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Acoustic amp


Theidlersdream

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It will be a while before in actually looking to buy, but can any one suggest an amp that they think will work well with my inspired by texan. I don't really know much about amps at all but there are few loose parameters. Firstly, it will only ever be for playing local pubs and such so I'm not after a full concert setup or anything like that. Secondly, cost is a factor. My guitar cost £300 and I won't be looking at anything more expensive than that. Lastly, I love the sound of my guitarwhen it is unplugged so I want something thing that accentuates and compliments the sound, rather than radically changing it beyond recognition.

 

I hope this makes sense and look forward to your feedback

 

Will

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I got a 30-watt Kustom AE amp roughly 10 years ago. The price today at $150 US is doggone near the same although they use a different speaker and who knows what other parts.

 

I works for: playing AE guitar; playing pretty straight electric guitar; playing either type of guitar and miking through it in the mike channel; or any of the above and running from line out into a USB converter box to record mono.

 

Given price tag, I can't imagine I could have a much better little amp that's easy on the back.

 

It also has whumpf enough on a bar stool to play a Dot through doing blues/rock/country with a band in a small saloon, or doing solo jazz from the stage on a 500-seat theater.

 

Mine rides on a suitcase carrier with a multi-effect pedal on it and an electric plug-in strip so with extra cords in the back of the amp, figure 35 pounds or so.

 

But... each to his or her own.

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-combo-amplifiers/kustom--new?isSuggestion=true

 

m

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One small venue (sandwich shop) where I play has an Acoustasonic and it works just fine. I have the 15 watt acoustic amp that comes with Epiphone's acoustic/electric player pack. I haven't tried it at a gig myself, though I've practiced with it. My former mandolinist liked to use it in a small bar and it had plenty of power--more than his 15 watt SS Marshall did. Makes me wonder if one of the larger Epi acoustic amps from a few years back might also be a good deal if you could find one.

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I got a 30-watt Kustom AE amp roughly 10 years ago. The price today at $150 US is doggone near the same although they use a different speaker and who knows what other parts.

 

I works for: playing AE guitar; playing pretty straight electric guitar; playing either type of guitar and miking through it in the mike channel; or any of the above and running from line out into a USB converter box to record mono.

 

Given price tag, I can't imagine I could have a much better little amp that's easy on the back.

 

It also has whumpf enough on a bar stool to play a Dot through doing blues/rock/country with a band in a small saloon, or doing solo jazz from the stage on a 500-seat theater.

 

Mine rides on a suitcase carrier with a multi-effect pedal on it and an electric plug-in strip so with extra cords in the back of the amp, figure 35 pounds or so.

 

But... each to his or her own.

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-combo-amplifiers/kustom--new?isSuggestion=true

 

m

 

Thanks milod, this amp is a great price and, after reading a few of your other posts on here, you seem you gave good experience and knowledge what you're on about.

Some of those Marshall seem cool but at half the price, this has got to be a contender

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One small venue (sandwich shop) where I play has an Acoustasonic and it works just fine. I have the 15 watt acoustic amp that comes with Epiphone's acoustic/electric player pack. I haven't tried it at a gig myself, though I've practiced with it. My former mandolinist liked to use it in a small bar and it had plenty of power--more than his 15 watt SS Marshall did. Makes me wonder if one of the larger Epi acoustic amps from a few years back might also be a good deal if you could find one.

 

I would love it if sandwich shops had guitar sets where I live

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Actually IMHO the problem with any amp is that in theory an amp with the same model number is the same as one made 10 years ago or yesterday - but the parts may or may not be, nor the construction quality.

 

I'm having some mixed emotions on such stuff myself at this point in time.

 

Yes, I've had great luck with the little Kustom amp. It's almost perfect for what I wanted at the time and still tend most to use. The price was great as well, especially in the way it fit pretty much everything I hoped to do with an amp.

 

But in today's world at age 10? I think if it gets sick, it's into the garbage just as a television.

 

My recommendation on any electronic stuff, whether it's guitar-oriented or a new television, is to leave the @#$% thing on for at least a week.

 

If it's SS, especially, maybe a month. I did just that with an inexpensive PA I got a cupla years ago. Then you're within the 30-45 days most mail order companies would let you do a return if it drops dead. If it doesn't drop dead in that time period, it'll probably run for years.

 

m

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  • 2 months later...

Do you use a small PA system? Thats all you really need, you'd be surprised what you can do with a simple inexpensive PA if it's just acoustic guitars and singing. Look around for good deals on gently used stuff if you want good quality reinforcement with out breaking the bank. The cheap stuff is not going to give you that accurate sound you're obviously looking for. You won't need sizable speakers and monster power-amps as you don't have to project any low frequencies, just high, high/mid and low/mid's. Most any well designed 6" - 10" based speaker with 100-300 watt's behind it can do this with no problems as long as it has a real compression-driver for a tweeter, piezo's just don't cut it.

 

I've done show's in small coffee shop's with just my small monitor (8" woofer and 3"compression-driver) and a little mixer hooked up to one 31-band EQ & one time-based FX unit. This was a place that didn't want loud music regardless of what/who was playing and it was a small area with a low ceiling to, I could have used my two main speaker's but being as they didn't want it loud I didn't.

 

Now once you go out-side or get into a larger room or the room just needs more coverage or you start adding a bass-player and/or percussion etc.... Then you have to start using larger speaker's with more power behind them to reach the whole room and/or get the added instrument's properly in the mix.

 

Good Luck!

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Ray...

 

That's why I've the little PA system for bigger and different types of venues compared to the acoustic amp that has the mike as well as guitar channel - and in the old days bought amps with separate input sectors for mike and guitar.

 

Most "solo" guys around here are roughly doing similar deals.

 

Or, some solo guys I've seen lately have been using powered speakers, one or two with a little unpowered mixer and others just running mike and AE guitar into the powered speaker.

 

m

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ray...

 

That's why I've the little PA system for bigger and different types of venues compared to the acoustic amp that has the mike as well as guitar channel - and in the old days bought amps with separate input sectors for mike and guitar.

 

Most "solo" guys around here are roughly doing similar deals.

 

Or, some solo guys I've seen lately have been using powered speakers, one or two with a little unpowered mixer and others just running mike and AE guitar into the powered speaker.

 

m

Indeed, Gens Benz makes combo's that give good results but you get more coverage with separate speakers on a tri-pod/mic-stand that are spread out.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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