum color.

Why those specific ribbons? They are kind of apples to oranges. If you just want to get your feet wet and see what will work, might I suggest an Alder Audio H44? I've found it to be my favorite on a few sources. It's well built (ask me how I know....) and it sounds very good on a lot of sources. You could even get a pair for less than the cost of a 4038.

😂🤣😆

Pretty much just well known famous microphones…M160 Hendrix, Bonham…Coles seem to be lusted after on drums…

Will take a look at that Alder Audio mic you suggested….first time I have heard of them.

Well, now you're just going to get a list from the peanut gallery of every ribbon ever made  . If this is one of your first/only ribbon purchases and you need something that's generally good at everything, I don't think the Beyer or the Coles are a good choice. I see them both as good choices for specific things. What are you going to be recording for the most part? Are you running a studio where you're going to have every sort of client coming in and out, or are you mostly recording yourself doing something specifically? If you're a drummer and mostly recording drums, the Coles might be an awesome choice. If you're going to do a lot of electric guitar, the Coles would be a really bad choice. 

I mainly record myself….I have a Drumkit  and record guitar amps and acoustics….guess I need both…

I love the Coles. It’s a classic for a reason. But I think the Samar sound at least as good on OH here.  And way, way cheaper.

I don't record drums. Don't have the space for it. I record acoustic guitars, amps, and vocals and that's about it other than occasional hand-held percussion. I have both a Royer R121 and R-10. I recently got an AEA R84 but haven't had anything to use it on yet. I like the 121 on guitar cabs. Often using it combined with an e906 or SM57 depending upon which one fits into the track better. Even recorded acoustic guitar once using the back side of the 121 and got decent and definitely usable results. I have yet to find anything to use the R-10 for that the 121 didn't work better on, but I haven't tried it very many times yet. Can't wait to fire up the R84 on something.

Have a pair of both.
They are very different.
The Coles are amongst my top three mics.
They take EQ very well and became a favourite vocal mic but can sound great on anything.
Very smooth frequency response up to 15khz.
The Coles has a much bigger sound than the Beyer M160.

Im glad im not the only one that doesn’t like m160’s…I was beginning to think I was crazy.

To the OP, the 4038 is freaking awesome drum room/oh mic. They sound great on piano too. In all cases they present a very colored sound…and it’s a very beautiful color.