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March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | This acoustic/electric business has me puzzled. Can anyone tell me the difference between an "acoustic amp" & a regular amp? I haven't been able to figure that one out. I would also like to know the difference between a ZOOM 504 "acoustic" pedal & the ZOOM 505. I have a 505 & a dinky little Gorilla amp that I've been playing my three main guitars through here at home- my old 175, my Elite 12 string & my Epiphone Riviera (335 clone). They actually all sound good to me, considering. Then again I'm half deaf so that might be why they all sound ok. Unfortunately the Gorilla is dying, one function at a time. It's a sick little monkey.
It looks like I may be buying a new (small) amp before too long & I'd like to have a better idea what I'm looking for. Any insight would be appreciated.
Nils |
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Posts: 299
Location: Netherlands | I think it has to do with their frequency response.
Keyboard amps are supposed to have a flat frequency response, e.g. they don't color the sound.
Guitar (pre-)amps (electric) have a frequency response which boosts mids and cuts lows and highs (that's why you have a guitar amp and don't play thru a hifi amp).
I suppose Acousic amps have another frequency response.
I would suggest to consider buying a digital amp like the Line6 Equipment, because it gives you the choice of different amps.
I play my acoustic and electric guitars thru a Boss GT-3 effects processor with a built in amp simulator (about 8 models, inc. an acoustic preamp) and then run it thru the poweramp of a Bedrock BC-50. It's a very cheap and very good sounding option if you take the time to create good patches.
Also see my reply on the Innovator -New ovation owner thread.
Martin |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | roland JC 120 makes a good acoustic amp also. it is clean and bright sounding. for electric guitar clean is not what the average player wants unless they are playing jazz. most of the ss amps will make a good acoustic amp also |
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Location: The Great State of Texas | Well, it's certainly not a small amp Nils (it must weigh 65-70 lbs.), but I've been playing through a Roland AC-100 for about 3 years and it produces a really nice warm, clean sound with no noise. Has a built-in notch filter, chorus, reverb. Plus, it has a second channel with both 1/4" and XLR inputs to run either a second guitar or mic for solo gigs. I think it's a 12" with 2 5" horns.
I tried the Fender Acoustasonic Jr, but didn't like the average low-end response as much as the big Roland. I did like the chorus on the Fender better, but if you're running outboard effects it's no big deal.
As for "acoustic" gear vs. "electric" gear, I've come to realize that there's a whole lot of people building products who are a hell of a lot smarter than me, so I just go with what sounds good to me. |
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Location: Scotland | Remember that most "acoustic" amplifiers are intended as personal monitors rather than stand alone "backline" amplification, that's why most have balanced outputs so they can be DI'd into the FOH. Acoustic amps generally have small cabinets & small (6-8 inch) speakers. These will not develop the lower frequencies as efficiently as a 12 or 15 inch speaker in a larger enclosure. No pain, no gain with sound equipment I'm afraid,
The principle difference between amps designed for electric guitars & amps designed for acoustic guitars is, as grooove said, frequency response. Electric guitar amplifiers and speakers have a deliberately limited & coloured frequency response (there are exceptions, such as the JC120 as Al pointed out) Acoustic instruments require amplification with a wide flat frequency response. Basically acoustic amps are small PA systems. A keyboard amp, as has been suggested, will usually do a good job, but look out for those with an HF horn. If you're fussy about you sound I would not recommend any multi-FX unit designed for electric guitars for use with electro-acoustics |
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Location: NJ | it's all in the eq |
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Location: Scotland | EQ is not a cure-all and cannot compensate for impedance mis-matches or speakers with a limited frequency response. |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
EQ is not a cure-all and cannot compensate for impedance mis-matches or speakers with a limited frequency response.
paul that is correct but to work with what you have you need to adjust the eq to what sounds best. |
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Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | Thanks guys. Now I know a lot more than I did. When the monkey dies I'll probably just ask Steven to get me a small acoustic amp. I really don't need much, anything that covers the constant ringing in my ears sounds good to me.
Nils |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | This may be a good place to ask a question, my daughter, divorced, and an owner of a Yamaha acoustic electric nice sounding guitar, and a very nice Fender Mustang, brought to my house to keep for her a Carvin 60 watt, X-AMP tube amp that she had bought in the 80's that sounds great with my Viper when the Overdrive is kicked in. Her ex, offered her $100 for it if she would ship it to him ($25 of the $100 was to cover the cost of shipping) Is this a good deal for her? Or should I hang on to the amp and check it out? |
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Location: San Bernardino, California | I've seen them going for $200-$300 on ebay. |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | Thanks BruDev
I'll hang on to it for a while, it is a great sounding amp, and I plugged in my keyboard and it sounded great there also. |
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Posts: 34
Location: Yerington,NV | I play my o thru an ampeg svt bass head with a a.r.t. tube preamp.My first job as a bass player,Guitar for at home to write songs with.I haven't spent the money on a acoustic amp yet but I've been looking.
Frank
p.s. Bailey if your going to sell that amp head,let me know! |
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Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | F. Bailey
It isn't an amp head, it's an amp with a 12" Celestion speaker. I downloaded a manual from the Carvin site and what it is is a 2 channel amp, clean for rythym and distorted for lead. If I could find a foot pedal I could switch between modes, it has 2 levels of distortion and the manual shows settings to emulate a "Marshall" sound, and a "Boogie" sound. I guess an early version of the Zoom amp simulator as my daughter bought it new in the early 80's and it appears to not have been played since. I tried those settings last night with my Viper and it really cranks. I noticed that Carvin is putting Celestion speakers in their new "vintage" amps.
Bailey |
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what makes "acoustic" equipment different?
