Amp for just practising

[JohnW63]

If you were just a music room player, and wanted an amp for your acoustic guitars, what would you get ?

I would like chorus as an effect and EQ controls. I don't need a voice/mic input side.

 

[markus]

I don't have any experience with all the other acoustic amps out there, but I love my Fishman Loudbox Artist.
I has bigger sound than the Loudbox Mini, two identical channels with phantom power for condenser mics and nice effects.
Markus :smile:

 

[griehund]

http://www.music123.com/productDeta...ADL4M123-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^26836271107

 

[Bill Ashton]

I want to try the small Vox acoustic amps, they look pretty nice...haven't heard anything I've liked since the old days of the original
Trace Elliotts, but those are kinda of expensive even now.

The little Ultrasounds are supposed to be pretty good as well.

 

[JohnW63]

The Fishman line is generally well received, it seems. Since I don't need the voice/mic side, it feels like I'm paying for stuff I won't use. I wish they had a non combo version. I've done some searches on the Trace Elliot stuff and found some on the used GC web page. I can see this simple practice amp idea can turn into real money quickly.

 

[dapmdave]

Maybe it's just me, but... Why do you need an amp to practice acoustic guitar? It already sounds great without an amp, right?

 

[twocorgis]

Maybe it's just me, but... Why do you need an amp to practice acoustic guitar? It already sounds great without an amp, right?

I was thinking the same thing Dave. For the record, I have a Genz Benz Shenandoah 60 that I've been happy with, but I don't use it at home.

 

[JohnW63]

No matter how hard I try, I just can't make it have a chorus or a reverb without an amp. I've found it rather difficult to dial in or out mid range or bass without some sort of eq. Making the guitar sound DIFFERENT is rather fun and sometimes inspiring.

You may as well ask why anyone would need more than ONE guitar, since the first one sounds great already.

 

[Sal]

JohnW63 mentions in his original post he is just a music room player but I think practicing acoustic through an amp can be beneficial too if you ever might play out. Your acoustic guitar will sound and feel different amplified and it's a good idea to be comfortable with getting a good sound and playing relaxed beforehand. And yeah, the effects are fun too.

 

[dapmdave]

No matter how hard I try, I just can't make it have a chorus or a reverb without an amp. I've found it rather difficult to dial in or out mid range or bass without some sort of eq. Making the guitar sound DIFFERENT is rather fun and sometimes inspiring.

You may as well ask why anyone would need more than ONE guitar, since the first one sounds great already.

I see. Was just wondering. Back to your post, I have a Fishman Loudbox mini. But at the moment I prefer to plug into a small powered PA speaker with outboard effects. I find that it doesn't favor one pickup system over another.

 

[Bill Ashton]

I can pipe in with what doesn't work well...Rivera Fifty-Five Twelve, Guild 66-J, Guild 99-J...Laney VC30 almost works...electric guitar amps just don't cut it for acoustic...there is a big Genz Benz acoustic amp in a certain local guitar factory's office that sounded fabulous with my new D-55...but apparently thats the only place that it does, LOL!

Strong recommendation from a good friend and reliable source that the Fender (shudder!) Acoustisonic 150 is THE acoustic amp to have, and after looking at the spec that is probably very true. Couple 8" speakers, high freq horn, digital amplifier (also in the Acoustisonic 100, but NOT in the others in the series). Yeah it does a lot and is big, but not heavy at all...the 100 is even lighter, but doesn't look like a cool old Vibroverb. And then of course there is the other source, Doyle Dykes sounds pretty good through one!

I understand completely about wanting to play with some effects at home, its fun! Sadly, even a Aphex Acoustic Aural Exciter pedal can't make an electric guitar amp sound like an acoustic amp...ask me how I know...

 

[fronobulax]

I can pipe in with what doesn't work well...Rivera Fifty-Five Twelve, Guild 66-J, Guild 99-J...Laney VC30 almost works...electric guitar amps just don't cut it for acoustic...there is a big Genz Benz acoustic amp in a certain local guitar factory's office that sounded fabulous with my new D-55...but apparently thats the only place that it does, LOL!

Strong recommendation from a good friend and reliable source that the Fender (shudder!) Acoustisonic 150 is THE acoustic amp to have, and after looking at the spec that is probably very true. Couple 8" speakers, high freq horn, digital amplifier (also in the Acoustisonic 100, but NOT in the others in the series). Yeah it does a lot and is big, but not heavy at all...the 100 is even lighter, but doesn't look like a cool old Vibroverb. And then of course there is the other source, Doyle Dykes sounds pretty good through one!

I understand completely about wanting to play with some effects at home, its fun! Sadly, even a Aphex Acoustic Aural Exciter pedal can't make an electric guitar amp sound like an acoustic amp...ask me how I know...

In the process of researching the recommendation I found this page which includes a demo video which contains a Guild Sighting!

 

[mavuser]

If it were me id get a powered speaker and use pedals for effects. Some powered speakers have eqs but I really do not know much about them. I like the sound of them over an "acoustic amp." Many acoustic amps are designed for a solo acoustic performance, in a coffe shop or place where there is no pa/powered speaker. The musician can sing into a mic and play guitar through the same amp. So it is very practical for a solo guitarist/vocalist that does small gigs. But if youre not singing maybe just look into a powered speaker. I think it will sound cleaner. Then your pedals can be dialed in how you wish, and they are very small and transportable so you can take your effects pedals on the go too, not just for practice.

 

[markus]

Doyle Dykes sounds pretty good through one!

Bill, DD probably sounds good through … almost everything!
Markus :smile:

 

[dapmdave]

If it were me id get a powered speaker and use pedals for effects. Some powered speakers have eqs but I really do not know much about them. I like the sound of them over an "acoustic amp." Many acoustic amps are designed for a solo acoustic performance, in a coffee shop or place where there is no pa/powered speaker. The musician can sing into a mic and play guitar through the same amp. So it is very practical for a solo guitarist/vocalist that does small gigs. But if youre not singing maybe just look into a powered speaker. I think it will sound cleaner. Then your pedals can be dialed in how you wish, and they are very small and transportable so you can take your effects pedals on the go too, not just for practice.

Many of the powered speakers do have an input for a microphone along with other inputs. Mine's a fairly cheap Stagg but it has pretty flexible connectivity, along with a couple hundred watts. Just add effects.

I like it because I was finding a lot of variation in how different amps worked across the spectrum of pickups. While the UST in many guitars was fine in some amps, they made my K&K sound like mud. And vice versa. But that problem has gone away with a powered speaker.

 

[JohnW63]

A musician friend of mine suggested a power speaker option as well.


http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/electro-voice-zlx-12p-12-2-way-powered-loudspeaker

A bit more than I was looking for, but he seems to echo some of your ideas.

 

[guildman63]

My favorite by a fair amount is the Henriksen JazzAmp 112ER. I have the original and use an external Tweety, but the Tweety is built in to the ER model. While it has reverb there are no other effects, so if built-in effects are required this won't work. For me this is even better since this is also one of my favorite amps for electric archtops as well.

 

[SFIV1967]

I ...that the Fender Acoustisonic 150 is THE acoustic amp to have...

Probably the small Acoustasonic 15 would do the job for a living room as well! And it's less than $100.
http://www.fender.com/series/acoustasonic/acoustasonic-15-120v/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqTuz5g2Z6o
But I think the Acoustasonic 90 sounds better with the 8" speaker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NJdOQT1cbg
Ralf

 

[mavuser]

Many of the powered speakers do have an input for a microphone along with other inputs.

Dave, thanks for clarifying. I did not realize you could plug in both a microphone cable and a guitar cable to the powered speaker at the same time, in that case, I imagine the vocals would sound alot better throught the powered speaker than an acoustic guitar amp. I suppose the acoustic amp is just more gig friendly for a coffe shop deal or something, in that it is smaller to carry and if it has those effects, you dont need to carry the pedals either. Many of them have a tone of thier own though. I like the small Crate for a cheapo not sure of the model. prob $100 or less used, from 10-15 yrs ago. chorus but no reverb if i recall. sounds great with a tele too