Boss Acoustic Singer 60, for a deal?

[Birdbrain]

So far the best Black Friday deal I've found is for the Boss Acoustic Singer 60 acoustic amp. Sweetwater has it marked down from $599 to $299 for a few more days. None are stocked locally, so I haven't heard one. But it adds some nifty features to my default option, the Fishman Loudbox Mini. The Boss is biamped between the woofer and the tweeter, and there's an auto-harminizer on the vocals, plus looper for the instrument channel.

Anybody have a report or opinion on this amp?

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by Birdbrain

So far the best Black Friday deal I've found is for the Boss Acoustic Singer 60 acoustic amp. Sweetwater has it marked down from $599 to $299 for a few more days. None are stocked locally, so I haven't heard one. But it adds some nifty features to my default option, the Fishman Loudbox Mini. The Boss is biamped between the woofer and the tweeter, and there's an auto-harminizer on the vocals, plus looper for the instrument channel.

Anybody have a report or opinion on this amp?

Looks like a great deal, lots of videos on YouTube

[Birdbrain]

After I saw the review on Premier Guitar, I was hooked. Overall, it's just what I wanted. Small, powerful, lots of sound variations. Perhaps the biggest surprise is how well it sounds with my electrics, even the solid-body.

A few issues, though- I hope they're just user error. There's a lot of background hum, and it seems feedback prone. Despite using the notch filter, I can't put both volumes up past half before microphone howl, or archtop resonance takes over. Maybe I have to try more different amp placements?

Then there's this: with my Godin archtop on the instrument channel, I hear a high-pitched ticking sound accompanying loud chords or single notes. I've tried two cables, with same results. The archtop doesn't do this on my electric guitar amp, and neither does my solid body on the Boss.

Any educated guesses?

[Zandit75]

I have the 120 watt version, but haven't come across any of the issues you mentioned. Having said that, I haven't needed to go past 40% of the volume levels even when performing outside at a garden venue a fortnight ago, and the only feedback I encountered was on a particular note when played with a capo. My acoustic has a Fishman Mic Blend in it, and the mic tends to feedback if you're too close to it.

With the ticking sound, it's not your plectrum that you're hearing being amplified?

[personatech]

Hope you clear up the issues - it certainly looks like you got a great deal! I'm on the hunt, too, for an acoustic amp and this may just be what I need!

You mentioned that it played well with your solid body electric - did you happen to use a pedal (amp sim/overdrive) to get a bit of warmth/grit?

BTW, does it come with the foot pedal or is that an add-on?

[lpa53]

This is indeed tempting, and I see that Amazon has the same price for a few days, too. My wife says i should grab it, but my inner miser says no.

[ohiopicker]

I bought one to use with a Martin D with a soundhole pickup, a tenor uke, and a banjo uke. I've only had limited time with it in the past couple weeks, but I'm sold. The Martin and the tenor uke can be dialed in to sound great. Vocal channel is fine, and the harmony effects, while basic are reasonable for what most acoustic singers would want to use live. I already have a Roland AC33, so the looper function is identical. A deciding consideration was I already had Boss footswitches laying around.

I decided to buy an Ovation mid-bowl (no comments, please) to use for live performance outdoors. I am still dialing in the sound but the body Rez feature helps. I need to tame the metallic artifacts further. For more than patio or small venue gigs, run it into the house p.a. It is about as full-featured as I can handle. At $299. it's an absolute steal.

[meb]

Thanks for letting us know about this deal. I have one on order. I
just bought a VE-8 a week or so ago and am pleased with its sound
and features. I also wanted an amp for small spaces; so why not.
The only downside was that I couldn't get the 1 punch stop loop
feature like I can on the VE-8.

But looking at the manual about foot-switches for harmony has me confused.
Is it simply saying you need a trs cable for connection? or must you split
tip and ring? I bought the FS-5u to control the looper on the VE-8.
Will the FS-5u control harmony? or must I buy more foot-switches?

Thanks.

[lpa53]

Being both a chicken and a procrastinator, I missed out. The price is now back up to normal. And here I'd told myself to got for it upon waking up at two in the morning. Oh, well.

[CASD57]

Me Too...
I just couldn't convince myself I needed it with having a budget PA already and just buying The Gemni BT300 Array PA for $299

But if you want the amp it only went up $50

[lpa53]

Originally Posted by CASD57

Me Too...
I just couldn't convince myself I needed it with having a budget PA already and just buying The Gemni BT300 Array PA for $299

But if you want the amp it only went up $50

Thanks for the tip about the price. The places I looked, Amazon and Guitar Center, had it back up to $500, but I now see that Musician's Friend does indeed have it at $350.

I just have an SA220 so this would have filled the "need" for a smaller amp. You looks like you've got the bases covered already. I'd be interested in hearing how you like the Gemini, a unit I'd never heard of until seeing it on this thread.

[meb]

I received my AS Live and thought I would give you my first impressions.
All in all, I am pleased. With all the features, I am able to get very nice sounds
out of vocals and the guitar, both. The sound is a little warmer than I
recall than you get from a LB Mini, but plenty detailed. It revealed
guitar and pickup differences very well.

The harmony and looper do fine, but you will want a footswitch to use either
one. I have an FS-5U $40 that does the job nicely. The footswitches are
easier to use than the knobs on the VE-8 with my size 13 shoes.

I normally use a Bose L1 mod2 or Bose L1 Compact. I did a quick
comparison. I was able to actually get better guitar sound from the
AS Live than going to the L1C TM port. One of the reasons I was looking
at a small PA was my dissatisfaction with the L1C without the
mixer. Bose vocals were cleaner though..
Of course, with my T1 mixer and the L1C dialed in the L1C wins.

I am picky about my sound, and I consider the AS live gig-worthy.
I plan to use it at an Art Gallery gig in a big room where they want the
music quiet.

Probably the Fishman Mini & Artist are the most likely competitors.
At $299, the AS Live seems a no-brainer over the Mini unless you just love
the Fishman house sound considering the features....Phase notch, Acoustic Res, plus Harmony and looping. At $500, I would think the Artist
would appeal to the guitarist, and the AS live would appeal to
someone who wants harmony & looping in an slim package.

Al in all, I think it is a very nice package , especially since I am
experimenting with adding some harmony and looping into my solo gigs.
Too bad it does not have the 1-punch looper stop feature like the VE-8.

It will be interesting to see what Boss does with the future pricing.

Hope this helps.

[lpa53]

Originally Posted by meb

...Bose vocals were cleaner though ...

Vocals are important to me. What was it you heard from the ACS vocals that you didn't like. Were they muddy? Gravelly?

[meb]

I thought the vocals on the AS Live were superb. I was just pointing out
that for $1000 vs $299 the vocals are a tad cleaner/clearer on the L1C.
imho the vocals are a strength in the Bose lineup. The was certainly nothing
off-putting about the AS Live vocals.

[lpa53]

Originally Posted by meb

I thought the vocals on the AS Live were superb. I was just pointing out
that for $1000 vs $299 the vocals are a tad cleaner/clearer on the L1C.
imho the vocals are a strength in the Bose lineup. The was certainly nothing
off-putting about the AS Live vocals.

Thanks for this. I missed the 299 deal due to my usual indecisiveness but if it comes up again, I may give it a go. Unless I don't. Or I might. Darn, there I go again.