Do I need a pre-amp for this situation?

[GTRGUY005]

I have a new Taylor 312ce. Last week at band rehearsal, we played at a studio for the first time. I asked the tech to help me get my sound through the PA.

He plugged me directly into the board/mixer. For some reason he was hesitant to put the fader up too much. I had the volume on my ES2 almost all the way up to be heard with the bass and drums.

Please excuse my lack of knowledge on acoustic amplification issues (I use a plug and play Loudbox mini for my solo gigs).

I am guessing some kind of box between the guitar and the board would help boost the signal.

Can you guys recommend something portable and easy to use in this situation?

Thanks in advance.

[Charlie Bernstein]

No. You don't need a preamp. The mixer boosts the signal. If you're plugging into a mixing board, you don't need a preamp. It's just like plugging into your Loudbox.

If you want to boost your signal just to defeat the person running the mixing board, don't. Bad plan. Your tech is likely decide you're a problem. You don't want that. Playing on a stage, you can step off the stage to hear how you're sounding out front. But you're in a studio. In a studio, the person who masters the recording will bring up your guitar if needed. Even in a studio using a PA for some reason, EQing can bring out your guitar.

And if you just like buying gear, nothing wrong with that. Go ahead and get a preamp. So to answer your last question, the most portable and easy-to-use preamp I know of is the Fire-Eye Red-Eye. They're transparent and sturdy, too.

You're welcome in advance.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by GTRGUY005

I have a new Taylor 312ce. Last week at band rehearsal, we played at a studio for the first time. I asked the tech to help me get my sound through the PA.

He plugged me directly into the board/mixer. For some reason he was hesitant to put the fader up too much. I had the volume on my ES2 almost all the way up to be heard with the bass and drums.

Please excuse my lack of knowledge on acoustic amplification issues (I use a plug and play Loudbox mini for my solo gigs).

I am guessing some kind of box between the guitar and the board would help boost the signal.

Can you guys recommend something portable and easy to use in this situation?

Thanks in advance.

Boosting your signal by any means isn't going to make it louder if the guy in charge keeps the fader down. Your ES2 has plenty of output signal available.

You're plugged into a "PA" in a "studio"?

[Charlie Bernstein]

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