Acoustic solo shows - need advice

[txa99ie]

Hey there everyone…I need some advice from the experts on this forum. I have recently started doing some solo acoustic gigs and am just running my guitar and mic into a Yamaha MG06X mixer then into a Bose L1 Pro 8 tower.

I play mostly country and “classic” songs.

What do I need in a pedal board besides a tuner? If reverb and delay are needed, which are your favorites? Any other suggestions?

I appreciate your feedback and advice in advance.

[martingitdave]

I would plug straight into the Bose Pro8 and turn on some reverb. You don't need anything more than that. However, there are many here who use a lot more than that. It's a matter of taste. I don't think the audience appreciates the nuances of effects.

[Mobilemike]

You don't "need" anything. Your Bose mixer has reverb built in, a little (not too much) of that can help make things sound better. Other than that, just do you. IMHO I prefer to hear a musician when I go out, not to hear a musician's effects.

-Mike

[L20A]

I started doing solo shows with a JBL Tower PA.
It had 2 channels and both had reverb.
That was all that I used with my guitar and vocal mic.

Sold the JBL and got 2 Bose S1 Pro Speakers.
I only use 1 S1 Pro for most solo shows.
I also have a Yamaha mixer when I need a few more channels.

I like the KISS method of Sound Reinforcement.
The Bose is all I need most of the time.
If I want the ability to do more mixing for my guitar, I use a DI/Pre Amp.

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Mobilemike

You don't "need" anything. Your Bose mixer has reverb built in, a little (not too much) of that can help make things sound better. Other than that, just do you. IMHO I prefer to hear a musician when I go out, not to hear a musician's effects.

-Mike

I believe Mike is right.

Paul

[txa99ie]

I really appreciate all of your feedback

[BlueStarfish]

You don’t say what kind of pickup you are playing … but almost all pickups need good EQ. And unless you are playing at very low volume levels, you probably will want something in the toolbox to help with taming feedback. Your mixer only has two bands of fixed EQ, so I would not call that good EQ. I would want to have something better.

So if it were me, I’d drop the Yamaha mixer, and instead get a preamp/DI pedal with good EQ and feedback tools. Something like a Fishman Platinum Pro EQ or Boss AD-10 or similar. Low-cut, multiple bands of EQ with a parametric mid, notch filter. Ideally a noise gate as well, I find that is surprisingly useful to manage feedback (the Boss unit has a noisegate). Those pedals also have a boost button which is useful if you need to punch up the volume for just one part of a song. Also tuner/mute and a simple single-knob compressor. Very handy units!

As others have said, your Bose unit already has a serviceable basic reverb. That should serve you well for the genres you mentioned. No need to buy anything separate.

[Juiced06GTO]

I am just over a year in to playing live solo gigs. I started with an old PA a buddy let me borrow and a cheap mixer, guitar and mic straight in. I wasn't happy with the borrowed PA so I got an Evolve 30M, again straight into that with just guitar and mic using onboard reverb. I also like the keep it simple method and don't like hauling a bunch of gear.

That being said, I felt I wanted to add something to my gigs, so I picked up a Boss RC500 looper. This has been really fun and allows me to throw a few leads in during my shows.

Last week I went and purchased a ToneDexter II and I think I am done with adding anything else. The combo I have gets me about 98% of the way to "my guitar, but louder" levels and I couldn't be happier with the sound.

I am playing a local luthier built dread, torrified stika top with mahogany back and sides with an LR Bags HiFi in it, just as an fyi.

[Jinder]

I find my Boss AD10 is an incredible tool for tone shaping, accommodating for room acoustics, fighting feedback, adding spatial texture and finding as musical and workable a tone as possible onstage.

I bought it almost on a whim six years ago and have had it on the road with me ever since. My board is AD10 with FS5U (mapped for stop/clear on the looper) and Boss SD-1W and DM-2W (both Waza Craft variants) and a Mk1 Mooer Tender Octaver, all three of the former run in the FX loop of the AD10. I primarily use Sunrise pickups.

For shows/tours I have to fly to/during, I just take the AD10. It’s a Swiss Army Knife which has got me out of a fix onstage so many times, and I always get a clean, expressive and super pro sound with it, whatever the rig and venue. Every setup I ran before was a compromise, in retrospect.

[meb]

I am a regular user of the Pro8 + a mixer. Your MG06X should be great
with it.
I usually sit when playing, so I like the mixer for convenient access.
If you are mobile, going straight to the Pro8 is great.

I use a passive Sunrise pickup; so, I have a preamp/DI on my PB.
I also have a looper on my PB; so, I can throw in a few lead solos
over simple loops.
I use a tiny bit of reverb that I get from the mixer.
I tune with a Snark.

[leew3]

I agree with what's been said above, it sounds like you're in good shape. I'm quite impressed with the AGF that we've gotten this far in the thread without a recommendation for QSC speakers

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by leew3

I agree with what's been said above, it sounds like you're in good shape. I'm quite impressed with the AGF that we've gotten this far in the thread without a recommendation for QSC speakers

lol. You that’s a good one! What you need is a good pair of…..

[nickfromny]

There is a difference between "want" and "need". You don't need anything more than you already have. Some general EQ and reverb is all you really need, depending on what you are looking to do. Some acoustic solo shows are just vocal and guitar.. some add looping, percussion, bass lines, etc.. It's really a blank canvas as to what you want to do. The more you want to do, the more you will probably need. I use a Cole Clark guitar into a tuner to a Radial Pz Pre with a Fishman AFX delay in the effects loop, to a Boss OC3 for bass tones, to a Looper pedal (either Boss RC300 or Sheeran Looper X). This allows me to loop parts and kick inthe boost/delay on the PZ Pre when I want to take a lead. Whatever you choose to do, go lightly with effects. Too much reverb, or vocal harmonizer, or delay, just muddy up the mix and take away from musicianship in my opinion.

[Goat Mick]

The only things I use between my guitar and amp / sound system are chords and a tuner pedal. And I could get by without the tuner pedal if I need to, it just makes some things a little more convenient.

[jricc]

Agree with meb, you have a nice mixer in the MG06x. You have delay or reverb on it if you choose to use it.