played with a loud rock band

[andrus108]

Originally Posted by zuzu

EPILOGUE: I did test this rig and it sounded almost like the unplugged guitar. I left it in my shed and played with a long cord. I could A-B by shutting the shed door and standing, say 15 feet away, where I could hear the guitar acoustically. Then I would open the shed door and hear the amp. Of course, in this scenario there are no cross current frequencies from other instruments, bouncing harmonics, etc.. The only glitch is the Crown couldn't take the wide dynamic range of input from the acoustic and would activate the "clip cut" circuit if I started hard strumming. I was able to control it with the compressor but then it sounded compressed. I always compress a bit, but very lightly, and this was too much.

But, my question was answered: I do, in fact, own a speaker cab that makes really excellent acoustic guitar sound even at pretty high volume...though it is a pain to carry around. I just need to pair it with a clean, transparent amp. I'm thinking I will get a good powered mixer...and a hand truck.

And suspicions confirmed as well: you want to play loud with an acoustic/electric and have it sound natural? However you choose to go about it, you gotta move a lot of air with no distortion.

Hey, I wander about your further experience with this set up. I'm looking for an excuse to buy a bass amp, but I only occasionally play bass nowadays, although it'd be nice to have one around but not just collecting dust. So if it would double as a decent acoustic amp, and I possibly could end up in similar situation that is playing acoustic in loud rock band (I play both electrics and acoustics, and sing too), I'd be glad to hear more.

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by andrus108

Hey, I wander about your further experience with this set up. I'm looking for an excuse to buy a bass amp, but I only occasionally play bass nowadays, although it'd be nice to have one around but not just collecting dust. So if it would double as a decent acoustic amp, and I possibly could end up in similar situation that is playing acoustic in loud rock band (I play both electrics and acoustics, and sing too), I'd be glad to hear more.

If you want to move some air, and get that satisfying full tone, you'll want something with a 15" woofer/driver. One forum regular uses a dual 15 powered speaker and he rants and raves about his tone. A 12" isn't bad, but if you're gonna play bass, especially a 5 string or a 4 in drop, go for something with a 15.

[DMZ]

Back in the day my SWR California Blonde would do well. With a mag pickup, it could be very very present. Bass could be played too. I played with a loud band.

[B. Adams]

I have a couple of Mesa Rosette amps. At 300w, I bet I'd be able to hang with a decently loud classic rock band. I'd still rather run through the PA though.

My amps are the 2x8 version, but I'm probably going to add a 1x10 in the future.

[zuzu]

P.P.S.: I purchased a small, light, class D powered PA and use it with the 15 inch cab mentioned above. Quite loud, natural, and super clean. I am a happy camper!

Oh, and that was no joke, I did purchase a hand truck as well...wish a had done that long ago...

[andrus108]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

If you want to move some air, and get that satisfying full tone, you'll want something with a 15" woofer/driver. One forum regular uses a dual 15 powered speaker and he rants and raves about his tone. A 12" isn't bad, but if you're gonna play bass, especially a 5 string or a 4 in drop, go for something with a 15.

2x15 cab for an acoustic guitar? I'm sure it sounds great, but unless the bass player shows up with two Ampeg fridges, I call that seriously over the top :-D

Go over to Talkbass, and all you hear how this or that tiny and lightweight amp and 1x12 cab is amazing because it's tiny and lightweight..... ;-)

[jp2558]

In my humble experience, I've always run my acoustics directly into the PA, a Mackie 808S, pushing a pair of Fender 15's on stands, and a couple of cheap powered floor monitors. To me, if the PA is supporting vocals, it should be equally able to support a good acoustic.

[TedBPhx]

Originally Posted by B. Adams

I have a couple of Mesa Rosette amps. At 300w, I bet I'd be able to hang with a decently loud classic rock band. I'd still rather run through the PA though.

My amps are the 2x8 version, but I'm probably going to add a 1x10 in the future.

I thought I was the oddball with my Rosette in the land of AER and Fishman. But 2 about to be 3? My Man!

[Guitars44me]

Has anyone above mentioned using a small but sweet sounding acoustic amp with a line out to the PA? If so I missed it

Those Mesa Rosette amps are supposed to sound GREAT. But they are heavy, aren’t they?

I just scored a nice Udo Roesner da Capo amp from a fine AGF member. 16 pounds of two combo xlr/14” channel goodness. Thank you nostatic!

It sounds spectacular in my music room and I will gig it tomorrow evening.

This is Tommy Emmanuel’s newer post AER preferred amp, and he uses it like his old AER. He runs everything thru the amp and sends lines out to the PA guy.

I would try something similar in your situation.

Best of luck and wear your good hearing protection!!!

Cheers

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Guitars44me

Has anyone above mentioned using a small but sweet sounding acoustic amp with a line out to the PA? If so I missed it

I just scored a nice Udo Roesner da Capo amp from a fine AGF member. Thank you nostatic!

It sounds spectacular in my music room and I will gig it tomorrow evening.

This is Tommy Emmanuel’s newer post AER preferred amp, and he uses it like his old AER. He runs everything thru the amp and sends lines out to the PA guy.

I would try something similar in your situation.

Best of luck and wear your good hearing protection!!!

Cheers

They only have 6 channels on their mixer and they are being used for vocals and drums.

[Guitars44me]

“ They only have 6 channels on their mixer and they are being used for vocals and drums.”


Now I get it! Sorry I missed that part. Maybe a Y cord for the drums?

When I was RAWKIN’ one band had 9 mics on my gigantic drum kit, and we had two sound guys and a light guy as well as six band members and a manager….

Ten fingers in the pie! Yow.

Just buy the band a new mixer. Six channels is about right for a duo…. Hahaha

Don’t schlep more gear than you need to!

[TedBPhx]

A Mesa Rosette 2x8 weighs 32lbs.

[varmonter]

I am a geezer..playing in a loud acoustic band.
I would look into putting a soundhole pup in your guitar. Sunrise is my old school favorite but there are
Many good ones out there. As far as amps are concerned the elite acoustic line comes to mind.
They have one that is 120 watts that has a line out
So you could plug into your board and bypass all the issues a loud Amp does to an acoustic guitar..

[fazool]

Originally Posted by shufflebeat

Personally I'm a "PA for everything" kinda guy.....

My band is "PA for everything" There is no benefit to running separately, IMO. Balancing sound levels is "infinitely" easier with a single PA. And if you need to tweak the volume up or down it's one change.

We all use our instrument amps strictly as personal monitors. One is mic-ed but the rest have XLR outputs direct into the board (mine has cabinet sim as well).


All our amps are massively bigger than needed. I'd love to have a tiny amp as my on stage monitor.

[tbv58]

I am in a very similar situation ZuZu. I've played acoustic and sing lead vocals for over a decade in a loud Classic Rock band with 2 other electric guitar, bass, and drums. Your stage volume must be very loud, with the configuration you described, and to try and match that with an acoustic amp and be heard FOH is futile IMO, and just creates more unecessary stage volume. The correct solution is to use the money you'd pay for a new amp to buy a new mixer with enough channels to put everything through the PA and mic the electric guitar(s). The guitar amp(s) should only be used to mic and to be used as a monitor for the e-guitar player(s) to hear.