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  #46  
Old 01-31-2010, 09:11 PM
BuleriaChk BuleriaChk is offline
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That is normal for a new product, but when I looked a couple of hours ago, noone except Sweetwater had any in stock. It'll take a couple of days....

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Originally Posted by maggieclarke View Post
Kind of phenomenal, but google turns up a whole bunch of sellers of the Roland now and they all have the same price. Some have free shipping tho...
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  #47  
Old 02-02-2010, 01:48 PM
maggieclarke maggieclarke is offline
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http://www.interstatemusic.com/webap...ctId=900367681

This place has one. I'm astounded at the collusion in prices - every single place has it for $399?
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  #48  
Old 02-02-2010, 02:04 PM
BoB/335 BoB/335 is offline
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Guess I should cancel my BagAmp order.
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  #49  
Old 02-02-2010, 02:07 PM
BuleriaChk BuleriaChk is offline
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Originally Posted by BoB/335 View Post
Guess I should cancel my BagAmp order.
Mmmmmph! Mmmmmmmph!

That said, I am really delighted with the AC-33, in spite of its shortcomings (lack of pole mount, reverb not independent on guitar/mic channels).
It is competitive with the SoloAmp and A-Ref on a smaller scale - but the quality of my sound is the best I've heard (for me)...

Not only that, I can hear all my mistakes very clearly......

Last edited by BuleriaChk; 02-02-2010 at 03:37 PM.
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  #50  
Old 02-02-2010, 02:47 PM
mynameis mynameis is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maggieclarke View Post
http://www.interstatemusic.com/webap...ctId=900367681

This place has one. I'm astounded at the collusion in prices - every single place has it for $399?
Minimum Advertised Price - no authorized Roland dealer can advertise it for less than that price.
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  #51  
Old 02-02-2010, 03:58 PM
maggieclarke maggieclarke is offline
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I've seen some places get around stipulations like that by having an internet price that shows up only when you put it in the cart...
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  #52  
Old 02-02-2010, 04:05 PM
BuleriaChk BuleriaChk is offline
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Not often on new, hot items......
(usually on stuff the dealers are trying to unload before NAMM, or just before they're discontinued
or just after, come to think of it ....

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Originally Posted by maggieclarke View Post
I've seen some places get around stipulations like that by having an internet price that shows up only when you put it in the cart...
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  #53  
Old 02-07-2010, 08:26 AM
maggieclarke maggieclarke is offline
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Default Try out of AC-33 fails...

I tried the Roland AC-33 out at J&R in lower Manhattan a few days ago. It kept feeding back, even when I wasn't facing the amp with the guitar. It was a low-ish hum, but quite loud. It happened a lot. The stupid salesman kept making stuff up. Like it's the cheap guitar I was trying it out with, or you need to put this thing in the guitar's hole to block sound, or 'you're in a bad spot' - this when the amp and I were facing in the same direction with the front of the guitar and the front of the amp in a line... Since they have free shipping to Jersey right now, and you get 30 days to try it out on mail order, I ordered it. We'll see if it's really worth $400.
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  #54  
Old 02-07-2010, 09:59 AM
BuleriaChk BuleriaChk is offline
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Thanks for your input. What kind of guitar and/or pickup were you using, or was it mic'd? The hum sounds like it was coming from the guitar (possibly a bad cable?), not the amp (my AC-33 is dead silent) ...... Did you try it with a good guitar, as the salesman suggested? Also, J&R is not a music store; you might want to try it out in a more (music) professional venue.... like Guitar Center........

I played last night with it at my gig - a very crowded and loud coffee-house, with the amp right next to me at gain at half, volume at full, with no feedback at all. (Takamine TC132SC, all controls flat except about half up on reverb.)

Well, we'll see as time goes on.... I got several compliments on my sound (from the workers who also liked my SoloAmp a couple of weeks ago (a couple of whom also part time in local music stores), but said they liked this even better...) I know that so far I really like the sound; of course, it doesn't have the power or projection of the SoloAmp, but was just fine in a loud coffeeshop of around 45....

Of course, I emphasize that I am playing nylon string Flamenco, so YMMV with steel string and in biker bars and worship houses.....

Quote:
Originally Posted by maggieclarke View Post
I tried the Roland AC-33 out at J&R in lower Manhattan a few days ago. It kept feeding back, even when I wasn't facing the amp with the guitar. It was a low-ish hum, but quite loud. It happened a lot. The stupid salesman kept making stuff up. Like it's the cheap guitar I was trying it out with, or you need to put this thing in the guitar's hole to block sound, or 'you're in a bad spot' - this when the amp and I were facing in the same direction with the front of the guitar and the front of the amp in a line... Since they have free shipping to Jersey right now, and you get 30 days to try it out on mail order, I ordered it. We'll see if it's really worth $400.

Last edited by BuleriaChk; 02-07-2010 at 12:14 PM.
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  #55  
Old 02-07-2010, 01:47 PM
maggieclarke maggieclarke is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BuleriaChk View Post
Thanks for your input. What kind of guitar and/or pickup were you using, or was it mic'd? The hum sounds like it was coming from the guitar (possibly a bad cable?), not the amp (my AC-33 is dead silent) ...... Did you try it with a good guitar, as the salesman suggested? Also, J&R is not a music store; you might want to try it out in a more (music) professional venue.... like Guitar Center........
...
I played the guitar the guy handed me (he had to check a few to find one whose electronics battery wasn't flashing). I haven't had good luck finding in stock what I wanted to see at Guitar Center in Manhattan. They'll order anything, but not for a try out. J&R actually has a 2-story storefront now that is strictly guitars, amps on the first floor and other stuff upstairs.
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  #56  
Old 02-09-2010, 12:05 AM
BuleriaChk BuleriaChk is offline
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Before I start, I mention again that I play a Flamenco (nylon string) Takamine CTP-2/Palathetic TC132SC special order, so YMMV.....

The AC-33 still sounds very good, but there doesn't seem to be as much volume in the vocal channel as I would have liked - I have to crank the volume all the way up to get a useable sound (with the master at half way)
The mic is a Shure WH10 head mic..... so other mics may be more sensitive..

I can, of course crank the master up, but I would have thought I would have gotten more sound out with the master at half..... Maybe its just me, and I'll continue experiment.

On the other hand, it doesn't bother me, since I use the BR-900CD as a front end into the Aux In jacks (for rhythm backing), but the mic input(s) on the BR allow plenty of volume and flexibility, so the above is a minor quibble...

Also, the separate reverb controls for each channel might not be as necessary as I thought, since the reverb does seem voiced for vocal and guitar to be complementary (and not over the top).

The amp is fine for small coffee house gigs and rehearsals; I think the emphasis is on the qualilty of its sound (which I am happy wity), rather than its volume.... It is my impression that the DA-10 may be louder, but doesn't sound quite as good....

For me, though, I must admit that the main drivers for this amp are its battery capability and the fact that t is a perfect size to carry on my motorcycle. My perception is that the CM-30's have much more volume, and sound very good indeed, but they have no effects, and can't be battery powered..... And the CM-30 does have a pole mount..

OTOH, the comments from the service personnel at my Sat gig is that the AC-33 is noticeably more pleasing that any of the other solutions to date (CM-30, SoloAmp, Mobile Cube, A-Ref) and plenty loud enough for that venue...

Oh well, one can't have too many acoustic amps..........sheesh....
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  #57  
Old 02-09-2010, 07:41 AM
BoB/335 BoB/335 is offline
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This is just a guess but I think you would get a cleaner sound if you bumped up the master volume and turned down the channel volumes. What does the owner's manual have to say?
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  #58  
Old 02-09-2010, 09:57 AM
BuleriaChk BuleriaChk is offline
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Well, of course I did that. For the vocal channel, thought, the gain was at maximum and not very loud, even with the main at maximum (I can hear it, of course, it just doesn't seem very loud). Both the guitar and mic sound GREAT, it is only the volume that is the issue.... Maybe I'm spoiled with the SoloAmp.....

It may be the mic, although I haven't noticed this issue with this mic before. It is not the channel, since the guitar acts the same way in both channels.

I'll keep playing with it.

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Originally Posted by BoB/335 View Post
This is just a guess but I think you would get a cleaner sound if you bumped up the master volume and turned down the channel volumes. What does the owner's manual have to say?
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  #59  
Old 02-09-2010, 01:35 PM
Ray B Ray B is offline
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From my comment, you'll likely notice that I know little, to nothing about amps ....

But, would the AC-33 also be useful as a monitor when using a larger amp (e.g., AC-90) in a room setting?

I think it might be great for practice, small groups, and outdoor playing; but, I'm looking for an additional use which may sway me to part with the cash.

Thanks,

Ray
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  #60  
Old 02-09-2010, 06:37 PM
BuleriaChk BuleriaChk is offline
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I think the ac-33 will handle small restaurant/coffeehouse gigs ok, and certainly street busking. Something bigger, you might want a SoloAmp or equivalent....

But everyone's needs are different, and the AC-33 has its own unique set of features (for me, size and battery power as well as sounding good...)
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