3 Types of players

[Marshall]

In all the discussions here about amplification I see, what I call, 3 different types of players. At least amongst the serious people. (And my goodness are we serious or what?)

So I'll explain:

1. First type are instrumentalists: these are people who are accomplished acoustic players and want an amplified sound that closely represents the lovely nuanced tones they hear from their fine guitars when performing.

2. Singer/Songwriter types: People who play and sing usually solo, or with 1 or 2 others. They want their amplified guitar to be full and strong to accompany vocals. The song is most important. Their amplified tone needs to carry the song, but not necessarily as nuanced as the instrumentalists. Subtlety is lost in a loud room.

3. Ensemble/Band players: People who play in bands with other electric instruments like electric guitars, bass, keyboards and percussion. These performers don't have to carry the song. But they want to be able to cut through a big mix and be heard. A great sound is important, but nuance is far from a front concern.

I'm sure there are variations on all this. But, in my mind, it's helpful to understand where someone is coming from when they say what they prefer in an amplified sound.

I suppose what also comes into play is how experimental we are. Many people want a simple basic rock-solid solution they can count on, while others (yeah, I'm in that category) are tinkerers and willing to try something new (sort of for the fun of it). Always looking for something better.


Over the last 20 years there have been dozens of systems that claim to be the greatest system ever to reproduce your acoustic guitar. I chuckle every time I see something like that. But we have come a long way and there's a lot of great sounding options out there.

YMMV

[YamahaGuy]

This has got me thinking what do people truly mean when they ask for the "best" acoustic amp...
Do they mean the one that is a step above all others in build quality, price and prestige?
Do they mean the loudest?
Do they mean the one with the most features?
Do they mean the highest rated and/or most popular?
Do they mean the best one under $xxx? (Best bang for the buck)

I virtually cringe, then 'get my popcorn' when I see those threads pop up by those new to the game.

Thanks for your post. I'd say I fit into type 2 usually.

[mike o]

Couldn’t agree more with this OP. It’s a total joke.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Yup, I think you covered the serious-player waterfront.

As any anything-but-serious player, I just think of myself as a guitar slut. A chameleon. I just want to play. I'll play solo when I have to and with others when I can. Not an artiste. Just a guit-pickin' fool.

[KevWind]

I guess I am a bit schizophrenic

While I do have (what some would call) some serious live amplification and home recording gear
I specifically try to never take the world or myself too seriously (from what I can tell that has the potential for a lot of wasted energy and at my age I gotta preserve every ounce )

[tdrake]

Some of us are cursed to equally occupy numbers 1, 2 and 3.

Returning to performing and thus the amplification question, and this forum, after about an 8 year hiatus, I find we're just where I left off:

1. It's ironically pretty easy to get a decent fingerpicking, solo-venue sound (Heck, Michael Hedges already had it back in 1981!)

2. It's still seemingly impossible to get a decent hard-driving, high-volume, strumming sound for the band stuff.

3. Despite my best intentions, I just can't fit your second two categories and simply give up on a decent tone.

I'm a big fan of adapting my attitude to life's realities, but I'll be ****ed if I can make my peace with this one.

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by Marshall

In all the discussions here about amplification I see, what I call, 3 different types of players. At least amongst the serious people. (And my goodness are we serious or what?)

So I'll explain:

1. First type are instrumentalists: these are people who are accomplished acoustic players and want an amplified sound that closely represents the lovely nuanced tones they hear from their fine guitars when performing.

2. Singer/Songwriter types: People who play and sing usually solo, or with 1 or 2 others. They want their amplified guitar to be full and strong to accompany vocals. The song is most important. Their amplified tone needs to carry the song, but not necessarily as nuanced as the instrumentalists. Subtlety is lost in a loud room.

3. Ensemble/Band players: People who play in bands with other electric instruments like electric guitars, bass, keyboards and percussion. These performers don't have to carry the song. But they want to be able to cut through a big mix and be heard. A great sound is important, but nuance is far from a front concern.

I'm sure there are variations on all this. But, in my mind, it's helpful to understand where someone is coming from when they say what they prefer in an amplified sound.

I suppose what also comes into play is how experimental we are. Many people want a simple basic rock-solid solution they can count on, while others (yeah, I'm in that category) are tinkerers and willing to try something new (sort of for the fun of it). Always looking for something better.


Over the last 20 years there have been dozens of systems that claim to be the greatest system ever to reproduce your acoustic guitar. I chuckle every time I see something like that. But we have come a long way and there's a lot of great sounding options out there.

YMMV

Nailed it!

[Jaxon]

I've been playing about 60 yrs and I'm the 4th kind, maybe 5th or 6th kind whatever that is

[jricc]

Going by your 3 different types Marshall, I'd have to say I'm a 2 since I gig solo most of the time.
There is a smidgen of 3 thrown in for the occasional times I gig with a band.

Maybe I'm a 2.2?

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by tdrake

1. It's ironically pretty easy to get a decent fingerpicking, solo-venue sound (Heck, Michael Hedges already had it back in 1981!)

2. It's still seemingly impossible to get a decent hard-driving, high-volume, strumming sound for the band stuff.

3. Despite my best intentions, I just can't fit your second two categories and simply give up on a decent tone.

I saw Hedges live solo in a big auditorium decades ago. He was fabulous. But I'd hardly call his sound purely acoustic. It was a VERY processed electronic sound. Exciting and cool. It paid reference to acoustic music, but it was BIG AND BOLD AND LOUD AND PROCESSED. No plain acoustic guitar could ever sound like that.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Marshall

In all the discussions here I see, what I call, 3 different types of players. At least amongst the serious people.

After years of AGF reading, I thought the 3 types of players were

• Martin players
• Gibson players
• Taylor players

All the others would just be too proud to admit they actually belong to one of the 3 categories …

With the OP, my vison of the world just collapsed

[Br1ck]

I think for the most part you are correct, but I also think there is a great deal of overlap. The tone chasers I know tend to be fingerpickers. The systems that seem to be the most popular are two or three way systems that incorporate a mic. If you are in a band with a drummer and electric guitars, you will want a mag or under saddle pickup to combat feedback. Pickups are a constant compromise.

A singer/guitarist generally wants a decent sound. Dazzos and SunnAudio fit the bill for me in that regard.

The do everything Cole Clark nails everything but the acoustic tone. I think the ES2 system has been around so long is that it never sounds bad. IMHO, never good either. People like Anthems too. You just need to find something that works for you and know when to quit.

[martingitdave]

Great post Marshall. I am in group 2, generally. Occasionally, I do some instrumentals which require a little more nuance. I can typically get by with just about any kind of pickup. I change my right hand technique to compensate. There are some pickups I like better.

[gwlee7]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

After years of AGF reading, I thought the 3 types of players were

• Martin players
• Gibson players
• Taylor players

All the others would just be too proud to admit they actually belong to one of the 3 categories …

With the OP, my vison of the world just collapsed

Lol. I have multiple personalities.

[Mr.Thumbpick]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

The tone chasers I know tend to be fingerpickers.

Hmmm... not sure... I think fingerpicking is the easiest of all regarding tone. I play dead clean in terms of an electric guitar into an amp and dead clean with an acoustic guitar into an acoustic guitar amp.

All I ever read about is people like metal players that chase thousands of rack units or pedals and carry on about their amp rigs for their wall of sound.

If you are playing unamplified then even easier again... pick that guitar... does it get any simpler?

So nothing more simple than fingerpicking really.