Want to buy a small amp which of the following is better?

[ShaMN]

I want a little acoustic amp for the house
and I think about 3 models:

Fender Acoustasonic 15
PEAVEY E20 20W
KUSTOM SIENNA16PRO

?

I have a martin 000-10E

[rmp]

you might find the absence of reverb in the Fender and Peavey a bumer.

The Kustom does have reverb. so maybe that's the one I'd look at in that price break

If you were to move your budget a bit further north, a Loud Box Mini would be a great option for you.

I have a LB Artist, may be too much for what you're plans are, but I get a lot of great use out of it. Easy to move, always sounds good.

[MarkF_48]

I've seen the Acoustic A20 mentioned a couple of times on this forum as a fairly decent small budget acoustic amp.
Acoustic A20

Edit..... Also just noticed the Acoustic A20 has a headphone jack which I wished my Loudbox Mini had.

[JackB1]

I have also been looking for a small cheap practice amp.

Tried the Acoustasonic and it didn't sound great. Also no reverb.

I don't want to spring for a Loudbox Mini but thinking it might be worth the extra $$$. I think the best small amp for under $150 is the Acoustic 20 watt model. Has a nice reverb and works nicely also with vocals for a small coffee house type gig. Also would make a nice monitor if you wanted to use it with your larger PA. But for roughly another $125 you can have a Loudbox Mini which is the gold standard for small amps.

[Big Band Guitar]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I have also been looking for a small cheap practice amp.

Tried the Acoustasonic and it didn't sound great. Also no reverb.

I don't want to spring for a Loudbox Mini but thinking it might be worth the extra $$$. I think the best small amp for under $150 is the Acoustic 20 watt model. Has a nice reverb and works nicely also with vocals for a small coffee house type gig. Also would make a nice monitor if you wanted to use it with your larger PA. But for roughly another $125 you can have a Loudbox Mini which is the gold standard for small amps.

Your going to end up with the Mini eventually so go for it up front.

[Lost in Sound]

I agree, if possible save a bit extra and grab a Fishman. From everything I've read around here (I don't own one), they seem to get a lot of love. Once you have it, you'll be rockin' a lovely tone! The Roland AC amps could be an option too, not sure how they compare price wise....

[zhunter]

Originally Posted by Lost in Sound

I agree, if possible save a bit extra and grab a Fishman. From everything I've read around here (I don't own one), they seem to get a lot of love. Once you have it, you'll be rockin' a lovely tone! The Roland AC amps could be an option too, not sure how they compare price wise....

Roland is a little pricey. Even used the Roland was more $$ than the Loudbox. I had an AC90 at the same time as a Loudbox Mini. The AC90 had a nice wide spread and not a lot of throw. Fuller sound but not capable of being as loud out in the room. For home living room that is not a bad thing. The Loudbox had more punch and throw. Since I was looking for a stage amp, punch and throw won out. I have neither now BTW.

A consideration that someone on the forum tipped me to is a Fender Passport Mini. Versatile with a full set of effects and not bad for acoustic and electric. The downside for me is almost every adjustment other than switching models is done in the computer. No EQ or gain controls on the box so the sound you get is what you get until it is hooked to a computer. It has a small kind of boxy voice but it IS a small box so... And still relatively expensive at $180. Probably paying for the battery option too. But if a very compact package with the capability to make a bunch of sounds both acoustic and electric it will do a fair job.

hunter

[archerscreek]

For the house, I'd go with a Fishman Loudbox Mini, especially since places are slashing prices on the non-bluetooth models. Chicago Music Supply, if I recall correctly, had them for around $250 (after instant rebate) a few days ago.

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by zhunter

Roland is a little pricey. Even used the Roland was more $$ than the Loudbox. I had an AC90 at the same time as a Loudbox Mini. The AC90 had a nice wide spread and not a lot of throw. Fuller sound but not capable of being as loud out in the room. For home living room that is not a bad thing. The Loudbox had more punch and throw. Since I was looking for a stage amp, punch and throw won out. I have neither now BTW.

A consideration that someone on the forum tipped me to is a Fender Passport Mini. Versatile with a full set of effects and not bad for acoustic and electric. The downside for me is almost every adjustment other than switching models is done in the computer. No EQ or gain controls on the box so the sound you get is what you get until it is hooked to a computer. It has a small kind of boxy voice but it IS a small box so... And still relatively expensive at $180. Probably paying for the battery option too. But if a very compact package with the capability to make a bunch of sounds both acoustic and electric it will do a fair job.

hunter

It was probably me that brought the Passport Mini up to you, Hunter.

We have 2, and for small retirement home gigs, they are perfect. Work well for acoustic (but I still use a preamp) and electric.

They have gone up 30 bucks since last year and I have to say that if the OP is going to use it solely for acoustic that their are much better options out there IMO.

I checked CME's website and the Fishmans are slashed to $260 + a $20 instant rebate. At this price, they are a no-brainer IMHO. Jump on one before they are gone.

[jdto]

I used a Traynor AM Mini for a small, outdoor gig last summer. I was impressed by the sound.

[zhunter]

Originally Posted by roylor4

It was probably me that brought the Passport Mini up to you, Hunter.

We have 2, and for small retirement home gigs, they are perfect. Work well for acoustic (but I still use a preamp) and electric.

They have gone up 30 bucks since last year and I have to say that if the OP is going to use it solely for acoustic that their are much better options out there IMO.

I checked CME's website and the Fishmans are slashed to $260 + a $20 instant rebate. At this price, they are a no-brainer IMHO. Jump on one before they are gone.

Could be. Glad you remember the pricing. Before I posted I checked to see if they still made em since no one ever mentions em. I was surprised at the price and was thinking I wouldn't pay that. But I would have gone 150. Pretty brave of fender to raise the price 30 bucks!

Still it does what I need. As long as I can hook it to a computer.

That loud box price is about what I paid several years back. A lot of amp for the money.

hunter

[birdmove]

The Acoustasonic has chorus, but no reverb. I bought the Peavey Acoustic 208, and sent it back. It made some horrible noises, like a vibration or something. The Kustom Siennas are discontinued I believe. There is the Acoustic 20 as mentioned above, but also the Acoustic 15, which has no reverb, but does have chorus.

You might look at the Behringer Ultracoustic AT108. But, it doesn't have reverb or chorus. The Stagg 15 has reverb:

https://www.amazon.com/Stagg-15-AA-D...uments&sr=1-12

This little Dean doesn't have reverb or chorus, or a mic jack, but gets good reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/Dean-DA20-Aco...uments&sr=1-19


This Donner has chorus, no reverb, an instrument and mic channel, and is the same amp as the Epiphone amp that comes in an acoustic guitar/and amp plus other stuff in a package.

https://www.amazon.com/Donner-Acoust...31-spons&psc=1

Some of these have no mic jack, if that's important to you.

I just went through all this, and ended up getting a Kustom PA5 personal PA. Target online has these for $99.99 free shipping. No reverb or chorus, but has 3 channels. Two have a 1/4" instrument jack and an XLR/three prong mic jack. In the end, I wanted something I could run two mics through, and one acoustic guitar. I wanted something I could, if I got up the guts, take to an open mic night.

Of the smaller acoustic amps, I like that the Fender has a plywood cabinet (most makers won't tell you what the cabs are made of), and a 5 year transferable warranty. I also like the Acoustic 15 from what I've heard on the web and read about it, and the Acoustic 20 too.

My 8 year old granddaughter and me are writing a song, and hope to perform it at her birthday party in July, and that's why I wanted two mic capability and a guitar. Yes, old grandpa's going to sing and play.

Of all these, since I live near Hilo Hawaii, I could only find the Fender in stock locally. Tiny and very portable, but I couldn't get much volume from it. But, I found out that the biggest problem was the position of my stick on passive pickup. I'm fixing that now.

[Ten]

Without ever hearing one, I’m intrigued by the Elite Acoustics A1-4 at 299 for bedroom use vs a Mini.

[PAPADON]

I got this one primarily for my for electric guitar but my flat top is liking it on the acoustic channel as well.

[D41Fan]

For my 2 cents, I would go for the Fender Acoustasonic 15. Portable and cheap. Plus Fender knows how to make amps. If I didn't have my Bose L1C, I would have gone for the Fender SFX.