Acoustic guitar amps... "?"

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I'm thinking of getting a dedicated acoustic-guitar amplifier.

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations, please? My 'main' guitar is a Martin 000-18 with the standard Martin under-the-saddle 'Thinline' pick-up.

One more thing - can you play a standard electric guitar through one of these amps, or is the EQ all wrong for that?

I'm going to be doing a little bluegrass picking 'on the side' during my long Summer gig, but it'd be useful if the amp could do a passable job for my Telecaster as well.

Thanks in advance!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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LARRY COLE · From: LANCASTER, OHIO, USA

I have a Fender Acoustic Jr. It sounds great with the Martin Thinline p/u. It takes a lot of the piezo sound away. It also has two channels with XLR in on one channel so it can be used for a small p/a. I have miked my Dobro through it with a SM-57 and it worked well. It works fine for piano/keyboard or sound tracks. A digital kick drum can get pretty loud before it bottoms out the speakers. You can even use it for bass at moderate levels. It is a real work horse. It is EQed more like a p/a than an electric guitar amp. It has real reverb and chourus. The newer ones have digital f/x.
It is stereo with 2x40 watts, 2x8 inch speakers and one piezo.

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

I had a Fender acoustic Jr with effects. I played my Takamine JJ model through it, and got a nice acoustic sound. But sold it and bought an award session acoustic preamp, and now I play my Tak through the award session into my Nashville 1000. I get a good decent acoustic sound, and don't have to wag the extra amp around. But, I kinda wish I had kept it for my dobro and used it like Larry said in above post.

Terry

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

edited, sorry for the doubble/triple post.

Terry

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

edited, triple post sorry

Johnny Thomasson · From: Texas, USA

I imagine you'll get lots of responses, as there are several really good acoustic amps available. I have a Trace-Elliot TR-100 that to me sounds outstanding.

I never tried my Tele in it. No doubt it would work, but not very well I think. This amp was designed from the ground up for acoustic instruments.
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Johnny Thomasson

Bari Smith · From: Spartanburg SC USA

The ONLY way to fly.....tried a bunch of em and the swr has never let me down....sounds great no matter the venue! Very Happy

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SHO-BUD LDG(Cooperized),MULLEN RP SD-10,Webb 614E,'73 Vibrosonic,Mesa-Boogie Pre,Stewart 1.2,TC Electronic M-300,JBL's,Black Box,Walker Seats'84 Dobro,'69 Martin D-28,and assorted other goodies!

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

That Trace is a KILLER little amp! I've also got a Crate, that they don't make anymore, that Jerry Douglas used to use. I used to plug my steel into it, at low volumes, it sounded pretty good.

Stephan Miller · From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

I like the Crate CA125...but IMO no electric guitar is going to ever sound better than barely OK through an acoustic amp. Most (maybe all?) of them are solid state..."passable" might be helped along with a Pod XT and a Black Box in front...

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

I am partial to the older Acoustic Image amps. They work well with bass, acoustic, and electric guitars. They are available with digital reverb and are extremely lightweight and powerful. They make an excellent jazz guitar amp. I believe Forumite Mike Shefrin did use one and may still. I get a good steel sound with mine too.

I tried one of their new series III amps and didn't like it. It sounded OK, but it seemed to have been cheapened. The pot shafts seemed very flimsy, and the cabinet was made of plastic, instead of metal, like the older ones. I sent it back and bought another old one.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro.

Jeremy Steele · From: Princeton, NJ USA

I second the nomination for the SWR California Blonde...blows the competition away, IMO. They also make a smaller version called the Strawberry Blonde (I think).

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I appreciate all the input - thanks!

I fear that some of the high-end suggestions may be unrealistic. I'm primarily doing the gig on steel, but there's an opportunity to do some casual gigs 'on the side'. Laying out $750 upwards might defeat the purpose, although I realise that I'd get use out of the amp for years to come.

In the last two years I've done the gig, I've used my spare NV-112 on these 'extra-curricular' shows - it works well enough ('though not great) with the Tele, and slightly less-well with the Martin!

The Fender product seems reasonable, although I'd have to try it and see. What I'd like, of course, is a sound like James Taylor gets on his shows, but I doubt I'm going to achieve that with a $400 budget!!!

Maybe what I should do is sell a few guitars and get the very best-possible on-board stuff fitted to my favourite Martin, add a Pendulum rack-unit and carry my own PA....

After all, when I reflect on the great instruments and equipment I've owned, I can never remember paying for it - just the satisfaction they've brought me Smile

!

Thanks again for the helpful information.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I have a Marshall acoustic amp that I am very happy with. It has a lot of options built into it. Several channels to pick from and a stereo signal can be split into two differenct channels for balancing. Also input for mic and RCA jacks.

Don Davis Jr · From: Georgia, USA

I watched the guitar player in a small blues group play through an SWR Strawberry Blonde at the Atlanta History Center a couple of weeks ago. He had a couple of resonator guitars which sounded great through the amp, but more surprisingly, his Gibson 335 was beautiful hrough the little Strawberry Blonde.

I talked to him a good bit after the show and it was obvious he wasn't like on a tone quest or anything, he had just hit on something that worked. He did say that it sounded better to him with the tweeter disconnected and he had done so.

I don't play acoustic, but wouldn't it stand to reason that an acoustic should sound pretty good through a NV112? I'd think anything that required a good clean and uncolored sound would work well through the NV112.

Louis Vallee · From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Genz Benz Shenandoah with Fishman Pickup on D-18 is terrific.

http://www.genzbenz.com

Jim Bates · From: Alvin, Texas, USA

The Peavey Ecoustic amp worked fine for guitars, fiddles, and resphonincs at our local opry show. I kept one on stage for all the singers who brought instruments with them and no amps.

Thanx,
Jim

Mike Brown · From: Meridian, Mississippi USA

Hey Roger, I suggest that you try either of the two electric/acoustic amplifiers that we manufacture. Peavey Ecoustic Series amplifers have been very good for us. I also suggest that you check out the new soon to be released Trace Elliot acoustic amplifier. Peavey is the distributor for Trace Elliot products. fyi. Here is the link;
www.peavey.com

Mike Brown
Peavey Electronics Corp.

KENNY KRUPNICK · From: Columbus, Ohio

Mike, how are the "Generation" series guitars? The one with the 3 pickup configuration like a stratocaster,and the on with a single coil in the bridge position,and a humbucker in the neck position?
How many artists play these?Thanks in advance. Very Happy

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

Roger,
Let me confuse you some more ....Ultrasound makes some reasonably priced acoustic guitar amps ...Check em out .....Wanna go on the cheap ??....Pick up and old KB60 Peavey Keyboard amp, or any other Peavey Keyboard amp .. The KB60 has a 50 or 60 watt amp, with a 12" speaker and a tweeter ...It really sounds pretty amazing for acoustic guitar ...Not generally good for a electric guitar unless you want a clean tone ..Jim

Andy Zynda · From: Wisconsin

"Genz Benz Shenandoah with Fishman Pickup on D-18 is terrific."

Better than terrific, asounding!
I tried at least a dozen, then played thru a friend's Genz.
That was it for me, and I also use it for Jazz guitar, and keyboard.
-andy z-

Louis Vallee · From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Jerry Gleason · From: Eugene, Oregon, USA

I've had Ultrasound, and Acoustic Image amps, but the one that gets the job done for me is the AER Compact 60. It's about the size of a lunch box, gets loud, and sounds incredible. Not cheap, but there's nothing I've used that works as well. I also use it for my main jazz guitar amp, and it's loud and clean enough even in medium sized venues. It has microphone inputs too, so you can use it as a mini-p.a. system. It has good, usable digital effects built it. Pretty nice for lap steel too, although I probably wouldn't use it for pedal steel.

I would still use my Acoustic Image Clarus and a full-range cabinet when I really need the extra power, or for pedal steel with the appropriate speaker cabinet, but for acoustic instruments and electric jazz guitar, the AER covers it for me most of the time.

Mark Eaton · Posted 29 Mar 2008 12:46 am

Roger posted that an amp like an AER Compact 60 isn't in the budget - if money were no object, I'd have one myself, as they are some of the finest acoustic amps made. But they go for around $1200.

I did a lot of research and trialing a couple years ago, and as far as bang for the buck, I went for a Carvin. I needed to keep it under $500. I paid $400 at the time, they are going for about $450 now.

Here's the link:

http://tinyurl.com/2k7y8p
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Mark

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Thanks for the continued suggestions, guys.

There's a 60w Genz Benz that can be had for about $550 - that's at the upper limits of my budget (for such a non-essential purchase). Any thoughts on that particular amp and whether that output would be sufficient?

This would only be used for small rooms and/or going to a PA system.

I would like the best quality I can afford.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Bill Simmons · From: Keller, Texas/Birmingham, AL, R.I.P.

Hi Roger...this may sound funny BUT it has worked for me. My friend Leland Green (incredible guitarist) told me to save my money and simply install a inexpensive little tweeter (Piezo - spelling?) in my Music Man 65 guitar amp with a little by-pass flip switch. Combined with an A/B box for electric or electric acoustic it sounds just great for me and I only carrying one amp! For me, it is close enough and the price was right! Just a thought...

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