Help with electric guitar with acoustic tones

hotroad · #1 10-30-2019, 06:34 PM

Ideas for semi-hollow electric with acoustic tone as well are needed. I am in the hunt for a good electric guitar but it has to have the ability to produce quality acoustic tones as well. I have already tried the Taylor T5 and T5z but don't like the acoustic tones. I need more of a full robust acoustic tone that that provides though it is a nice guitar.

An acoustic that can provide good electric tone might work. The electric tone has to be warm and able to support my solo act. I am not looking to shred. Anyone using an electric to support their solo acoustic act?

This guitar will be used live for gigging so it has to be good quality but hopefully still under 2K otd. Got any ideas?? I am stumped.

leew3 · #2 10-30-2019, 07:19 PM

the Acoustisonic Tele is $1 under $2k and might be what you're after. It's rather new to find any used bargains but you never know!

https://www.fender.com/products/acou...oustic-guitars

guitararmy · #3 10-30-2019, 08:05 PM

One option is an electric guitar with either an LR Baggs X-Bridge or a Fishman Powerbridge, combined with an acoustic pedal like the Fishman Aura. I have a Tom Anderson Cobra with the X-Bridge, and I think it sounds pretty realistic through a Fishman Aura pedal...

seannx · #4 10-30-2019, 08:05 PM

The T5z will have better electric tones, but as the OP discovered there’s only one mostly okay acoustic setting.
The Fender has more and better sounding acoustic settings, and the electric setting is okay. I liked the build quality of the Taylor T5z over the Fender Acoustasonic, but the latter has more extensive modeling options.
I agree that the Fender could be the better choice, and in the $2,000 budget.

FrankHudson · #5 10-31-2019, 09:27 AM

Depends what you like and what you do.

One choice would be two guitars of course.

The piezo plus modeling pickup on what is essentially an electric guitar is another. Fenders new model is something I have no experience with, but others have suggested this above. I have a Line 6 Variax solid body guitar that has acoustic "modeling" settings for it's piezo. That one's not blind taste test convincing, but it can sound more like an acoustic than not. The Variax is super easy to use, and the instant open tunings is a nice stage-feature bonus. The model I have is a good electric guitar when used with it's regular magnetic pickups.

A magnetic pickup in what is essentially an acoustic guitar is another. This is old school, but it worked back in the day for some: John Martyn, Elmore James, Gabor Szabo, even some combo called the Beatles with their J160E guitars. Yes there can be feedback issues on some stages. Monel (like Martin Retro) strings might be a good choice to help even out string volumes for a mag pickup.

Sonics · #6 10-31-2019, 01:23 PM

The second and third guitar in this demo could be in your ball park.

And another Carvin/Kiesel, but this time with an acoustic bridge.

And for the 'tech' heads, there's this...

Steve DeRosa · #7 10-31-2019, 01:55 PM

Maybe a Line 6 Variax (built by Yamaha, BTW) - something like this:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...ny-fingerboard

BoneDigger · #8 10-31-2019, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leew3

the Acoustisonic Tele is $1 under $2k and might be what you're after. It's rather new to find any used bargains but you never know!

https://www.fender.com/products/acou...oustic-guitars

This is probably your best bet. Another option would be to look at archtops. Some of the archtops by Godin (Kingpin?) and a few other have the ability to do an electric tone or somewhat acoustic tone.

OneThing · #9 11-01-2019, 06:09 AM

The Fender Acoustasonic Tele and the Fender Smolder OD will give you quality acoustic and electric guitar tones direct into your PA.

JStotes · #10 11-01-2019, 06:29 AM

Maybe look into the Godin Multiac Steel Natural

Axelorox · #11 11-01-2019, 10:51 AM

I second the suggestion for an archtop. Get a nice big thick one. There's no other way you can get the percussive acoustic tone from an electric instrument. Check out Peerless and Eastman for options around $1K.

hotroad · #12 11-17-2019, 11:43 AM

After a lot of research and help from this forum I grabbed a used Carvin SH575. Its a semi hollow with piezo, synth and two humbuckers. If I can't get what I want from this one I am hopeless. Its still incoming and I am excited to plug it into my various amps and pedals and see what it can do. Thanks for the ideas.

DavidE · #13 11-17-2019, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotroad

After a lot of research and help from this forum I grabbed a used Carvin SH575. Its a semi hollow with piezo, synth and two humbuckers. If I can't get what I want from this one I am hopeless. Its still incoming and I am excited to plug it into my various amps and pedals and see what it can do. Thanks for the ideas.

How much do they go for these days?

Had I seen this earlier, I would have recommended a Rick Turner Renaissance Deuce. Or a Parker Fly Deluxe.

Sonics · #14 11-17-2019, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidE

How much do they go for these days?

Had I seen this earlier, I would have recommended a Rick Turner Renaissance Deuce. Or a Parker Fly Deluxe.

Graphtech make the piezo pickup for Parker, Carvin, Godin, et al. With the exception of the Parker MIDIfly, the Carvin does a whole lot more than the models quoted above.