i had the fishman ellipse matrix blend installed into my Martin D-15, because my band will be playing shows soon.
i'm not getting a decent sound out of my Mesa trem-o-verb (w/ 4x12) like i was hoping. the Ultrasound amp I played at the store was 100% better.
i dont know much of anything about acoustic amps, i was hoping to get some help picking one out, or i'm open to other suggestions for getting a good live sound.
brands i've been lookin at online have been, Roland, Ultrasound, Fender, Marshall. i'm not looking to spend a lot, just enough to get me by for live use. the band includes, drums, keyboards, electric guitars, electric bass.
what type of wattage would i need for smaller shows, assuming there wasn't PA system Micing available? also what about tonal characteristics of these brands? i plan on trying them out at the store also.
Comments
thanks for the advice! i actually just came back from Sam Ash mu
thanks for the advice! i actually just came back from Sam Ash music store, i liked the SWR and Ultrasounds the best. the other brands i tried, sounded surprisingly harsh, wayyyy to much top end (marshall, fender, peavey) even with the trebel turned down. maybe it's just the particular models i played. i am looking for a warmer tone, just like my martin gives unplugged but louder.
Try them with a live drummer. That is the REAL test of "how loud
Try them with a live drummer. That is the REAL test of "how loud does it have to be?" for an amp like that. I have dealt with MANY of the Fender Acoustisonic (I think that's what they're called). The ONLY one that they made that was CLEAN and LOUD enough to be used with a drummer was their now-defunct biggest one. The "Jr" and smaller ones were just not strong enough to be clean when they could be heard over the drum kit.
Maybe you can still find one on e-Bay. They were about $600.00 new.
Another decent choice is a Roland Jazz Chorus (a JC120 ), these make great acoustic amps, are loud and clean, and built like a brick outhouse.
Certainly better than the Ultra and the Marshall (and Crate or Peavey models,too). Once again, e-Bay deals abound.
Remember that since you are used to a 100-watt tube head, a solid-state
version is going to sound relatively puny compared to it. While your drummer can and may beat the skins as hard as he likes to keep up with the Mesa, the tables will be turned with the acoustic amp. Most of the so-called "acoustic amps" were designed for fingerpicking in a coffeehouse or small church and offer frills like cheap XLR mic inputs, DSP effects, and extra mixing channels that you won't REALLY need. Instead of good, clean POWER, baby!
Jim "Strum THIS!" Moonbaby