Solo acoustic live sound, what do you guys use?

[Uckizz]

Hi!

I thought it's about time to play some acoustic shows, mainly solo, and I'm a total noob when it comes to acoustic amplification and PA's. I've recently bought a guitar with a pickup for this purpose (Yamaha LS-6) and I'm also thinking about installing some kind of pickup-system in my more expensive Furch-guitar so I can have two guitars with different tunings etc.

I've been trying out the Yamaha straight in my computer via USB-interface and some effects, and also plugged into my Line6 electric amp (I know this isn't good, but I fiddled with the clean settings). Anyhow, I really don't like the sound of the piezo pickup in the Yamaha. It's quacky and doesn't sound natural.

I have a percussive style of playing with my fingers, both fingerstyle and strumming, and I'm looking for easy compact live setup with a decent sound.

Tips on how to make my piezo sound a little better? I've been looking into different pedals (Zoom A3 etc.). Are they a good alternative for this purpose?

Or should I just install a good system in my more expensive guitar?
If there are any solo players/singers out there, what setup do you guys use?

[BluesKing777]

Here is a video review of the Boss VE-8:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzVh5YX5zXo


BluesKing777.

[ChrisE]

I used to use a Crate acoustic amp as a mini-PA. It's 60 watts and has inputs for guitar and vocals, and has reverb, etc. It sounds great and is plenty loud.

I recently got a portable (battery-powered) Carvin Stagemate system. It has 4 or 6 channels (I forget) and an extension speaker and sounds great. It also has effects and enough inputs for a duo or trio.

I play a Taylor 314ce and just use the stock electronics straight into the amp or PA.

[smurph1]

This is my opinion only. I hate piezos!! I would rather use a magnetic soundhole pickup. If you don't want to gig your good guitar, pop a $99 Mag in the soundhole of your Yamaha and run it into your PA. You might be amazed at the sound you can get with a little tweaking! My 2 cents. Enjoy.

[Caddy]

I did solo acoustic for about twenty years, just used one mic for vocals, another for guitar. Still think that gives the best acoustic sound.

[KenL]

I run a K&K Pure equipped guitar and a Shure SM58Beta mic through a Genz Benz Shenandoah LT 150 amp.

Can run a second guitar & mic through it too.

Sounds terrific, plenty of horsepower for a small to medium room. Great amps if you can find one, don't think they make 'em anymore.

[shredtrash]

Taylor GA Mahogany Custom w/ES-1>Voicelive 3>SR Technology Jam 150. I use a Blue Encore 300 condenser mic for vocals. Sonically, I'm REALLY happy with this setup but I need more flexibility and inputs.

I just ordered the new Fishman SA330x with the extension mixer so I can use it solo or with my duo so I'll probably be selling the Jam when it comes in. The Jam 150 sounds amazing though! I owned an SA220 before and loved that as well so at least I know what I'm getting into.

[Mandobart]

A little searching will reveal countless threads on this subject. I'm still new to this forum so I'll go ahead and repeat myself again:

First off, all piezoelectric elements work by producing a variable millivolt output in response to the application of strain. I couldn't tell from the spec if this is an undersaddle (UST) or undersoundboard pickup. All under saddle transducers are constantly under strain from the downward pressure applied by the string tension through the saddle. They are never in a zero strain state (unless the strings are completely slack). So they are already biased toward saturation, the point at which the maximum output is achieved and any further strain simply overdrives it.

Under soundboard piezos, OTOH, are free to respond to soundboard vibration and are in a zero strain state when not being played. They have a wider dynamic range and are not pre-biased to overdrive. You can get them to quack, usually if the input impedance of your amp/PA doesn't match the output impedance of the piezo (usually 1 to 10 megohm).

One thing about your Yamaha, I think it has a passive pu system so you need some kind of impedance match (preamp or DI). Impedance mismatch (between the high output impedance of the piezo and the low input impedance of many amps and boards) causes a signal phase shift and signal loss/distortion. The signal hits the unmatched interface and part gets reflected back while the rest gets shifted.

A good preamp is one way to eliminate the impedance mismatch. The preamp's input matches the piezo output and the preamp output matches the amplifier/PA input. You can achieve the same impedance matching with an active or passive DI, or by using an acoustic amp or PA with a high impedance (HI Z) input channel.

[Laughingboy68]

I plug both of my guitars into my pedalboard (slight compression and EQ always on) and then into a Fishman Loudbox Artist that acts as a monitor and feeds an Allen & Heath Zed10FX mixer to a pair of EV ELX12P powered speakers.

My guitars are a 25 year old Takamine with its original UST pickup and onboard preamp and an 8 year old Martin OMCRE with a UST and an onboard Aura preamp. Despite the difference in the technology of the two preamps, both of these guitars sound good through my system. Some people prefer the rich loud Tak, some prefer the more subtle shimmer of the Martin/Aura combo. I try to let them show their respective strengths.

The nice thing about USTs is that they can be loud and will cut through (say if you are playing with a band). They're a little more feedback resistant than SBTs. My son has a D-15 with a K&K SBT that works well through my setup, but it can get lost when it's not the only instrument onstage.

Evaluating your Yamaha through a Line 6 amp which has been designed for electric guitars might not be the most objective test.

[GrandpaDave]

I use the following:

Guitar - Taylor 214 CE K Ltd.

Mic - Shure SM58

Amp - Line 6 L2T or Fishman Loudbox Mini

[Uckizz]

Alot of good responses here, thank you guys so much!

Would love to give my Yamaha a fair test with the right equipment. Anyway, I think I'm still getting some kind of soundhole pickup for the Furch later.

I love the idea of just micing up the guitar with a good condenser, but is feedback a problem? Maybe it doesn't matter when you're doing small shows?

An acoustic amp-setup also sounds interesting. Saw something on youtube where a guy plugged in his guitar into a DI-box, linked it to the acoustic amp and the the balance out into the PA. With my budget right now I can't afford something like Fishman Loudbox Artist, but I read good things about the Loudbox Mini. Since it has some effects and EQ, it would be convenient to just add some compressor/tuner pedals and I'm good to go. Or maybe something else like Ibanez troubadour t80, marshall AS50D? There are quite a few alternatives in the same pricerange.

If the venue is really small, since some amps also has a mic input, it would be convenient if that is enough to fill the room, I can just play and sing straight into it!

So maybe lean towards some sort of amp setup?

[Wyllys]

I use an acoustic guitar: no pickup, no amp. If I should need a little help, a mic into a decent PA might be in order.

As both a musician and sound engineer, I'm disappointed in the sound of amplified acoustics 98% of the time. And an amp is a very poor substitute for a PA.

/rant

[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by Uckizz

...An acoustic amp-setup also sounds interesting. Saw something on youtube where a guy plugged in his guitar into a DI-box, linked it to the acoustic amp and the the balance out into the PA. With my budget right now I can't afford something like Fishman Loudbox Artist, but I read good things about the Loudbox Mini. Since it has some effects and EQ, it would be convenient to just add some compressor/tuner pedals and I'm good to go. Or maybe something else like Ibanez troubadour t80, marshall AS50D? There are quite a few alternatives in the same pricerange.

If the venue is really small, since some amps also has a mic input, it would be convenient if that is enough to fill the room, I can just play and sing straight into it!

So maybe lean towards some sort of amp setup?

There are some great acoustic amps out there - I disagree with the following quote:

Originally Posted by Wyllys

...As both a musician and sound engineer, I'm disappointed in the sound of amplified acoustics 98% of the time. And an amp is a very poor substitute for a PA.

/rant

For my solo gigs the Carvin AG300 works great. It essentially is a PA with the three-way cabinet and connecting an aux three-way to it. Unlike many mixing boards out there, it has a HI Z input select which allows me to plug any of my passive piezo equipped instruments straight in with no DI or preamp. I've gigged with this amp for over a year.

[Perchman]

Guitar: Guild D55 with JJB 330 pickup into Baggs Para DI

Mixer: Yamaha MG10XU

Mic: Sennheiser e835 into Cloudlifter CL-1

Speaker: EV ZLX12

The Yamaha mixer and EV ZLX12 can be purchased for right around $500 total. See if whomever you buy from won't throw in a speaker stand and cable and you'll be very happy.

[51 Relic]

I use a Yamaha SLG200s and a J45 into a TC Electronic flashback Delay into a AER Compact 60 and for larger applications stereo into Marshall AS50D with the AER