Acoustic versus combo? Opinions please!

[street music]

While I was visiting a music store yesterday, the owner and I were discussing the fact that I play my Takamine through my Fender Princeton 65, with or without my Zoom pedal on acoustic settings. He was talking about the fact that I can't get the correct acoustic sound unless I'm playing it through a good acoustic amp. OK, I'm still learning here and I have not played this guitar in a acoustic amp. What will the major differences be if I do get an acoustic amp? What brands do some of you who do gigs use? I looked at a Genz Benz, Roland , Fender, and Fischer. I didn't try them as I didn't have my guitar with me.

 

[hubberjub]

Acoustic amplifiers are designed to reproduce certain frequencies that compliment an acoustic guitar. They usually incorporate a tweeter to help better reproduce the highs. They also have a lot more clean headroom than most electric amplifiers. If you wanted the truest sound I would mic the acoustic and run it through the PA. The guy at the store of course wants you to buy something so he can make money off of you. If you are happy with the sound you get running your guitar through your Fender amp then keep on doing it.

 

[markb]

Acoustic amps are basically mini PAs. You can run an electric through them via a modelling box or a Sansamp or something too so they can be a good compromise if you play both acoustic and electric on stage. I'd avoid low powered acoustic combos, they just don't have the headroom. Having said that, I've seen many people using acoustics through Roland JCs or Fenders with acceptable results.

 

[street music]

I was curious on the thoughts, I don't play gigs as of yet but maybe someday.
I can survive with it through my Fender for now but might keep my eyes peeled for a used acoustic amp in the near future as I have noticed that it does sound better for some I have heard with acoustic amps and I have seen many use a DI on the stage that worked out well too.

 

[street music]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280216773482&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=018

anyone know about this amp?

 

[just strum]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280216773482&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=018

anyone know about this amp?

BUYER BEWARE!!!

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar+Amp/brand/RMS+Amps

Take a look at the ratings for each of their models that have been reviewed.

If you want an acoustic amp, look into Behringer - I've heard good things from happy owners.

 

[Algonquin]

Roland JC-120's do very well for acoustic guitars, and keyboards too for that matter.

I have a Tele with Fishman Piezo (Acoustic) P/U's in the bridge and it sounds very good through this amp. It being a stereo amp doesn't hurt here either.

Not a cheap amp new, but I've searched the locals and they can be had used for around $400. It's a solid dependable amp that works well in a lot of scenario's. (Not just for Jazz)

Good luck with your search.

Cheers :beer:

 

[street music]

Just Strum , thanks for that reminder on the reviews, RMS doesn't have very good reviews from what I read. Could beone reason they are so cheap.:thwap:

I'll keep looking for awhile, I have had Behringer combo and wasn't really all that happy with it. I want to learn more about them before I purchase one.:dude:

 

[just strum]

Another thought is log into a couple of the acoustic guitar forums or guitar mfg forums and see what they recommend. I would stay away from forums that are tied to amp manufacturers because you know what brand they will direct you to.

I know Shiner uses a Behringer. Dreadman, Wingsdad, Mudcat, and Rockette might have some suggestions.

 

[t_ross33]

Acoustic amps, keyboard amps and PAs are designed to reproduce a flat respose through the full range of frequencies (that's why they usually have a cone driver as well as a horn or tweeter - cabs may be ported for bass response as well). Electric guitar amps are not designed to reproduce an guitar's "acoustic" tone, rather to amplify and "color" the electrical signal from the p'ups.

Modellers do well through acoustic/keyboard/PA amps as the signal already includes the (modelled) amps characteristics.

IMHO, an acoustic guitar sounds AWESOME straight into the board/PA, or through an acoustic amp. For gigs, you will likely want something in the order of 80 to 100W. I have a 30W Washburn for home use that is just dandy (see my sig). I would like an LR Baggs or Fishman one day (burp - excuse my GAS ).

Behringer gets good reviews and are reasonably priced. Fender and Marshall both make good acoustic amps. I assume Gibson does as well. A Peavey keyboard amp would also fit the bill.

I think the Roland JC-120 "Jazz Chorus" was designed for hollow and semi-hollow bodied jazz boxes and has been used for sweet clean guitar tone in the studio an on stage for years and would be an excellent choice for acoustic as well.

YMMV. (I always wanted to say that )

 

[wingsdad]

hubberjub & tross summarize the critical differences perfectly :AOK:

Good points about amp power, too. The more the merrier to get clean, clear, well-defined tone.

I've found smaller, inexpensive low power (15W or less) acoustic amps to be just a bit different from their low-power electirc counterparts. You really need to get into the 'woofer-tweeter' type acoustic amps with 60-100W of solid-state power to fully appreciate what an acoustic amp can do vs. an electric amp.

Mic'ing an acoustic guitar onstage OR going DI with an a/e's preamp may pose feedback and sypathetic vibration issues IF in a band setting. As with electric guitars, quality of an a/e's electronics (pickup/preamp system) will have a lot to do with how 'true' an acoustic tone gets rendered whether thru an amp (of either type) or a PA. As for the preamp, onboard or otherwise, including the amp's or PA's, IMHO, "you can't have too many eq controls". The better you can fine-tune the preamp's eq, the better the chance you have at a pleasing tone.

Behringer's Ultraaucoustic series are really nice amps at a nice pricepoint, and you can get into the 100W range at a low price. The Fender Acoustonics are nice. Other brands mentioned here all have their strong suits, but some get pretty pricy, of course (Fishman Loudbox, for example).

Personally, I like Peavey's acoustic amps for a combination of quality, reliabity, features, power and price (although they're not inexpensive.)

 

[KrisH]

What Behringer combo do you have, and what didn't you like about it? I know on at least one other board I visit that they get trashed a lot. My main amp is a Behringer K3000FX, which is a 300 watt keyboard/PA amp. I got it as a general purpose amp, through which I could play my electric guitars and basses, along with acoustic guitar and double bass, all pushed through my modeling pedal board. Not to mention the soft-synth keys and such I dabble with. With four stereo channels (needs a separate slave amp to get stereo effect), 7 band EQ, various digital effects and a 15" speaker with horn, I'm happy enough with the sounds I can get with it, plus it's plenty loud when I send the signal through my board. Not expensive, and I haven't blown it up yet!

 

[Blaze]

I use my Traynor standard electric guitar tube amp, thrue a Boss Gt 8 , using the effects only, like :anti_ feed , chorus, reverb , compressor, acoustic guitar enhancing & more .

I just plug my Martin Dc 15 E and make myself presets i like . it sounds great and big..

That s my way ..

You don t have to buy a acoustic guitar amp


Blazes

 

[street music]

Keep the info coming, I'm learning more all the time.
Kris, the Behringer that I had was only 30 watt and didn't have a lot of bells & whistles. I'm sure the larger wattage amps will be betterand like I said , I'm trying to learn more and decide if I really want to put the extra out there for an acoustic amp.
One guy suggested that I play through my Fender , lower the mids and raise the bass and treble. My Acoustic-Electric is a very good Takamine that has a on-board EQ. I'm getting a pretty decent sound now but GAS has got the best of me and I started thinking maybe it could be improved.

 

[wingsdad]

My Acoustic-Electric is a very good Takamine that has a on-board EQ. I'm getting a pretty decent sound now but GAS has got the best of me and I started thinking maybe it could be improved.

Which preamp do you have? I have 2 Taks, one with the Accuracoustic, the other with the CT4B. Both very good pre's, but the Accuracoustic has a 'notch filter', and that (or any onboard pre with one) provides more precise control of the mids than the CT4B, which is just a 3-band eq, and so it 'works' better at shaping the sound than the CT4B.

Going from the guitar into a multi-band eq (at least 5-7, but you can get as many as 12) box/pedal or on the amp (many acoustic amps will have this type of eq, whereas electric amps won't) overcomes any shortcomings of a pre without a notch filter or with only 2-band (lo-hi) eq or less.

That's why I use an MXR 10-band to DI all my acoustic/electrics, regardless of how many bands of eq in the guitar's preamp, notch filter or not.

I also use it from time to time with my electrics. I'm not him, by any stretch, but an integral part of Tom Scholz's sound (if you care for that sound, and I do) was/is using an MXR 6-band in his chain to goose his LP Goldtop with P90's. Scholz also used/uses a chorus and compressor, and both of those are also pretty useful in shaping an acoustic/electric's sound, DI'd.

Here's the current version of my ancient (mid-70's) warhorse. (mine lacks input/output levels and the on/off switch, but it IS ac-powered). It's $120, but...

MXR M108

If you can haul your Fender amp & guitar to a store that has a multi-band eq you can plug thru to try this, you may just find your Fender can produce satisfactory results by 'faking' what a better acoustic amp's co-ax speaker configuration does.