Do I need a 2-channel stereo amp for my new acoustic electric guitar?

stingray71 · #1 03-01-2019, 09:13 AM

Hello,
I am new to the forums and have been playing acoustic guitar for a few years. I just sold my Yamaha FG700S and bought an Epiphone Masterbilt DR500MCE.
This guitar has the esonic2 HD preamp built into it and the guitar has 2 outputs for the nanoflex and nanomag pickups.
I know that I can use just the one output to run to my acoustic amp, but in the esonic2 youtube video, he is running two outputs.
Has anyone run these into a 2-channel stereo acoustic amp? Does it sound significantly better?

I only have the Fender Acoustisonic 15 single input amp right now, but I am wondering whether it is worth it to upgrade. I should add that I do not perform or do any gigs.
I am looking at a Marshall AS50D or something similar.

Thanks..

DenverSteve · #2 03-01-2019, 09:57 AM

First - welcome. Next, congratulations on the new guitar. Now, no you don't need another amp. I would buy a 4/8/12 channel small mixer and run your guitar's outs to the mixer so you can individually EQ your sound and mix them into your amp. Good luck.

lkingston · #3 03-01-2019, 10:10 AM

You only need two channels if you are singing into a mic along with your guitar. You only need a dedicated mixer if you are adding something like a second vocal or second guitar to the performance.

ljguitar · #4 03-01-2019, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stingray71

…Do it sound significantly better?

Hi stingray

Probably not to the audience. Usually we players get anal about our 'sound' and the extra work we go to in tweaking sound is for us not the audience (who doesn't care about it).

If you don't get the audiences attention in the first 30 seconds, they are going to pull out their cell phones and scroll all the while you are playing.

I'd encourage you to just use a single output into the amp, and if you can't live with it after a few weeks/months, then consider changes. This is a FREE option.

Mandobart · #5 03-01-2019, 10:48 AM

The LR Baggs MixPro takes two inputs (from a TRS cable) and allows you to use either input alone or blended. The output is a standard TS (mono) signal. I use it with my archtop that has both a magnetic and separate piezo pickup.

Easy enough to get an adapter to plug each individual output into a single TRS cable.

However, per their webpage description you already have the capability to select either pickup or to blend them. Did you get any literature on how to use this guitar when you bought it? Did you read it?

DenverSteve · #6 03-01-2019, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lkingston

You only need two channels if you are singing into a mic along with your guitar. You only need a dedicated mixer if you are adding something like a second vocal or second guitar to the performance.

He needs two channels for the guitar alone.

Chickee · #7 03-01-2019, 11:26 AM

Hey Stingray I have your guitar and know what it is you are asking...
you do not need a two channel amp for that guitar to work properly.
The main jack combines the piezo and the neck pickup and you decide the blend and tone on the controller. If for some reason you want to run a "stereo" rig, the main plug will run piezo only and the second lower jack runs the neck pick up only. You decide volume and tone for each from the controller on the upper bout.

lkingston · #8 03-01-2019, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenverSteve

He needs two channels for the guitar alone.

I have one of those guitars and while it sounds really cool putting the magnetic pickup into a tube amp, you get little if anything from blending the magnetic and under-saddle pickups on that guitar in a mixer instead of in the eSonic preamp blender.

stingray71 · #9 03-01-2019, 12:05 PM

Thanks for your responses. There was very little literature that came with the guitar as Epiphone only provides a somewhat generic user manual.
There was nothing that gave information about the eSonic2 preamp, so that is why I was looking online and watching the video.

I also saw on the video that he ran one of the outputs into an amp that sounded more like an electric guitar. Maybe I will borrow one from a friend and try that out. Has anyone had experience using an electric guitar amp and acoustic on the separate outputs?

btw- I've only had this guitar for a few days and even to my untrained ears, I can notice a difference as it sounds great.

Chickee · #10 03-01-2019, 12:53 PM

[QUOTE=stingray71 Has anyone had experience using an electric guitar amp and acoustic on the separate outputs?
[/QUOTE]

Yes, and it is wonderful! Alot of fun.

SpruceTop · #11 03-01-2019, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stingray71

Hello,
I am new to the forums and have been playing acoustic guitar for a few years. I just sold my Yamaha FG700S and bought an Epiphone Masterbilt DR500MCE.
This guitar has the esonic2 HD preamp built into it and the guitar has 2 outputs for the nanoflex and nanomag pickups.
I know that I can use just the one output to run to my acoustic amp, but in the esonic2 youtube video, he is running two outputs.
Has anyone run these into a 2-channel stereo acoustic amp? Does it sound significantly better?

I only have the Fender Acoustisonic 15 single input amp right now, but I am wondering whether it is worth it to upgrade. I should add that I do not perform or do any gigs.
I am looking at a Marshall AS50D or something similar.

Thanks..

I just bought the same guitar about a month ago! I haven't tried the guitar in stereo into two separate amps but you could and setup each amp with different effects and EQ, etc. As you know, both pickups are combined through the endpin amp and yield a really good amplified tone.

birdmove · #12 03-05-2019, 07:25 PM

I'd like to ask you your opinion of the Fender Acoustasonic 15 amp. I'm reading up on various amps in that class. The Fender 15, Behringer, Dean, Stagg 15 watter, and the Donner. That Donner I believe is the same amp as the Epiphone 15 watt amp. Mostly, I'd use the amp at home, but the possibility of doing a few songs in a small room, possibly with vocals, may come up. My cheap acoustic guitar has a sound hole type passive pickup. The Stagg, interestingly, has a passive/active booster switch built in.

stingray71 · #13 03-06-2019, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birdmove

I'd like to ask you your opinion of the Fender Acoustasonic 15 amp. I'm reading up on various amps in that class. The Fender 15, Behringer, Dean, Stagg 15 watter, and the Donner. That Donner I believe is the same amp as the Epiphone 15 watt amp. Mostly, I'd use the amp at home, but the possibility of doing a few songs in a small room, possibly with vocals, may come up. My cheap acoustic guitar has a sound hole type passive pickup. The Stagg, interestingly, has a passive/active booster switch built in.

I've only had it a few days, but so far, I like it. I am only playing at home now so it is plenty loud enough as I only use about a quarter of the volume. I don't have much to compare it to since this is my first acoustic amp.

napman · #14 03-06-2019, 10:14 AM

Usually we players get anal about our 'sound' and the extra work we go to in tweaking sound is for us not the audience (who doesn't care about it).

If you don't get the audiences attention in the first 30 seconds, they are going to pull out their cell phones and scroll all the while you are playing.

Very well-said: As usual LJ.