LR Baggs Acoustic Amp

[powerpopper]

I was looking at this LR Baggs amp because it (in theory) should have great sound and looks so tasteful, but has anyone tried it?

 

http://www.lrbaggs.com/html/products/products_amp.shtml

 

Or do you have a favorite acoustic amp for small gigs?

[rar]

I was looking at this LR Baggs amp because it (in theory) should have great sound and looks so tasteful' date=' but has anyone tried it?

[/quote']

 

We checked out one of these last year in an acoustic guitar amplification clinic at the Gibson Homecoming. There was pretty universal agreement that it's much better than the Fishman Loudbox 100, which is about half the price, and nowhere near as good as the Bose L1 Model 2 PA, which is about twice the price. (Also, even without the benefit of the side-by-side A/B comparison, I'd say it's much better than my Crate CA120DG, which is less than half the price.)

 

The acoustic amp market is quite competitive, and so I think it's pretty safe to say that the Baggs is better than all the hoards of competitors in the $500 to $800 range. The real question is how the Baggs compares to other $1200-ish, 200W-ish amps, such as the Genz Benz Shen Pro LT 200W and maybe the new Fishman SoloAmp. Those, I don't have any experience with.

 

-- Bob R

[onewilyfool]

Test it besides an AER Compact 60......it will be an easy choice....

[rar]

Test it besides an AER Compact 60......it will be an easy choice....

 

AERs are great amps, but the Compact 60 is way too puny to count as direct competition to the Baggs. The Acousticube III, maybe, but it's $3K. If 60W will do the job for you -- figure that's about equivalent to 30W in an electric guitar amp -- and you have $1200 to spend, it's a nice choice.

 

-- Bob R

[ballcorner]

I use various Fender Acoustasonic amps. Made in Mexico, and sporting good horns along with the main driver pairs, these amps can handle vocal or guitar work with fidelity one might never expect at such a low price point.

 

Mine all pre-date the addition of DSP effects, instead having reverb and switched chorus. In US dollars, the 30W was about $475 - so you can get two or three of these for the price of a frou frou acoustic amp.

 

I use two 30watt Fenders - one for guitar and one for voice - then I have a smaller one I use as a monitor. I run it all from a mixer which gives me tone control and effects loops. I use a tube preamp on the effects loop to warm up the solid state sound.

 

The nice thing about my overall setup is the combination of versatility, affordability and durability. I can use a single 30watt amp for a small gig and the pair with the monitor for larger spaces. It all gets to the car in two loads, including my stage guitar and stands, and all the amps can ouput to a PA system when required.

 

I have rented and tried both Bose systems, including the new one with the mixer on the stick and the subwoofer. What I am using costs less than half of the new Bose and audiences have told me the Fenders sound better than a line array. I remember once talking to a good home audio guy about speakers and he reminded me that Pavorotti had a 54" chest. How can we expect the sound of his voice to come out of a bookshelf speaker?

 

Indeed, the larger drivers in the Acoustasonic amps give the presence a line array can't provide. The L.R. Baggs is a beautiful sounding amp, but I am not convinced it can pitch more than 20 feet into a space before decaying badly.