Amplified acoustics - redux

[Tone2TheBone]

Last night I asked my teenage daughter if I could "borrow" her "guitar" (I gave it to her a couple of years ago hoping she'd pick it up but she instead excels at piano). She said "yeah sure" and gave me the case. I eagerly took it to the livingroom and uncased it. Ahhhhhhhh. The guitar is a Sigma Martin Auditorium

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The guitar feels great..especially at the cutaway. The lines are smooth and it's got a good balance to it. Good heft at the neck...solid. By itself it sounds bright and thin but when you plug it into something it comes alive. It's got Fishman electronics with the standard graphic EQ, bass, treble, mid and presence along with the volume knob. Playing through my Peavey Classic 30 last night was so cool. I dialed in some nice reverb and delay into the signal. I spent the rest of the evening playing it and had tremendous fun. This was a nice departure from my other guitars. How many of you amp your acoustics?

 

[Robert]

I've played through my Vox AD50VT a few times with good results. Doesn't sound as good through my tube amp.

I played a Crate acoustic guitar amp at the local music store one day, and wow! It sounded huge, that little bugger amp! It was like $150 or something too, what a steal.

 

[SuperSwede]

Its a really good looking guitar... you did a good thing taking (oh borrowing) it back.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I have an old school sound hole pickup for my acoustic, but haven't used it much. I should try it though my C-30 and see what happens.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I have an old school sound hole pickup for my acoustic, but haven't used it much. I should try it though my C-30 and see what happens.

The built in electronics on the Sigma is hard to beat but I have used external acoustic pickups before...years ago. I'm betting they make better stuff now.

 

[Jampy]

I got this little sweetie to play my acoustics through.

http://www.traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=8&cat=17&id=336

 

[Tone2TheBone]

That's pretty freaking cool. How much did that run you?

 

[t_ross33]

I amp my acoustic often. I have a Washburn 30W acoustic amp that is pretty cool - nice full sound - for small gigs, rehearsals, jams etc. Live I usually just run it through my Behringer EQ to tame some wayward frequencies and notch out feedback and straight into the board. Sounds fantastic with 1500W pushing through two 215 stacks! ude: Equis Extra preamp and EQ on board my Washie as well. Very rich sound amplified, a little on the thin side for me unplugged, but I bought it primarily to be my live acoustic. :AOK:

If we ever start doing more acoustic material, I'd like to invest in a larger acoustic amp rig such as a Fishman Loudbox or SWR amp.

Trev

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I amp my acoustic often. I have a Washburn 30W acoustic amp that is pretty cool - nice full sound - for small gigs, rehearsals, jams etc. Live I usually just run it through my Behringer EQ to tame some wayward frequencies and notch out feedback and straight into the board. Sounds fantastic with 1500W pushing through two 215 stacks! ude: Equis Extra preamp and EQ on board my Washie as well. Very rich sound amplified, a little on the thin side for me unplugged, but I bought it primarily to be my live acoustic. :AOK:

If we ever start doing more acoustic material, I'd like to invest in a larger acoustic amp rig such as a Fishman Loudbox or SWR amp.

Trev

Yeah that is my sentiment on playing it unplugged as well. A little thin, but once you amplify that sucker it sounds great. If I got anymore gas I think it would be for a decent priced Acoustic amp. I've tried playing it through my tiny SWR bass amp but it sounds better through the Peavey Classic 30. Really warm and huge sounding. An SWR acoustic amp would be killer though like you said Trev.

 

[Jampy]

That's pretty freaking cool. How much did that run you?

I think it was about $400.00 CDN so about $410.00 US LOL :crazyguy:

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I think it was about $400.00 CDN so about $410.00 US LOL :crazyguy:

Yeah no lie the US dollar ain't nothing anymore. What's the world coming to!? :messedup:

 

[sunvalleylaw]

The built in electronics on the Sigma is hard to beat but I have used external acoustic pickups before...years ago. I'm betting they make better stuff now.

The pickup is a basic, but new last year, Dean Markley. My acoustic is a big old dread and does not need amplification for home, but I think it will be fun to see how the C-30 affects its sound. I love that darn amph!

 

[Tone2TheBone]

That's the reason I picked up my Greg Bennett D-5. Great natural acoustic tone. At least I have the best of both worlds. It's a fun departure from the electrics anyway.

 

[luvmyshiner]

The only A/E we have in the herd is my lovely Childbride's Washburn EA20 (used to belong to Strum and he was kind enough to allow me to purchase it as an anniversary/birthday present).

She's a beautiful guitar with stunning maple back and sides (that's the EA20 in the middle).

She also is "thinner" if that's the way to describe it, than our other acoustics.

Unplugged she sounds very nice, although lacking in the bass, and almost a little "brassy" if that makes sense. Plug her in (I use my Behringer GMX110) and all those flaws disappear. When plugged in she is the sweetest sounding guitar in the house.

 

[Rocket]

Man... where did you get that beauty of a blonde 12-string?

 

[luvmyshiner]

From another friend Rocket, who also allowed me to purchase it as a gift for CB. Any idea who that might be?:beer:

Thanks dude.ude:

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

I think it was about $400.00 CDN so about $410.00 US LOL :crazyguy:

Yeah & pretty soon that'll mean $380.00 US.

Hey Shiner is the maple the casue of that beaut's thinness?

 

[luvmyshiner]

Hey Tot that's interesting. When I described the guitar as thin, I was talking about the width, but after reading your post I think that's a good description of the way it sounds as well. I don't know if you can attribute the sound to the maple or to the actual width of the guitar.

 

[Dreadman]

I don't know if you can attribute the sound to the maple or to the actual width of the guitar.

Probably a combination of both. I love my EA-20 (playing it right now). It's not like a typical acoustic at all but it's got a special place in my collection.

 

[luvmyshiner]

I agree 100% Dread!

 

[evenkeel]

All of my acoustics have some type of pick up system. My old Guild and the Martin I just purchased have a K&K western under bridge passive system. Very natural sound, good volume levels. Some folks think they are a bit "mid-rangy" but I don't. When peforming I run them thru a Zoom acoustic multi effects pedal or a K&K EQ box.

My Washburn EA20 has the older Equis II pick up system. Guitar us terrific amped up and better than you might think acoustic.

The real surprise is my Dean 00R . I bought it used with a soundhole Dean Markley already installed. I never even bother to plug it in when I was trying it out in the store. I was expecting to pull the Dean Markley out and put a K&K in. But it's surprisingly natural, no quack or hiss. Good volume.

 

[djmcconnell]

Baggs pickup

I installed a Baggs Element Active on my 23-year-old Takamine dread and it works great. You can't see any evidence of it from outside the guitar, and the volume control is conveniently concealed just inside the sound hole.

I hook up to a 30 watt Crate acoustic amp that our church provides and into the house from there via DI. Pretty sweet little amp, just wish it had XLR out. At home I plug into my Vox AC30VT amp which works just fine for practicing, but may have to break down and buy an acoustic amp someday.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

The pickup is a basic, but new last year, Dean Markley. My acoustic is a big old dread and does not need amplification for home, but I think it will be fun to see how the C-30 affects its sound. I love that darn amph!

did just that last weekend and had a good old time. Sounded great! and had fun while my son messed around with my Strat through the Toneport.