Baby acoustic amp recommendations?

Snags · May 2018

This should probably be in Amps, but I thought it might be better targeted in here

Normally at home I just play acoustics ... acoustically. When I play in public (mostly church) I DI into the desk. So I've never bothered with amps specifically for the acoustics.

Now I'm starting to play around a bit with simple effects on the acoustic, and whilst I can do that via headphones, it seems a shame for Mrs Snags not to benefit from my experiments, so I'm thinking about a small, discrete, inexpensive acoustic amp primarily for home use. If it happened to have an XLR out then I might use it as a combined monitor/DI source but that's not critical.

If I was likely to do little pub gigs or anything I'd spring for a Loudbox Mini, but that feels a bit OTT for current needs (and over justifiable budget, really). Are things like the Carlsbro Sherwood 20R worthwhile, or is it a case of needing to spend above a certain floor if you're going to bother at all?

More than happy to go secondhand, subject to the usual issues of location/collection etc.

ICBM · May 2018

The Sherwood 20 probably isn't that bad - I haven't actually played one, although I'm familiar with the bigger models - but like all very cheap acoustic amps it probably won't sound that great because it won't have a proper full-range speaker system with a tweeter. It just has a single speaker, which even if it's claimed to be 'full range', still won't have the top-end response you need to make an acoustic guitar sound natural - if you can stretch to something even slightly larger which has a 2-way speaker system, it will sound much better. Even a speaker with a 'whizzer' cone would help, but I can't find any pics of the ones Carlsbro use - Fender do specifically mention that for their Acoustasonic 40, but that's probably outside your budget.

If you don't mind something a bit physically bigger, you can actually pick up the old Marshall AS50R (or if you're lucky, AS50D which has better reverb) for around £100, or sometimes even less. It's not the best-sounding acoustic amp in the world, but it's a big step up from the typical 15-20W ones.

Snags · May 2018

Ta. The budget is artificial - I'm in the happy position that I could drive over to the local shop and pay over the odds for a Loudbox Mini this afternoon if I wanted/need to. However, I'm not sure I can really justify dropping the fat end of £300 on something that will only be used very rarely at home. It would arguably be more sensible to pick up a Tone Wood

I've been looking out for a pre-loved Loudbox Mini and similar, but they seem pretty thin on the ground, and to still command close enough to the new price (compared to a web purchase) that I'd end up bunging the extra on top for new anyway.

I could square away <£100 easily, and wouldn't carry much guilt for £150-£175 (new or secondhand). Once it starts tipping £200 I get a bit twitchy just on not taking the piss out of the domestic budget.

ETA: thanks for the tip on the Zoom A2. Got one off Ebay that arrived yesterday. Looks like it's going to serve the purpose admirably, and will doubtless be a gateway drug to expensive pre-amp/DI/loop units

ICBM · May 2018

Whereabouts are you? There's a second hand Loudbox Mini in the shop I work for in Glasgow...

Snags · May 2018

Hertford - just north of London. Have a good friend who lives Glasgow way, but unlikely to be seeing him any time soon.

Wazmeister · May 2018

This yer man mate... close to you too

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/127777/fs-fishman-loudbox-artist-now-330-collected#latest

Snags · May 2018

Oh you bastard

I really, really can't justify an Artist. Far more oomph then I'll ever need (and potentially therefore tricksy to get working at the more modest volumes I'm after).

TheBigDipper · May 2018

Snags said:

Oh you bastard I really, really can't justify an Artist. Far more oomph then I'll ever need (and potentially therefore tricksy to get working at the more modest volumes I'm after).

Actually, you'd be surprised. I used to own an Artist, and I felt it sounded better at domestic levels than at full chat. And it has headphones output (which I don't remember ever using). It also made a very acceptable monitor for digital modellers.

£330 isn't much for that, is it?

Snags · May 2018

mart · May 2018

Snags said:

<Fingers in ears>

You’ll need a more powerful amp to be able to hear your guitar if you keep your fingers in your ears.

Santona1937 · May 2018

mart said:

Snags said:

<Fingers in ears>

You’ll need a more powerful amp to be able to hear your guitar if you keep your fingers in your ears.

you do have to be a bit wary that calluses do not scrape the inside of your ear canal, thus diminishing hearing, and thus requiring a bigger amp!

Flanging_Fred · June 2018

Are you still looking? Ive been thinking about moving on my Trace Accoustic TA35cr which seems like it might suit your needs.

I was thinking of only asking £75 for it. Its pretty heavy for a small thing though so im not sure what postage would cost ATM.

Let me know if it's of any interest.

Kebabkid · June 2018

I use a Roland Microcube on the Acoustic setting as my acoustic guitar preamp.

You can use the amp at home as it's only 2W and loud enough but for live use, I take a line-out to the PA and it's great and can even double as a spare amp if you're using the other models. It has an ok reverb and delay on it but I think the other fx are slightly over-cooked. Oh, and having heard the latest Microcubes (GX version), I don't think they sound the same or as good as the older ones and that would be the one I'd opt for and they can be had used for @£50

Snags · June 2018

Thanks both. @Flanging_Fred PM incoming

ICBM · June 2018

If I remember rightly, the reverb on the TA35 is a traditional spring unit. This is a good thing, because the most common fault I've come across on the otherwise bigger/better TA50 and TA100 is that the Alesis digital reverb unit sometimes fails, and can't be repaired or easily replaced.

For £75 it's a bargain. [NoaffiliationwithFlanging_Fred]

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Baby acoustic amp recommendations?

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