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Post subject: Acoustic and Electric setup
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 8:06 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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has anyone used a tube amp to give good acoustic guitar sound by bypassing the preamp (via fx loop return or aux input with acoustic preamp) and then out to a full range speaker? The reason I'm asking is that I play acoustic about 50% of the time and it would be nice to use one good amp. So really what I talking about here is using a tube amp for electric and the power section for acoustic with a speaker setup like a 1x12 with a horn tweeter for the acoustic freqs. I know they make amps that are for both but they are really pricey. If this will work would I need to bypass the tweeter when using higher gain sounds on the electric?

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic and Electric setup
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 8:41 pm
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If you play an acoustic guitar through an electric guitar amplifier it sounds like an acoustic guitar through an electric guitar amplifier. In other words, not optimal. Using the FX input isn't going to significantly change that.

If you're OK with the sound of an acoustic guitar run through an electric guitar amplifier then you should try to find one known for crystal clear clean shimmering tones. Otherwise you are pretty much stuck using an acoustic guitar amplifier or else running straight into the mixing board.

I recommend the former. Having an acoustic amp allows you to have some control over your own tone and also provides you with a stage monitor. Running straight into the board is less expensive but that is the only advantage of doing it that way. Just like electric guitar amps there are good and bad acoustic amps and prices vary accordingly. I have seen guys use stands that allow them to keep their stage footprint small by having the electric amp under the stand and the acoustic amp on top.

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic and Electric setup
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 8:47 pm
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Like BMW said, the main problem is the cutoff frequency of the speaker, don't expect to get much above about 8kHz out of even the best guitar speaker.

The power amp itself won't be ideal either, most guitar amps have Class B output stages which produce harmonic distortion that will make an acoustic guitar sound unnatural.

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic and Electric setup
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 8:55 pm
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I've never actually owned one of these but I think I might look into it.
I'm pretty sure this is the stand I've seen guys using to reduce their stage footprint.

http://www.quiklok.com/catalog/?p=productsMore&iProduct=510&sName=BS-625

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic and Electric setup
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 4:12 am
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For what it's worth, I play acoustic on about 10% of the songs we do, mostly finger picking but some strumming.

I use a Mustang IV version 2 amp mic'd normally through the PA. I have a preset specifically for acoustic guitar which is based on the preamp amp model with a touch of compressor an some reverb and delay. When I go to acoustic I simply select that preset so the effect on the mixing board is minimal and the transition is very quick. It's certainly not the same as a mic'd guitar, but it's easily differentiated as an acoustic and no one in the audience seems to have any complaints. I always prefer uncomplicated ways of doing things.

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Post subject: Re: Acoustic and Electric setup
Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 11:00 am
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The basic idea here was to use the power section of a tube amp like a PA with a full range cab. But I understand that guitar amps just aren't made for such things. Oh well, I guess I should just use a small tube amp DI'ed to a PA. Then for acoustic, bypass the amp and just acoustic preamp to PA.

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