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August 2003
Posts: 888
Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | What's the difference between an Acoustic Amp and one you normally use with an electric guitar? Any recommendations? What should I expect to pay for a good quality acoustic amp? Doesn't have to be top end but I want to avoid the lower end loser models.
As always, thanx for the help!
Jim |
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January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | There are lots of good choices that will are reasonably priced. If you do a search, you will find tons of information on this board. |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | The rule of thumb has always been -- spend the same on your amp as you spend on your guitar. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I don't know Stonebobbo...that would be one hell of an amp. |
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Posts: 3664
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | ....and a new, relatively unpopulated, neighborhood. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I think it safer to say....
If you are serious about an acoustic amp you should plan on spending just as much as you would for a regular guitar amp of similiar specs.
Don't have a $1000 electric guitar amp and then wonder why your $200 turd acoustic amp sounds like a turd in comparison.
Stephen |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | The Genz Benz are good acoustic amps.
The bigger Fender Accousticsonic amps are good.
The SWR Blonde series are good.
Expect to pay between $500 and $1000 for the above mentioned amps (less if you can find them used).
Stephen |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | The new Bose (L-1?) system are supposed to be the cat's meow ... and they're $2K. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | But aren't the Bose systems essentially a PA system geared for instruments as well as vocals? |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Hey,
Since I am considering purchasing a new amp, I thought I would jump in on this one. I have looked at several manufacture's web sites and I am considering the following;
Fender Acoustasonic TM 30 DSP $350-$400 range
Roland AC 60 $ 495 Musician's Friend Price
Both have some features I like I'm leaning towards the Roland mainly because of size and weight. Some of the Amps I've looked at would require a small road crew to help me load. My
wife it getting tired of helping me lug STUFF.
Roland, Fender, Crate and others have some reasonably priced Amps BUT, "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY
FOR". To take a $1000 + priced Guitar into a $100
Amp WILL give you A $100 sound. :eek: |
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September 2004
Posts: 1180
Location: Vermont USA | Hi Mike W,
I have a Fender Acoustasonic 30 it was before they put the effects in, it gives me the tone I am looking for and it works great with my Ovation. I had a Fender DG22s with a Fishman Matrix in it, the O put it to shame I got rid of the Fender guitar.
Paul (Sleepy Harp Hopkins) |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Hi Paulcc1,
A friend of mine plays one like yours at church, awesome sound.
Another good way to decide on an amp is to grab an Ovation from store stock similar to whatever model you have and play it. If the store doesn't carry Ovation Guitars, You don't want to buy an amp from them anyway. :D |
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September 2004
Posts: 1180
Location: Vermont USA | Mike,
When I bought the Ovation I pluged it into a Acoustasonic Jr. the big brother to the 30. That is when I fell in love with my Ovation, then I took it home and even better.
Paul |
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June 2004
Posts: 365
Location: NC | Hey Gospel Guitar Guy.............your near a big music store aren't you that has hundreds of guitars?
I forget the name.....something like Music City..........
O h well, enough rambling! |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Hi, Elite LX,
The Guitar Center In Knoxville has a lot of guitars including some brands I won't mention.
Have a great day. I'm still helping my wife paint. Then I sit and play while the paint dries. |
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Posts: 26
Location: Detroit, MI | I have a new, small Roland (might be the AC 60 referred to previously) that runs about $ 495. Plenty of Inputs and Outputs, chorus, reverb and notch filter on 2 channels with selectable input levels (magenetic, piezzo, XLR). I've owned a small Trace-Elliot acoustic, which had similar capabilities, but was more expensive and had a range of digital delay pre-sets.
Both are great amps for adjusting tone but the small speakers make them server better as a monitor or studio tool unless you are playing in a rather small room.
For real amplification try the SWR Blondie (2 channels, one with XLR input) and Strawberry Blond (1/4" channel only). Both have a 12" bass speaker and options to cut or boost a small tweeter to taset. The amp sounds great for archtops with magnetic pickups (keep volume down and turn off tweeter) as well piezzo pickpus on steel and nylon strung instruments. The Strawb goes for around $500 and Blondie is around $800.
I had an Acoustisonic and thought it was too metallic. The smaller amps I referred to above have the best tone I've heard, but the SWR's are a good compramise if you need volume. |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Have a Genz Benz 100 Shenandoah...great acoustic amp. |
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March 2004
Posts: 201
Location: Vernon, CT | I disagree with some of the opinions expressed because I just bought a new Crate Cimmaron Acoustic Amp for $149 at GC. Although it is only 15 watts it is a great little practice amp., good for small gigs and really sounds great with the effects it does have. My CL 1770-USA, 1777LX and 1771LX sound fantastic with this little amp. Granted if you want more effects and power you have to spend more. But because some of us don't have $2K powerhouse amps doesn't mean our guitars sound like crap plugged in!
John L. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Hi,
I purchased a new amp today. After reading what everyone had to say and looking at my checking account balance I went to The Guitar Center In Knoxville and side by side compared the Roland AC60 at $499.99 with The Crate CA15 Cimarron at $149.95. I decided that I couldn't find $350 differance for the Roland. The Roland did have more bells & whistles than the Crate for my needs the extra money would be better spent on saving up for another "O" to add to the Arsenal.
Many thanks to John Lawrence for his recommendation.
I mostly play in church and travel to some area nursing homes so I neede something light enough to carry and I may be a little prejudiced
but Ovation sound better than so other makes especially PLUGGED IN. :) |
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Acoustic Amps