Possibly the dumbest guitar question ever, but I'll take my chances

Nuuska

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Not to discourage you - simply reminding, that the combinations even at modest budget are nearly endless.

I have solidbody electrics and Guild acoustics w pickups ( most have both udersaddle piezo and a soundhole mounted magnetic pickup wired in "stereo" ). I used to play through a preamp that I built and feed the outputs to PA-rig. After quitting peforming I sometimes connect my guitars in home stereo - CAUTION - easy to blow tweeters - then there's an old Fender Vibro Champ - silverface - and it is really nice FOR WHAT I DO - someone might beg to differ 😂 - I also have a small Schaller Pikkolo transistor combo - 1960 ? ? ? - and a VOX Lil' Night Train w whopping 2W all tube power + small VOX cabinet. Night Train has option to connect headphones or line to stereo instead of cabinet. My latest fad is to use a ReVox model 39 tube amp - 1960 - a home stero amp !!! connected to that VOX cabinet - a little tremolo pedal, too.

All these give different results - all pleasing to me and suitable for my needs.

Some people use old tube radios and connect guitar in them.

So you see there's no limit - but you may have to spend some time to come across w what works for you - your music - your style - your budget - etc.

But it is definitively there - just don't give up !!!
 

WC_Guitarist

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Thank you for the amp suggestions. Talk about falling down a whole new rabbit hole!
 

redta

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I've got a 1999 orange flamed x-170 that is beautiful and sounds great. Always get people staring at it and love the sound. Word of caution, take your time finding the amp for it. It can make all the difference. Been playing for a very long time and I've heard a great amp make a cheap guitar sound great. A cheap amp can make a great guitar sound bad. I love tube amps. Good luck on your quest.
 

WC_Guitarist

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It's all about the journey, Janine!! :D
I've been known to take a journey or two. :)

PS Wait until I post about my journey up the fretboard using different colored highlighters. LOL!
Not to worry. Not on the actual guitar, just on a diagram of the neck showing all the notes.
 

sailingshoes72

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The other rabbit hole you can find yourself going down is the question of which acoustic pickup system is best for your style of playing and the tone you are searching for. Your Martin 000-18 can easily be set up with a pickup by a reputable guitar repairman. There are several choices: piezoelectric under saddle strips and/or soundboard dots; magnetic sound hole pickups; microphone elements in the body of the acoustic guitar; etc. And they can be affordable and/or expensive.

Folks here on LTG can offer a lot of experience with the different systems. And there are many previous threads with opinions about the best one. Someone with better search skills than me may be able to link them here. Good luck with your journey.
 

JohnW63

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With new guitar knowledge, you will find a lot of " rabbit holes " I'm sorry to say.

Acoustic pickups. There are at least three types and then even combos of those three for even more head scratching. If you don't plan on playing live with a band at some sort of loud volume, I would suggest an under saddle style. It needs a good guitar repair person to install it. I highlight the GOOD part, because while it is not physically hard, I have seem posts of horrible results if the person messed it up. Don't let the tech at Guitar Center do it. They just know the basics.

I agree that an amplified guitar can be a lot of fun. So many new possibilities. Try a bit of reverb, for instance. Then changing the basic tone with bass and treble controls.

Keep in mind there are amps designed for acoustics and amps designed for electric guitars and then amps that do a good job of both.

For a simple amp for an acoustic guitar, I like the little UltraSound AG-15. Like this one:

They have gone for less, but todays market is kinda weird for all this stuff.
 

WC_Guitarist

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With new guitar knowledge, you will find a lot of " rabbit holes " I'm sorry to say.

Acoustic pickups. There are at least three types and then even combos of those three for even more head scratching. If you don't plan on playing live with a band at some sort of loud volume, I would suggest an under saddle style. It needs a good guitar repair person to install it. I highlight the GOOD part, because while it is not physically hard, I have seem posts of horrible results if the person messed it up. Don't let the tech at Guitar Center do it. They just know the basics.

I agree that an amplified guitar can be a lot of fun. So many new possibilities. Try a bit of reverb, for instance. Then changing the basic tone with bass and treble controls.

Keep in mind there are amps designed for acoustics and amps designed for electric guitars and then amps that do a good job of both.

For a simple amp for an acoustic guitar, I like the little UltraSound AG-15. Like this one:

They have gone for less, but todays market is kinda weird for all this stuff.
I don't think I would install a pickup on my Martin. It's so perfect the way it is; I would be too scared to ruin it, or give it to someone else for them to ruin it. There are so many entry-level and mid-priced acoustics with electronics already installed. It might end up being not costing that much more to get one already set up like that. I have not looked into it yet in detail. I have to go back and see what Guild is offering in this department. :) The Epiphone Hummingird Inspired by Gibson I tried was a nice example of of an electric acoustic, not super expensive, but still a solid top, well appointed, good set up, etc.
 

JohnW63

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I get that! I would like to have a pickup in either my F47R or my D-55, but I don't have a skilled guitar shop near me, so that remain as they left the factory. I have other guitars that plug in. 4 acoustics, as I make a mental count. 5 if I count the Yamaha Silent Guitar. you'd think think that's plenty. I just like the option of plugging in. I certainly would like to here when the D-55 sounds like with a good pickup system. It's bigger than the rest of them.
 

Nuuska

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JOHN

How do you like the sound of the Yamaha silent guitar when plugged in?
And is it w steel or nylon strings ?

THX
 
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WC_Guitarist

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I get that! I would like to have a pickup in either my F47R or my D-55, but I don't have a skilled guitar shop near me, so that remain as they left the factory. I have other guitars that plug in. 4 acoustics, as I make a mental count. 5 if I count the Yamaha Silent Guitar. you'd think think that's plenty. I just like the option of plugging in. I certainly would like to here when the D-55 sounds like with a good pickup system. It's bigger than the rest of them.
I'd be very leery of letting a good D-55 out of my hands, like Dorothy with the Ruby Slippers. If you put a microphone in front of it and play, how does that sort of amplification compare to playing with a pickup installed? The beauty of the Guild Ds is they project so much and sound so huge, it might even be redundant to amplify. I think they make an "e" version of the 55 now. I'm sure someone has demo-ed it on YouTube.

Hold one moment please...

PS Now that I've tried plugging in, I also like the option. Even if I never use it, but especially if it requires the purchase of another guitar. I am my own worst enabler! I just hang out here and on AGF so I can blame all you guys. LOL!
 
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JohnW63

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Often the best reproduction of the real sound is a mic set in front of it, but... if you are playing with others in a situation where the room isn't small and the band has bass an drums, for instance, the mic sitting in front of it will not be up to the task. To make the guitar loud enough, the mic sensitivity would have to be turned up a good amount and then you can get feedback noise. It will pick up a wide range of things making sounds on the stage besides the guitar. That's why you only see that in small groups and not loud mixes.
 

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"My next question will be, does anyone have one of these, and what do you think of it?"

Yes, I have one. It's a cool guitar. It plays easy. The pickups sound closer to single coil than humbuckers. This is not a bad thing, really. It can be pretty versatile. Here is the good news. I'm selling it because I got a brand new one in sunburst without the " wammy bar " so I don't need this one. It's very clean.

I'm thinking $550 plus shipping.

They are single coils.
 

JohnW63

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Very true. They were, but they don't sound like Strat single coils or Tele single coils. They sound more like P-90 single coils, or so I have read.
 
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