Acoustic A1000 @ GC - any thoughts?

tadol · #1 05-09-2015, 09:58 AM

Been looking for a good acoustic combo amp for a while now, and would love to get one of the really fine ones that are frequently suggested here, but just can't commit to the costs - so I am quite intrigued with the Acoustic A1000 amp that they have at GC. 2 50w channels, each with 2 inputs with independent volume controls, all have 48v power, and there are a bunch of digital effects for each channel - reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, which are nice as I want to add some effects since I am mostly backup rhythm - plus it has bluetooth connectivity, angles back like a monitor, and a few other features. Seems like it could work well with 2 guitar and 2 mics for smaller events. But it does not have a footswitch, the effects seem a bit of a pain to select or adjust, and I just don't know about the quality or reliability in general -

Anyone else check these out, own one, or have any thoughts about them? They have a sale on them going on, so its pretty fair price, under $500, but thats about the same as the Carvin AG300, which I would love to try but they are only mail order -

Appreciate any thoughts or suggestions!

Br1ck · #2 05-09-2015, 10:59 AM

I just bought a Carvin AG 300, and can attest to it's fine build quality, great sound and versatility. Order with confidence. It is sturdy and built in the USA.

It can handle bass, as long as it is not rock sound levels, acoustic guitar, vocals, and even my Uke.

My only nitpick is I wish all three channels had sweepable mids. I will use that channel with a pre amp, as I need all three channels to be ready to go with the above instruments. It has plenty of power and you can add a cab if you need more sound. Effects sound very good. If you have a piezo pickup, you may want something outboard like a direct box with a higher impedance input. I have a 1 meg Redeye. The high Z button on the AG 300 is 500k ohm, decent, but higher is better.

Their direct sell business model has provided quality gear at decent prices for decades. This is a flexible piece of gear that is not going to fall apart.

SpruceTop · #3 05-09-2015, 06:41 PM

Today, I played an Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500MCE (good balance on both pickups!) through an Acoustic A40 at my local Guitar Center. I didn't play real loud but the Acoustic A40 sounded full and good. I've also auditioned an Acoustic A20 and thought that was worth its price too, The GC also has an Acoustic A1000 but I didn't demo it as I was there to really audition the Epiphone Masterbilt.

Regards,

SpruceTop

SpruceTop · #4 05-09-2015, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Br1ck

I just bought a Carvin AG 300, and can attest to it's fine build quality, great sound and versatility. Order with confidence. It is sturdy and built in the USA.

It can handle bass, as long as it is not rock sound levels, acoustic guitar, vocals, and even my Uke.

My only nitpick is I wish all three channels had sweepable mids. I will use that channel with a pre amp, as I need all three channels to be ready to go with the above instruments. It has plenty of power and you can add a cab if you need more sound. Effects sound very good. If you have a piezo pickup, you may want something outboard like a direct box with a higher impedance input. I have a 1 meg Redeye. The high Z button on the AG 300 is 500k ohm, decent, but higher is better.

Their direct sell business model has provided quality gear at decent prices for decades. This is a flexible piece of gear that is not going to fall apart.

+1 Carvin!

SpruceTop

martingitdave · #5 05-09-2015, 07:47 PM

Perhaps one thing to consider with the Carvin, is that it has twice the power, more input options (not sure about bluetooth), has 3-way speakers, has a built in speaker pole mount, and weighs 10 pounds less (30 versus 42 pounds). Given the choice, I would take the Carvin.

Uncle Pauhana · #6 05-09-2015, 09:35 PM

Speaking of Carvin, the discontinued Stagemate S400D has been replaced with the Stagemate S600D introduced at NAMM. It's still vaporware at this point but looks very interesting. It's a mini line array with 4 x 3" and 1 x 8" speakers, mixer section, Bluetooth (standard?), battery power and wireless (optional?) There will be a matching passive extension speaker that can be spread out conventionally or stacked to extend the line array effect.

http://youtu.be/2ogtIcS6i_M

martingitdave · #7 05-09-2015, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Pauhana

Speaking of Carvin, the discontinued Stagemate S400D has been replaced with the Stagemate S600D introduced at NAMM. It's still vaporware at this point but looks very interesting. It's a mini line array with 4 x 3" and 1 x 8" speakers, mixer section, Bluetooth (standard?), battery power and wireless (optional?) There will be a matching passive extension speaker that can be spread out conventionally or stacked to extend the line array effect.

http://youtu.be/2ogtIcS6i_M

That is the product I've been waiting for. Wonder what the price will be? I've been debating the Fishman SA 220 for a long time. This would be an even better option.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

ljguitar · #8 05-09-2015, 10:02 PM

Hi tadol…

When I began a search in earnest for an acoustic amp, I took my guitar & pickup gear to stores and compared Fishman, Fender, Crate, Roland, UltraSound, GenzBenz, AER, SWR, Traynor, and a host of lower priced amps.

For me that involved my guitar, preamp and cables.

The reason the UltraSound won out (and is still my primary amp of choice after a decade) was how natural they sounded with my rigs. The AER & Rivera were better, but at triple to quadruple the cost of an UltraSound AG-50, not that much better.

The categories I came to characterize amps by were:

Sterile - nothing horrible, just no life to the sound (even reverb didn't help)
Boxy (too small)
Ampish (like a guitar playing through an amp)
Natural (like a guitar)
No oomph…just no ability to project sound into a room

Since then I've added another parameter - ability to cut through a mix. That can't be tested in-store unless you haul in a band.

Several of the mid-sized amps sounded natural at low volume, but became very different sounding at moderately loud to loud volumes (I rarely play an amp softly).

If you are considering a serious choice, I'm going to suggest you drag your guitar rig into the store and play it through a number of amps. Your guitar, your pickup rig, your peripheral gear played with your style are going to sound different than my guitars, with my gear, and me playing them.

ricdoug · #9 05-10-2015, 12:55 AM

The Carvin AG300 is a premium acoustic amplifier. There is not a single acoustic amplifier made by Acoustic that even comes close in sound and quality. I own and publically perform with an Acoustic A20 and an Acoustic AG30, along with a Carvin S400D with an 810 extension speaker. They all have their fit, but the Carvin products are in the same premium category as Schertler when it comes to sound and quality. The Carvin gear is engineered and manufactured in the United States right here in North County San Diego (Poway). Ric

tadol · #10 05-17-2015, 12:06 AM

Well, I returned the A1000 to GC- while it was nice, the little tiny pushbuttons and LCD display for the effects were a pain, and no footpedal option. But the knobs were large with easilyy seen pointers, and the controls were very easy to see and make adjustments, even in dim lighting. Sound was decent, and I liked the separately adjustable levels on each input on each channel - Could see that working with 2 guitars and 2 mics really, really nicely. But no pole mount, and kinda tippy, by itself. So I wasn't thrilled, and GC was not a problem to return it to -

Just got the AG300 - the larger speaker may be good for occasional acoustic bass plug-in, but I think the AG200 might have been a better choice for just guitar and vocals. The many, tiny, all black knobs on black background make quick adjustments in dim lighting a bit hit or miss - I'm sure I'll get to know the layout better, but color coding them would have been a BIG advantage, and probably only added a dollar or two to the price. Definitely need a USB powered work light. And I definitely want to get a pole to mount it higher to reach the controls more easily while playing. The foot switch only turns on or off the effects on each channel, so no boost, which would have been really nice. Its a very nice and good sounding amp, most of my complaints are decidedly minimal, but they are just enough to make me wish I'd had an opportunity to try a Jam 400 - but I think a couple of simple pedals may solve all my issues, and the price difference should more than pay for them.

Br1ck · #11 05-17-2015, 02:42 AM

The high z switch only provides 500 k ohm load, and piezos really sound better with a 1 meg ohm load. My Red Eye provides that and a boost switch. I could live with the 500 k ohm though.

The guy I talked to at Carvin said most like the 12 inch speaker in the AG 300 over the AG 200.

tadol · #12 05-17-2015, 10:23 AM

I've only tried it with my SCGC Sonia, which has a LR Baggs system in it - I need to try one of my others with a K&K -

I think getting the AG300 off the floor will make a huge difference - the 12" speaker shoots at an angle, so with controls up thats aimed at the floor. That makes the floor itself have a huge impact on the sound.

Br1ck · #13 05-17-2015, 02:11 PM

For acoustic guitar, having it pole mounted cleans up the sound nicely. I also play bass guitar with it and for that the floor fattens the sound.

TxStrat · #14 01-29-2016, 12:09 PM

I guess I may be the only one that actually likes the Acoustic A1000. I've been using it for a year and have no complaints and a lot of compliments. I have never had the chance to try the Carvin, but I have played through the Fishman Loudbox, a GB Shenandoah 150 and an Acoustisonic and I prefer the A1000 over those.

Doranged · #15 12-16-2016, 07:07 AM

I also like the acoustic 1000A. I have used it to gig at outdoor events with good results. If you turn down the mids it has a very nice clean sound on the guitar with no effects and the vocals sound way better than my Roland ac60. The effects parameters let you dial in exactly what you want.
If you want to gig without having tons of cables, pedals etc you should check it out. Now I just take the amp and a drum machine and people think it's a whole band playing. I have several options Fishman 220, Rloand ac 60, acostasonic 30, Fender 150 Pa but the acoustic is my go to for small venues. For larger venues I bring the Fender passport along with the fish stick and the acoustic 1000 a. The stereo Dr 880 sound great through the passport and makes soloing sound like a full band.