Wanted: Guild Acoustic Amp

[Don]

Greetings!

I now have two Guild acoustic guitars with pickups so I guess I'm going to need an acoustic amp for them. I've seen posts on Aspens and Tamaracks. Anyone with thoughts on the subject (Especially if those thoughts run towards where to find either) is welcome to chime!

Cheers!

Don

 

[twocorgis]

Greetings!

I now have two Guild acoustic guitars with pickups so I guess I'm going to need an acoustic amp for them. I've seen posts on Aspens and Tamaracks. Anyone with thoughts on the subject (Especially if those thoughts run towards where to find either) is welcome to chime!

Cheers!

Don

Don,

On recommendations from some here I bought a Genz Benz Shenandoah 60 amp, and have been very happy with it. I got mine on Craigslist for $300, basically indistinguishable from new. Great amps from a great small independent company. There certainly are other choices out there as well; just my $.02.

 

[Don]

Thanks Sandy. While I'm a bit dense about having everything Guild (You should see the pile of picks I've assembled) if I have no luck I'll certainly put that one at the top of the alternate list. With two guitars begging to be plugged in I'm not going to be able to resist them for long.

 

[twocorgis]

Thanks Sandy. While I'm a bit dense about having everything Guild (You should see the pile of picks I've assembled) if I have no luck I'll certainly put that one at the top of the alternate list. With two guitars begging to be plugged in I'm not going to be able to resist them for long.

Don, the issue there is that while Guild used to build acoustic amps, they haven't for quite some time now. The modern ones that are being turned out by others now have features and technology that weren't available back when Guild was in the game.

 

[dapmdave]

Thanks Sandy. While I'm a bit dense about having everything Guild (You should see the pile of picks I've assembled) if I have no luck I'll certainly put that one at the top of the alternate list. With two guitars begging to be plugged in I'm not going to be able to resist them for long.

Don, the issue there is that while Guild used to build acoustic amps, they haven't for quite some time now. The modern ones that are being turned out by others now have features and technology that weren't available back when Guild was in the game.

Sandy speaks the truth, Don. Modern acoustic guitar amps are much better than their elders.

I have been using an SWR California Blonde, and it sounds great. Aside from making your guitar sound good and loud, it can also be used as a small PA. When I was shopping around, I also found that the ROLAND amps sounded nice.

Dave

 

[Don]

Thanks guys! You've given me quite a lot to think about. Ordinarily when Guilds are concerned the rule I follow has been "Older is better." I see that does not always obtain. I looked at the amp you recommended. Any thoughts on its younger brother? 60 watts is a lot for me.

Cheers!

Don

 

[Brad Little]

I've seen posts on Aspens and Tamaracks. Anyone with thoughts on the subject (Especially if those thoughts run towards where to find either) is welcome to chime!

Although I agree with the posters who said there are better acoustic amps out now due to technical improvements, if you really want a Tamarack, ther's one on eBay now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... SS:US:1123
I have no idea what a good price would be, but maybe somebody else can put us in the ballpark. Nice looking cabinet.
Brad

 

[dapmdave]

Thanks guys! You've given me quite a lot to think about. Ordinarily when Guilds are concerned the rule I follow has been "Older is better." I see that does not always obtain. I looked at the amp you recommended. Any thoughts on its younger brother? 60 watts is a lot for me.

Cheers!

Don

Are you asking about the "Strawberry Blonde"? It's pretty good... but there's much more difference than just the output power.

Dave

 

[john_kidder]

I've seen posts on Aspens and Tamaracks.

I bought one last year, and like it a lot. Mind you, I have a lousy ear and very limited demands - just run a guitar throught the amp and play, no effects, never use the Leslie imitation that sounds like a Roland Chorus on acid, but the amp is clean with no distortion at all right up to the top (suits my style for folk/swiung/jazz). I've used it with my archtops as well, to my satisfaction. It does not have the depth and resonance of the older tube machines, even to my hearing, and there are tons of newer amps with the ability to emulate anything from a string and tin can up to a fully-equipped studio.

And it is easy to pack about, not like (say) the Thunderbird or even the T1-RVT.

Please do not consider this a review from a person who knows anything about amplifiers, but it works for me.

 

[dane]

Hi Don,

You’ve been given some good advice to be sure. Genz Benz, SRW, and Roland are all great acoustic amps. Last year when I was looking for a new amp, I tried out a lot of different brands and at a lot of different price ranges. The three above were at the top of my list. I ended up buying the Roland AC-60 simply because out of the three it fit my needs best. All three sound great, so decide on what you need it for and go from there.

I also would like to touch briefly on wattage. A 60 watt acoustic amp is NOT the same as a 60 watt electric amp. Instead of a long winded explanation, I would strongly suggest you go out and try a few and you’ll see what I mean. Also remember that for many manufacturers, the wattage rating is the total wattage of all channels combined. My Roland for example has two channels…30 watts each…hence it’s rated at 60 watts.

Dane

 

[Don]

Thanks everyone! Just to close this excellent thread out, Jeff is sending me his Guild Aspen which will more than meet both my musical needs and my aesthetic ones as well. I appreciate all the excellent advice. I want everyone to know this purchase was not solely about the highest musical quality, but also about owning a functional piece of Guild history as well. Let's face it, that's what everyone who collects Guild vintage guitars does every day.

Cheers All!

Don

 

[Ian]

Interesting thread for me too, but I'm thinking VOX, Marshall, Peavey or Orange, or am I way off on the wrong path ?

 

[fronobulax]

Interesting thread for me too, but I'm thinking VOX, Marshall, Peavey or Orange, or am I way off on the wrong path ?

My understanding is that amps marketed for acoustic guitars are "accurate". What goes in is what is amplified and comes out. The selling point is accurate reproduction. Those brands seem to me to all offer a distinctive tone. Personally I have been happy with acoustics through "electric" amps but I understand that is not what someone who wants his amplified D-55 you sound like his D-55, only louder, is looking for.

 

[Ian]

Thanks Frono, that sort of puts in in a nutshell for me. Might be a bit of wishful thinking, hoping that your guitar will sound unaltered only louder: the old quad "straight wire with gain" adage springs to mind...

 

[Guest]

Greetings!

I now have two Guild acoustic guitars with pickups so I guess I'm going to need an acoustic amp for them. I've seen posts on Aspens and Tamaracks. Anyone with thoughts on the subject (Especially if those thoughts run towards where to find either) is welcome to chime!

Cheers!

Don

I'm a "studio" musician, or mostly was these days. I bought a Guild Aspen G600 back in 93 new from Guitar Center after giving it a thorough "audition" in their acoustic room with a variety of top line electric acoustics they had on hand, similar to ones I had or used. I was extremely impressed with the Aspen and Tamarack clean sound and features, but the Aspen's bushels of more features, like chorus, nice reverb, roto"something" and effects loop was the deal maker. It wasn't "Marshall loud" even with 100W, but I'm 80% studio work. Important to me was CLEAN and accurate sound. I can't even remember what I paid for it, but GC gave me a killer deal as a "frequent buyer". I used it in the studio and small venues for about 4 years, perfectly satisfied.

Here's the down side of buying one (used) now. There is no support for these amps, I can not find a schematic for any of the three G series Acoustic Electric amps (G300 Tamarack, G500 Sequoia and G600 Aspen). Fender, who now owns Guild I understand, know nothing about this amp, no data, no schematics, no service.

My G600 Aspen currently is dead as a door nail - suddenly. I carefully packed it in bubble wrap in a strong box 8 years ago, extolled the movers to covet this box (along with all my other vintage amps) and it was not abused. I unpacked it about 6 months ago after forgetting about the G600 and it is now totally deaf. Not an electronics sound to be heard, not even a click. Servicing it now without schematics is going to be a bear and expensive.

So, you take a gamble if you buy one. The sound to my VERY picky ears (and the recording engineers) was impressive, perfect; .... but if it breaks, what are you going to do?

BTW - "Electric Guitar" amps (ala for Strats, etc) are not a good solution if you want your acoustic-electric guitar to sound like an acoustic-electric guitar. But if you want your Guild or Ovation acouti/lectric to sound like a Telecaster or Strat .. then buy a Marshall or Twin Reverb.

Love and hate .. it's part of the music life, eh?

 

[Bill Ashton]

Jazzdj, a sad but revealing story and thank you...

Ian..."Quad"??? Are you a 'geezer like me?

Ah, for the simpler, kinder McCartney days with a "Quad and the Coffin"

 

[Don]

Someone mentioned that the footstool amp was made for Guild by Randall, any one know who made the Aspen?

 

[Guest]

Someone mentioned that the footstool amp was made for Guild by Randall, any one know who made the Aspen?

On another thread, someone replied to my same question, that Randall did indeed make all of the "G" series Acoustic Electric amps for Guild. He also said that he contacted Randall about schematics for his G500, the Sequoia model, and Randall's rep said they had nothing left. They probably burned everything after Fender bought Guild.

I'm still going to call Randall tomorrow and see what I can find out. My G600 Aspen is dead as a door nail suddenly and my amp tech says he needs the schematics to trouble shoot it.

Will post a response here ASAP.

 

[Guest]

All the new Guild G series schematics are now posted on http://www.prowessamplifiers.com/schematics/ in the "Misc" category, for anyone's downloading. Great site for you to upload schematics you want to share and find some pretty obscure amp info.

I also sent the files to Jay at the GuildGuy.com for his archiving and I'll try to find a couple other amp schematic sites to share them with as well, so anyone can find them. A good shout out goes to nice folks at Randall Amps div of US Music Corp for keeping them and emailing them to me, even though they no long have any connection with the Guild brand. (And shame on Fender (the Wal-Mart of musical instruments) and the "new" Guild for NOT getting copies for their archives).

Now hopefully I can get my Aspen working again.