small plug in amp, or ?? for when I go to bluegrass jams ?

jasperguitar · #1 03-07-2018, 10:02 AM

I have a pezo pickup in my Eastman acoustic .. works great when plugged into a Fishman amp .. etc.

But .. for jams ? I don't want to carry an amp with me ..

Is there an amp, the size of a MP3 Player ???

I'd like to run pickup from guitar to something very small, attached to my belt, then have those ear piece headphones ..

I will be able to hear the guitar ,, and learn much better ..

At jams, there are guitars playing, plus mando's, banjo's, bass, fiddle,,,

I can't hear my own guitar

Any help ?

RockerDuck · #2 03-07-2018, 12:28 PM

Smaller amps like you put on your belt sound more like a transistor radio and not loud at all. You can get a smallish battery amp that you can put on a chair, like a Roland AC33 or Fender passport mini.

jasperguitar · #3 03-07-2018, 12:46 PM

I will wear ear buds to hear the guitar ,,,

zhunter · #4 03-07-2018, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockerDuck

Smaller amps like you put on your belt sound more like a transistor radio and not loud at all. You can get a smallish battery amp that you can put on a chair, like a Roland AC33 or Fender passport mini.

I think he is talking headphones. I have a Zoom H2 that might do what you want. It has a 3 mm mic in (plug guitar in here...maybe?) and headphones out. I don't think it has a belt clip attachment but you could rig something.

Been a little while since I did the bluegrass jam thing but when I did, any form of amplification was basically not used. Any attempt to amplify would get you removed from the circle. But maybe things have changed with so many decent battery rigs available. And since you'd be on headphones, I don't think that would be a problem.

Not sure how successful you can be at getting a useful mix but maybe worth a try. Also I am not sure a festival jam circle is a great place to be learning but, again, things could have changed. House or club jams, maybe depending on the circle.

hunter

jasperguitar · #5 03-07-2018, 01:21 PM

I don't want to amplify so others can hear .. I just want to hear my own guitar .. the jams get so large that I can not hear what I'm playing .. I'm trying to train my ears, to my hands .. so when the chord is G, I know its G and when it changes, I will know to change .. etc.

I figured, some little something I can plug into the acoustic guitar pre amp . wear an ear bud .. that is what I'm thinking

I did find something on am a zon ... but I'm not quite sure its what I'm after ...

Thanks

jasperguitar · #6 03-07-2018, 01:43 PM

I think I found what I'm after .. belt clip amp ,,

LC Prime
Guitar Amp Mini Portable Clip Amplifier Speaker Recorder 2 in 1 Chargeable

If you can ? look up on am aaaa zzzz ooo nnnn .. and tell me if this is the answer .. thanks

Per Burström · #7 03-07-2018, 02:03 PM

If you're only after being able to use headphones this new Valeton RushHead Blues looks interesting.

jonfields45 · #8 03-07-2018, 02:35 PM

My duo plays "pure" acoustic gigs every now and again and sometimes I play my RainSong Parlor with 10s against his HD-28V with 12s. To get a little extra push, I bring a Beoplay A1 along and an adapter cable (3.5mm TRS male to 1/4" TS male) and that more than bridges the difference.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/consu...eoplay&index=2

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...t-patch-cable/

I've tried a few cheaper Bluetooth speakers and they did not handle uncompressed guitar as well as the Beoplay but there are a lot of them to try. The line level input in most Bluetooth speakers is marginal to a typical acoustic guitar pickup and the speaker needs to be turned all the way up. A cheap boost pedal between the two and you will get some real volume.

martingitdave · #9 03-07-2018, 02:42 PM

This is a common problem for people who attend bluegrass jams for the first time. First off, there is nothing better than playing with talented people who know how to control their own volume. Aside from that, I use my loudest dreadnought. If your ears can't hear your guitar, it won't make it any better for you, or others, by using in-ear-monitors. Sit further away from the loud instruments. This is primarily why most grassers play pre-war styled dreadnought guitars. If we didn't, we wouldn't hear anything either.

RedJoker · #10 03-07-2018, 03:18 PM

I get what you are saying. I go to a regular jam that has an audience. In that case, a two mic stand is passed around. When it's your turn to lead the song, you get the stand with one mic for vocals and the other pointed at your guitar. Then it's easy to hear but if you're not leading the song, the leader is the loudest with some of the others trying to keep up. I typically play flesh fingerstyle so it's hard for me to hear when I'm next to the dreadnaught strumming, 4mm pick using, hard of hearing retired rocker. I usually just end up hunching over my guitar looking funny. But I look funny anyway...

Could you use one of the little headphone amps that electric guitar players use for practice? Vox, Joyo, etc all make pretty cheap battery powered things that you can plug some ear buds into. They won't sound perfect but that shouldn't matter in this situation.

varmonter · #11 03-07-2018, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasperguitar

I have a pezo pickup in my Eastman acoustic .. works great when plugged into a Fishman amp .. etc.

But .. for jams ? I don't want to carry an amp with me ..

Is there an amp, the size of a MP3 Player ???

I'd like to run pickup from guitar to something very small, attached to my belt, then have those ear piece headphones ..

I will be able to hear the guitar ,, and learn much better ..

At jams, there are guitars playing, plus mando's, banjo's, bass, fiddle,,,

I can't hear my own guitar

Any help ?

Well how bout this??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4romo9RbcA&app=desktop

jimmorgan · #12 03-08-2018, 07:19 AM

For me this sounds like a practice issue. I wouldn't think playing with earbuds in in a room full of people at a Jam would be very practical or enjoyable. The more you play in a jam setting the better you will get at playing in a jam setting.

renoslim · #13 03-08-2018, 07:55 AM

I think you are looking for something like this

https://smile.amazon.com/NUX-Classic...hone+amplifier

GHS · #14 03-08-2018, 11:16 AM

Why dont you just ignore the "I'm louder than you" fest and sit with two or three players who really want to learn from each other???

hat · #15 03-08-2018, 12:06 PM

2 suggestions, not mutually exclusive:
1 - heavy gauge strings, and a pick stout enough to allow you to 'tear the strings off it'

2. A soundport on the side to help direct sound up to you.