Built in speakers.

[rllink]

Thirty years ago I saw an electric guitar in a pawn shop that had an amp and speakers built right into the guitar. I mean, the whole thing in one package. Flip the switch and start playing. I don't even know how it was powered. But I looked all over the internet but haven't been able to find anything like it. I wish that I had bought it then.

[mc1]

They're out there and they exist. That's the good news. The bad news is they tend to be lesser instruments.

I've owned some, and have a Fernandes Nomad sitting around here somewhere. It looks like this:



It actually plays pretty well, and the body cutout makes it rest nicely on the leg. When the volume is low, the sound is clean, but turn it up and it distorts. It takes a 9 volt battery, if I recall correctly.

Pretty fun. Of course, a small or tiny acoustic guitar also make musical sounds.

Here is a page with quite a few different guitars:
https://uniqueguitar.blogspot.com/20...mplifiers.html

[guitararmy]

https://reverb.com/item/12641064-pig...andy-apply-red

I have one of these. The amp overdrives easily, pretty raunchy sounding...24 1/2 inch scale.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by rllink

Thirty years ago I saw an electric guitar in a pawn shop that had an amp and speakers built right into the guitar....

Probably one of the first wave of Japanese imports from the mid-60's, intended to compete with the Danelectro amp-in-a-case rig (Sears sold versions of both guitars, and I remember playing the former at a Lafayette Electronics store in '65); quite honestly it was a piece of crap, even by contemporary import standards - within a couple years Yamaha would introduce high-quality MIJ instruments to the American market, and the "lawsuit" era of the early-70's would forever change perceptions of what am import guitar could (and should) be - and any interest nowadays would be solely as a period curiosity. For those who've never seen one, here's an apparently little-used (and with good reason ) survivor:

[Dbone]

Not feeling this concept. Can’t compute

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Dbone

Not feeling this concept. Can’t compute

Same here. 30 years ago it was different. Now with the $30 amp plug ins, like the Vox AmPlugs, no need for an electric with a crappy speaker.

[rllink]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Probably one of the first wave of Japanese imports from the mid-60's, intended to compete with the Danelectro amp-in-a-case rig (Sears sold versions of both guitars, and I remember playing the former at a Lafayette Electronics store in '65); quite honestly it was a piece of crap, even by contemporary import standards - within a couple years Yamaha would introduce high-quality MIJ instruments to the American market, and the "lawsuit" era of the early-70's would forever change perceptions of what am import guitar could (and should) be - and any interest nowadays would be solely as a period curiosity. For those who've never seen one, here's an apparently little-used (and with good reason ) survivor:

That looks a lot like it.

[dave42]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAtd0slsqH8

Mike Campbell plays one often on his FB page. https://www.facebook.com/MikeCampbel...2100572035495/

[redir]

Probably used a bank of D-Cell batteries LOL! A Pig Nose is a much better alternative.

[FrankHudson]

I've got an idea that can replace this, and it just might be popular here:

I'll use a lightweight hollow body with a top that vibrates like a speaker cone. I'll probably need a hole or two in the top to let that top vibrate and relieve internal air pressure. Not sure if the top should be arched or flat--maybe I'll try both. Otherwise, it'll have a neck and shape so it plays like an electric guitar--only no amp, no need to plug in, no need for batteries!

I'm getting a trademark for this invention. I'm going to call it "The Acoustic Guitar" -- not meaning to step on any rights for this forum though, consider the name a tribute.

[jseth]

I remember when I first saw that concept... it was a Teisco Del Rey (a cheap import semi-strat copy) and it cost $99... they sounded... uh, not good! But it was the dawning of the era of electric guitars, so it was pretty cool, to always have an amp with you! This would have been circa '66 or so...

[Rudy4]

There have been many electric guitars that had a built-in amp in the case. I had a Peavey that had a case amp as part of the package.



As far as the actual instrument having a built-in amp, why not just play an acoustic? The body is it's own built-in "amp".
You can add some muting material if you want to quiet your instrument.