How do you amplify your acoustic?

Alegree · June 2021

Just a little market research - What's your signal chain, and why?

xscaramanga · June 2021

Fishman Aura preamp pedal, direct into whatever PA is available.

It's the only thing I've ever tried. Someone recommended it to me when I needed an acoustic preamp, and it works.

Been getting some hum with it lately that I can't figure out how to eradicate, but otherwise it's great.

camf · June 2021

Various passive soundhole magnetic pickups into a Grace Bix preamp straight to PA (or my very excellent Acus acoustic amp). Does all I need and sounds great.

Lestratcaster · June 2021

Takamine on-board electrics into Kemper using a mic'd profile of an AKG451 into mixer (usually for online lessons). If in the room I will unplugged. Looking for a way to amplify my recently acquired Martin D28.

crunchman · June 2021

Depends on the guitar but normally straight into the PA. If I'm using something with an undersaddle piezo then I use a TC Bodyrez pedal to make it sound a bit more natural. My number one acoustic has a blender pickup system with a gooseneck mic, so I don't bother with the Bodyrez on that.

I do have a Fishman Loudbox Mini that I use in small venues where there isn't a proper PA.

Jetfire · June 2021

Direct into acoustic amp but usually into PA. However I do have a helix Lt but that's a big old thing to carry round.

Lewy · June 2021

K&K Pure Mini > K&K Pure XLR preamp > AER Compact 60.

I can put vocals into the AER as well as guitar and it has a great ability to radiate sound, so it basically means I can do a gig with just that. One trip in from the car, job done. If I ever find myself doing a bigger gig again in the future I'd use the line out from the AER into the house PA and keep the AER as a monitor.

ICBM · June 2021

Depends what I want to do...

Gibson Dove or Martin 12-string: passive Fishman UST into Boss AD-8 into Acus One or PA.

Vintage V300M - Fishman Rare Earth into Boss ME-50 into Peavey Studio Pro. This is for electric-acoustic sounds with overdrive and electric guitar effects.

I would probably just plug the Rare Earth straight into the PA for open-mic type stuff too, but there hasn't been any of that since I got it.

Snags · June 2021

Pubs/live/stage FIshman Matrix Blend mostly on the piezo setting to minimise feedback. Normally then direct to PA, but sometimes into a Loudbox Mini for monitoring and then DI'd off the back of that.

In more controllable situations use the Blend but favouring the mic setting as it's nicer.

For recording, the blend on the mic setting and also external mics pointed at the guitar in the usual places, or an ambient mic.

Occasionally through a few pedals in any of the above situations (delay, reverb etc.) but not often.

Supportact · June 2021

Fishman pickup into fishman aura preamp, with an mxr eq and TC electronic reverb in the effects loop. XLR out into the desk. Works very well for me, however the aura does need some time to tweak and get a good sound. Pretty happy with it though.

Kebabkid · June 2021

Fishman Rare Earth into a Roland Micro Cube on the Acoustic Model (acts as a preamp and adds fx, normally, just Reverb) to an Orchid Electronics DI Box then finally, to the PA

Sammy · June 2021

I just play mine in my loft conversion with the velux windows wide open on both sides and everyone in the rear gardens and out the front can hear it, no pickup and amplification required.

Plus haven't had anyone tell me to turn the sound down yet!

rze99 · June 2021

Live, I use a Taylor T5 custom through a Schertler David.

p90fool · June 2021

Passive under saddle piezo wired direct to jack, Zoom AC-3 direct to PA, this is how it sounds;

Stratavarious · June 2021

Onboard piezo preamp to desk for extra EQ and FX. Mandolin is direct piezo to jack, so goes via DI box or Hi-Z input.

Sometimes i will have a mic too at gigs and mix the pair, but its rare.

TheBigDipper · June 2021

K&K Pure Mini --> K&K XLR Preamp --> PA or...
K&K Pure Mini --> FlyRig Acoustic --> PA

maltingsaudio · June 2021

Headway pickup straight into either pa through Orchid di or AER, Sometimes might put a Boss Me 50 in the chain for some chorus an delay

grappagreen · June 2021

K&K Pure Mini -> K&K Preamp --> either AER60 or PA

Andy79 · June 2021

Piezo should be left for knock sensors and lighters. Nothing good happens when used in guitars

ICBM · June 2021

Andy79 said:

Piezo should be left for knock sensors and lighters. Nothing good happens when used in guitars

They're fine when they're used to drive modellers like the Aura, Boss or Zoom with the blend set to pure model, so you don't actually hear the hideous thing itself... the modellers are specifically designed to work with a UST so you do get the best results with one that way.

lincolnblue · June 2021

At home I rarely amplify - if I do I use my Yamaha THR10C. At church I go into the PA via pedals: Tuner, Boss OC-3, Tremolo, Delay, Reverb. Reverb is always on

jhumber · June 2021

K&K Pure Mini -> AER Alpha

Been using that in various acoustics for ~15 years now. I'm sure I read once or twice I'd be better off using the K&K Preamp in the middle to fix an impedance mismatch, but it's always sounded great. Occasionally I get GAS to put together a more feature-rich acoustic rig (dedicated pre-amp pedal, pedal tuner, boost etc), but I've done many gigs with this setup and never had any complaints.

The ToneDexter does look cool though...

TheBigDipper · June 2021

jhumber said:

K&K Pure Mini -> AER Alpha

<snip>
I'm sure I read once or twice I'd be better off using the K&K Preamp in the middle to fix an impedance mismatch, but it's always sounded great.
<snip>

It's fine into a decent acoustic guitar amp. They're usually 1MOhm. It's straight into the PA that can sound poor and benefit from the preamp.

Smellyfingers · June 2021

I've got a Fishman loudbox mini charge - which has an inbuilt battery which lasts about 3-4 hours between charges. The acoustic amplification/reproduction is quite faithful and it's Ok for electric's too.

The downsides are: 1. Volume is Ok for small spaces but it certainly is not a stadium filler.

2. It has a highly tasteful brown leatherette casing and lots of classic looking knobs and lights. Therefore for impromptu public performances/busking this makes it somewhat vulnerable , but it's quite heavy so I am confident that I could catch anyone who tried to run away with it... but what happens then, I don't like to think about...

Mr_Claw · July 2021

Well, it has a big hole in the front!

I don't have an electro-acoustic and I don't play acoustic out, so it does just fine au naturale.

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How do you amplify your acoustic?

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