# Favourate Acoustic Rig? (plugging in)



## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

I'm wondering what people have found that gives them their best desired sound for their acoustic guitar (when plugging in).

I usually play electric, but yesterday I decided I would play acoustic guitar in church.

I have an old Gibson J50 with an LR Baggs M1 magnetic pickup installed. Previously I had been using an acoustic DI sort of thing made by Beringer (which was actually a great product for the money). This one:









Anyways, despite giving some decent tweak-ability at your feet and going into the PA, I have found that the tone does sound a little lifeless to me. The blend knob (which is supposed to give it a synthesized tube warmth) just sucks and really just muffles the tone. As an acoustic DI it's still decent and is better sounding than a completely passive DI. But, I've never been blown away. I haven't felt like the awesome acoustic sound of my guitar is ever captured.

Anyways, I had previously tried my acoustic into some of my different real guitar amps with varying results. Previously, my DC30 gave my most pleasing response, but it did sort of start to remind me of my electric guitar tones slightly. (I'm now thinking this is the result of Guitar style speakers that are in it).

So, my big discovery was that my Bass Rig was the perfect match for my acoustic. I was completely blown away. But, my bass rig is not very typical, Electric guitar head into bass cab) but it's perhaps resulting in a better match for acoustic guitar than even bass (it's on the very left of this pic):








I use a 1973 Traynor YGL Mark 3 fitted with KT88s (got off this forum) into an Ampeg 4x10 Bass cabinet. So this is basically an overbuilt clean (Fender Twin style) electric guitar amp into a bass cabinet. I tried my (other)YGL into a guitar cabinet, but the speakers added too much of their own electric guitar type flavour, sounding more brittle. The bass cab really made it sound much more Hi-Fi -> suitable for Acoustic guitar.
So, a really Hifi sounding speaker cab (with awesome low end) combined with the warmth of a powerful clean tube guitar amp seemed perfect. Plus I got to add some of the YGL's great reverb and trem for an even more lush character). Anyways, it sounded so much better than anything else I had tried that I had to email my bass player in order to remind her to bring her own bass amp because I would need to use mine this weekend. (don't feel sorry for her- her Markbass amp is ridiculously light to carry).

So, anyone else find something that works great for their acoustic guitar? Great preamps, acoustic amps, etc? 
This rig seems really impractical on a size and weight standpoint, but I will keep in mind the whole tube amp into bass speaker idea. Anyone tried that?


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I find that any amp that gives a clean tone and fairly flat response works well. I use my old Yamaha G30-112; a solid state electric guitar amp with decent onboard reverb. I'm not surprised that your bass amp sounds good - they are usually cleaner and more "accurate" that amps made for electric guitar.


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

bw66 said:


> I find that any amp that gives a clean tone and fairly flat response works well. I use my old Yamaha G30-112; a solid state electric guitar amp with decent onboard reverb. I'm not surprised that your bass amp sounds good - they are usually cleaner and more "accurate" that amps made for electric guitar.


Well, the amp itself is made for electric guitar. I guess my discovery is that speaker cabinets for bass are the part that is well suited for acoustic guitar. Combine that with the tube warmth of a clean guitar amp and it seems we have a winner!


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Agreed. I've often used a Traynor XM50 bass amp in lieu of my Traynor AM150T for acoustic guitar. It's smaller, has better bass, and isn't as inclined to feed back, though the AM150T has a notch filter. I'll use them both if I want the best of both worlds and will accept the hassle of carrying both. I use a Radial A/B/Y to connect them. Whenever practical, I'll add a mic (usually a Sennheiser).

Many high end jazz amps will do service as acoustic guitar amps. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## Guest (Apr 5, 2011)

Acoustic Guitar -> AxeFx -> FoH. Bliss.


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

The best sound is a Neumann KM-184. I use it whenever possible.
The next best is My Laskin with a Trinity system by K&K. I will occasionally use it with a Baggs Venue. If I am sending to FOH I will split the signals and send the tech a pick-up feet and mic feed separately so he can mix the house with a blend and my wedge or 'ears' with the pick-up for cut in the monitor mix.
If I have to compete with drums or a loud amp on stage, I'd rather not do the gig. However, under those conditions, I'll play something with an under-saddle pick-up and a Venue.
I never play with an amp on stage. Anything that adds to stage level compromises the FOH.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Pendulum SPS-1 preamp is the best I have used, by far. Excellent high headroom pres with very flexible parametric EQ and routing options.


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## BEACHBUM (Sep 21, 2010)

I went with Martin and Fishman.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

I had an under-saddle installed in my Yamaki years ago and used it on stage with an external Fishman pre-amp - typically straight in to FOH and it always got the nod from the sound guys. At some point I started using a Yorkville "Mixer" amp with it and that really worked well too.

The Mixer amps were, I think, primarily for keys but I have used it for all manner of things - keys, acoustic, POD/electric, bass, even as a one-piece P/A. Quite a handy piece of kit and did not cost a lot either.


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