Tonewood amplification effects with no amp needed?

[Cecil6243]

https://www.tonewoodamp.com/?utm_sou...9DwxojEFg8TiJg

Anyone have one? Thoughts?

[Doug Young]

It's not exactly an "amp", in that it doesn't make the guitar particularly louder. It adds reverb, chorus and other effects by vibrating the back. The demos, like when Mike Dawes uses it, sound pretty good. When I've heard it in person, it was less impressive. All the effects but reverb sound pretty cheesy, and the reverb's unexpected, but not as nice sounding as a reverb pedal thru an amp. Probably depends a bit on the guitar itself how well it works.

[Methos1979]

I owned one early on. It was a neat effect, a bit gimmicky. The reverb was the only decent effect and it would feedback if it got too loud (as in, loud enough to be actually useful). It also ate batteries like no tomorrow. It was cool being able to play quietly at home and hear that reverb sound coming out of an otherwise unplugged guitar. But in the end it was more 'toy' than 'tool' for me and I traded it off.

[nickv6]

I have one. It's good fun. A bit heavy. Ultimately a fun toy. I initially thought I would use it a lot but in fact it's in the draw with other gadgets! It does indeed eat batteries.
I recently bought a spark go mini amp which I think works better really. But there is something weird about picking up your acoustic and playing with reverb and echo etc. excellent fun every now and then.

[mr. beaumont]

I have a Yamaha nylon string with the "transacoustic" system, which is basically a 2 effect (reverb and chorus) tonewood built into the guitar.

It's a pretty nice trick. Really helps the guitar sound more spacious in my very acoustically dead living room.

It's a toy and a gimmick, yes, but if it inspires you to play more, then it is only a good thing.

[Cecil6243]

Thank you for your replies. I presenty have a Fender Acoustasonic 15 watt that was recommended for my Martin SC-13e. and I'm not that impressed with the amp. It doesn't even have reverb.

I've been looking at trading it in at Sweetwater for Boss Street Cube Amp.

I was looking that the Tonewood as I hate guitar cords in conjuction with an acoustic guitar!

[JLS]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

https://www.tonewoodamp.com/?utm_sou...9DwxojEFg8TiJg

Anyone have one? Thoughts?

Had one a few years ago, didn't bond w/it.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

I owned one early on. It was a neat effect, a bit gimmicky. The reverb was the only decent effect and it would feedback if it got too loud (as in, loud enough to be actually useful). It also ate batteries like no tomorrow. It was cool being able to play quietly at home and hear that reverb sound coming out of an otherwise unplugged guitar. But in the end it was more 'toy' than 'tool' for me and I traded it off.

Well said.

[Per Burström]

I had a TonewoodAmp, sold it a couple of years ago. I bought it with an extra magnetic X-brace to be able to move it between two different guitars. I didn't use it much, it just felt a bit clumsy having the device attached to the back of the guitar.

I bought a LAG HyVibe when it was crowd funded. There I got a much better guitar than expected as LAG came in later, initially HyVibe planned to build their own guitar. The HyVibe system is really nice, better and more flexible than the TonewoodAmp. HyVibe use two actuators attached to the top, all other systems I'm aware of work on the back of the guitar. The HyVibe also have a built-in looper.

HyVibe is working on their "Essential" if you want their system without cutting a hole in the guitar. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/t...be-essential#/

I currently mostly play my Enya carbon fiber guitars, the Nova Go (SP1) and X3 Pro Mini. Both of them have the SP1 system to give effects directly in the guitar without a speaker, using a single actuator mounted on the inside of the back of the guitar. Especially with the smaller Nova Go the SP1 unit is really useful to give it some extra sustain in a dry room.

In my X3 Pro Mini I have mounted an Artec MSP-50 magnetic pickup, allowing me to connect it to, for example, my Blackstar Fly 3 while still having the effects in the guitar as well. Using the SP1's output disable the actuator (same on HyVibe).

The systems in the Enya guitars are manufactured by Double, and you can buy their stand-alone systems as well. For example they have a sound hole pickup with effects and actuator if you don't want to cut/drill holes in your guitar : https://www.doublepickups.com/acoustifex-go

I'm considering getting the Double OS1 to put in my small Cort AD Mini for the extra sustain, for example when sitting outside playing.
https://www.double-music.com/en/prod...how/id/75.html

/Per

[rmp]

I have one as well and still use it frequently.

Regarding "intended use"

It's not really a "performance" tool. It's mostly for the player's own enjoyment to add some ambiance when playing an acoustic. Listeners CAN hear it but it's pretty for our ears IMHO

What everyone has said pretty much covers everything you need to know.

It does go through batteries fast.

[Johnny Lawless]

I've had mine on a Guild 8 string baritone for a couple of years now and I love it. But it takes quite a lot of menu diving (and there's quite a bit you can mess with in there) to dial it in. Pickup type, volume has to be staged right etc.

I use it just for the reverb, though the trem can be pretty fun too. Everything was at least usable with the exception of the od but they replaced that eventually.

The brace was a pain to fit, at least for me with fat hands, but it's worth doing right because the placement can be everything. I got another brace for a standard acoustic to swap the Tonewood over and you have to start from scratch on the eq'ing, even with the same pickup system on both Guilds, just cause body size and wood affect the sound so much. But you can save the different guitars in memory.

Messing with the notch filters and keeping it on the edge of feedback, you can get all kinds of beautiful sounds. Limited use outside of messing around in the living room but I get nice recordings with one mic for voice and the reverbed guitar. Got a second one cheap on ebay, I figured by the time i've gone through both of them there'll be some insane new gadgets out there!

[Charlie Bernstein]

Don't have one. Don't want one. Effects are for electric guitars.

[67goat]

I have an Enya travel and a Yamaha with similar systems. I use them, but more for backyard/campfire type stuff. If I was doing an actual show I would want more refined effects (or none at all).