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May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Has anyone tried this? I read somewhere that you could use, for example, an old Fender amp, and just plug a tweeter cabinet into the "extention Speaker" output, no crossover necessary, and it would sound great for acoustic. I have no doubt that a good tube amp would sound great for acoustic but I am wondering about the 'no crossover' aspect and impedance matching, etc.
Wayne |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The impedance of a single tweeter will not effect the amp adversely & basic piezo-type tweeters will work without a crossover, though a simple passive crossover is cheap & easy to add. Adding a tweeter will help with an acoustic tone, depending on the type of amp, but it is still a huge compromise. There's a few companies including Peavey & Laney who have attempted to build dual purpose solid-state amps with separate channels for electric & acoustic guitars & an HF horn in the cabinet. The horn helps to get some acoustic "presence" but there's still the problem of the excessive mid-range which is part of an electric guitar speaker's tone. Also while the tweeter will help an acoustic sound, it'll make an electric guitar, especialy one with single-coils, slice your head off. Ultimately the best way to amplify an acoustic guitar, if you need an acurate & convincing acoustic sound is via a PA system or anything which has a flatter response than an amp designed for electric guitars, such as an acoustic or keyboard combo. It's perfectly possible to get useable electro-acoustic tones from a tube guitar amp, they just don't sound as "acoustic" as they could.
[ November 24, 2002: Message edited by: Paul Templeman ] |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Hi Paul, thanks for your always informative input.
From what you say, perhaps the best way to go would be a piggyback type tube amp head (I have a dead mint '62 Bassman) and a smallish two-way pa speaker cab of the proper ohmage (is that a word??). Then you would have the best of both worlds; the lush mids that tubes do so well and the lower end omph and highs of the full range cab which would, of course, also have the built in crossover.
Wayne |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | I'd try to borrow a few enclosures & try them first before comitting any dough. Generally PA speakers & guitar amps dont get on with each other. Impedance isn't a major issue unless you go below the stated minimum, in which case you can fry the amp, anything above the above the optimum Ohmage just reduces output. I'd kill for a '62 Bassman, but I wouldn't play my acoustics through it. A fat midrange is great for electric guitars but not such a great idea for acoustics.
[ November 24, 2002: Message edited by: Paul Templeman ] |
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Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Electric and acoustic amps are two different animals, designed for different purposes. It's been my experience that an acoustic does not sound good thru an electric amp and vise versa. |
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May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | I do have a couple sets of PA cabs that I'll try when I get a chance. It should be interesting at least.
It's been my experience that an acoustic does not sound good thru an electric amp and vise versa
While this is essentially true, the bggest difference is the speaker configuration. Especially in the case of tube amps. I am currently using a Carvin Tube 100 (50 wpc) power amp that was produced as a guitar amp, in my Hi-Fi system. Of course I have it paired with a Hi-Fi preamp and speakers, but it sounds fantastic; extended frequency range, dynamics, lots of tubular warmth. On the other hand, when I pair the Carvin up with the preamp it came with, 2x12 speaker cab and plug a guitar into it, it becomes a screamin' ragin' beast of a thing!
Anyway, at least it will be an interesting experiment and I'll post the results.
Wayne |
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Using tweeter cab with tube amp for acoustic...
