Solo performers - Amp vs PA or both?

[JackB1]

Was wondering what the preferences were out there for gigging musicians?
Putting your guitar and vocals straight into your PA or using a separate acoustic amp for just your guitar or both? I have to think a dedicated acoustic amp will make your guitar sound better than plugging it straight into a powered speaker or PA system? Of course its much more convenient to just have everything going through one piece.

Thoughts?

[pieterh]

I always have a little PA plus Mackie DL1608 mixer with me/us. My guitar always goes through a preamp (Tonebone Pz-pre) and then post-eq out into the mixer.

If someone else is operating FOH then I’ll use the Pz-pre mainly for mute and guitar switching so I’ll send front of house pre-eq from the preamp.

It depends on the gig of course. Recently we set up a tribute to Abbey Road where I was playing acoustic on only 2-3 songs. In this case I used my TC Bodyrez and the house DI (Radial Pz-DI). I didn’t need mute function as I could just turn the guitar down (Taylor with ES2).

I don’t actually have an acoustic amp as I’ve never really needed one! I either have own mixer and PA or have good sound ops and on stage monitoring...!

[westernslope]

You're blessed lol. I did a wedding this summer where the sound was so bad I was questioning myself as a musician. Now I will Jack that if you're using vocal and guitar precessing pre pay then you can eliminate some of those issues or at least minimize them. But I've had such inconsistent performance from various rooms and sound guys that am reluctant to trust them with my sound anymore.....could be I'm not dealing with the same quality of sound engineers as well lol

[Chipotle]

Acoustic amps are much closer to FRFR (full-range flat response) than electric amps, so the difference between running through an acoustic amp and PA will be far less, all other things being equal.

Of course, all other things are not usually equal. I have a good preamp with effects loop and my own PA for many gigs, so I prefer that to an amplifier. Even with someone else's PA, I still prefer to run direct and can tweak my sound enough from the pedalboard.

If you don't use a pedalboard or have other tone-shaping options upstream, and have to use an unknown PA, I suppose you might want to use an amp to help you control your own sound. But then, as well as extra gear hauling, you have to balance on-stage amp sound with the PA which can add its own challenges.

If you're only using an amp (and presumably running vocals through it), it is basically working as a PA system. Many folks do this. It's just less flexible than a modular PA for difference circumstances.

[ryanspadafora]

I have always run my guitar and vocals into a mixer and then out through powered speakers. That being said, I've often struggled with getting my EQ right and being happy with the overall tone. Some rooms being better than others. Only recently have I thought of using an acoustic amp for smaller, solo shows. I've seen it done with really nice results.

[ChrisE]

I use an acoustic amp with an extension speaker.

[jseth]

Well, it depends upon the size of the venue and the constraints of the gig, but my preferred system is to use my Bose L1 Model II (w/ B1 sub) and my Bose T1 mixer-gizmo; I run everything into the T1, mounted on a small shelf attached to my mic stand, using short cords to minimize stage clutter, then one cord sends signal to and receives AC from the base unit of the L1.

Very clean set-up, great sound (the T1 is quite sophisticated w/ assignable eq and fx) for me and the audience. The Bose 8-12' from me, diagonally off my left shoulder (away from the body of the guitars!), angled so that I am in the 180 degree + dispersion "cone" of the Bose... no need for monitors, as I'm hearing exactly what my audience is hearing...

Clean, even sound throughout the room without ear-splitting volume!

If it's a tiny stage/room or a loose jam session, I'd take my AER Compact 60, along with the T1 (if necessary).

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

I use an acoustic amp with an extension speaker.

I had that rig, too, and it did the job. Sold to a buddy when I had to invest in a full PA system for a band. It's still working nearly every weekend. SoundOnSound wrote "sounds better than it should for the money". They were right.

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I have to think a dedicated acoustic amp will make your guitar sound better than plugging it straight into a powered speaker or PA system? Of course its much more convenient to just have everything going through one piece.

Thoughts?

Your assumption isn't necessarily correct. A lot depends on who is twiddling which knobs on what device. Since I'm down to one band (I play electric bass guitar and sing) I've considered resuming my solo stuff but the thought of dealing with the PA I have just for a fool-on-a-stool gig in some local bar, wine tasting room, or coffee house turns me off. I'm too old to schlep gear I don't need for the gig.

Some of the stick PA's are interesting ... but the Bose (probably regarded as "the best") is prohibitively expensive for me, Fish-sticks just don't do it for me tone-wise. All-in-one tiny boxes (Bose S1, JBL EonOne Compact, etc) are OK, but again, they're pricey for what little they offer (other than light weight, and battery power).

I'm going to try using a good guitar/vocal/harmonize unit to one (or two if I MUST) of my powered speakers and see if that puts in the sonic ball park. Something like the Boss VE-8 would give me the EQ, FX, and other features of a decent PA board, flexibility to size my rig for the gig, and provide clean, uncolored sound (other than what I add in FX) through my speaker(s).

[leew3]

Both. We tend to use Loudbox Artist amps, one for each of us in the duo and add an Alto Trouper on a stand hooked to the amp DI outs if needed. Lately we haven't needed the powered speaker as the rooms we play are covered well by the amps.

[Chipotle]

Really, an acoustic amp with a couple inputs, including XLR and a mic level switch, and tone-shaping for both inputs essentially IS a little single-speaker PA system. Not substantively different from a small powered speaker that has a couple inputs, except for (perhaps) a bit more tone control and effects.

I wouldn't dare to say one would sound any better than the other. It's totally dependent on your setup and your preferences. You can get great (or terrible) sound out of either kind of rig.

[Lost in Sound]

I use guitar>tuner>play acoustic>small mixer>single 12" powered speaker (JBL EON 612).

Sounds great, reasonably portable, and can cover fairly big rooms. I do plan on getting a second powered speaker for more coverage and as a backup if one played up.

[Irish Pennant]

I've yet to play through an acoustic guitar amp that I've liked as well as my moderately budgeted PA. Guitar > Pedalboard > A&H Zed mixer> Yamaha DBR 10 or 12.

[Puerto Player]

Guitar into QSC Touchmix8 into LD Systems Maui 5. Sonic perfection.

[YamahaGuy]

Guitar through pedal board into mixer, vocals to mixer. Out of mixer to stick PA or powered speaker.