I feel like a dinosaur

[Dudley]

I'm not in any danger of doing larger venues any time soon.

If anyone can offer advice on how to reduce feedback, I'd appreciate it.

I'm obviously a novice at gigging/playing amplified. I really had no intention to start gigging but my wife started blabbing about my guitar playing and one thing led to another.

[lkingston]

Deleted comment

[Petty1818]

This place definitely isn't representative of most gigging musicians IMO. I mean some situations yes, but I have read some intricate rigs on here that I have yet to see any musicians using live in my area.

IMO, it's easy to get overwhelmed with new products, but I would argue that other than IR pedals, there really hasn't been massive strides taken in the past twenty years. I mean, the Aura came out in 2003 and was doing the IR thing. Yes there are new options but IR's have been an option for a long time. The Anthem was a breakthrough but we are going back ten years at this point.

In terms of pickups, it's just been variations of the same old technology.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Dudley

If anyone can offer advice on how to reduce feedback, I'd appreciate it.

1. Keep your speakers in front of you.

2. Try one of those soundhole covers (I assume you're plugging in, not playing acoustically into a mic.)

3. Watch out for reflective surfaces.

4. Don't use a monitor if you don't need one.

There are plenty of other things to do (notch filters, feedback busters, different guitars) but IME these are the main ones for the kinds of gigs you describe.

[Lost Sheep]

Feedback: First find out what feedback is happening. Through the microphone or through your guitar?

Everything Paleotith 54 said.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

Back when I was gigging frequently it was me, JJB SBT's in a mandolin, fiddle and guitar, an SM58, my Carvin AG300 and cords. It worked (and still works) for any venue I've played.

We're brainwashed to believe we need to continually acquire more.

Granted but that AG300 was pretty sweet!

[Murphy Slaw]

I still have an AG100D that works. I never use it because the Bose stuff sounds better, but it's a versatile rig for many uses.

[Dudley]

Interesting turn of events. I have a buddy (drummer in a blues trio) who owns a pawn shop, which is where the Boss Katana 50 came from. This guy knows his stuff and specializes in music gear. He texted me I need to stop by and check out something new he got in and bring my guitar with me. Someone pawned an Ultrasound AG50 and a DI Max preamp. He has to hold it 30 days but he let me rock out in the hold room. This setup just blows away my Boss. I've got dibs on it when its out of hold. Looks like they were both basically unused or definitely not gigged.

[Br1ck]

Basic concepts you need to know. Unless you have a soundhole pickup, the majority of acoustic pickups use piezo crystals wich need to react to a high impedance. you don't need to understand impedance, just know about it. Now many pedals and other downstream effects don't have a high input impedance, so you need to match` the signal from the pickup to, for our purpose, an amp or a mixer input. This is where a pre comes in. If your guitar has a battery, it has a pre, and you can plug it into anything down stream. Now most pres incorporate a DI as part of the design, and this matching devise is really all you need, but folks like other features, so EQ, effects loops, etc are incorporated. But woah, an amp designed for an acoustic has a pre incorporated into the devise, as well as many mixers. So all you need is the input impedance to have a 1 meg ohm input. Sometimes this is a switch.

When you hear a shrill icepicky tone, it's usually an impedance mismatch. You will get sound but it will suck. Pretty much any devise designed for acoustic guitar will have the correct impedance by default or a switch.

With vocals, I'm a fan of PA speakers, or that full frequency multiple driver design incorporated into the acoustic amp.

[RussellHawaii]

I can’t comment on your amp choice, but in general a simple setup has lots of advantages over a complicated one! The simpler it is, the easier to haul, setup, get consistent results and focus on the music. All the cables, power needs, level matching, etc, are a hassle and will take you away from a musical head space at just the wrong time.
I’ve found the ultimate acoustic amp in an EAE (Elite Acoustics, made in US!) amp. Not cheap but it does it all in one box, no preamps needed, and even better, sounds great. It shines especially in having a great vocal sound as well as guitar.
Also, you’re obviously not a dinosaur! I don’t even know what ‘FOMO’ means! And congrats on returning to guitar!

[varmonter]

Back in the 80s I played in a top 40 cover band.
Think "Hit me with your best shot" and "rock the casbah" we had speakers that required a truck or van to transport and we lugged them to all ends of our local area. Those speakers were dinosaurs and weight a ton.but we were young.
My wife and I recently sold all of our belongings and moved into an rv. We like to volunteer as park
hosts or work in visitor centers for which we receive a place to park the rv..I sold so much gear but kept one guitar and one mando.
I have an eae gigmix (think high quality micro mini mixing board)and a qsc cp8
Small great sounding setup.
Like said above when it comes to sound
gear we are our own worst critics.
The audience could care less as long as your heard. I'm a big proponent of the KISS factor.
If you like the katana than it works for you.
Wherever my wife and I go I like to find places
To play..Some have adequate pa systems..some my cp8 fits perfect...enjoy..