DetroitBlues Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 So now I want to use my 445's pickup. But I believe its passive which will require a preamp of some sort. Anyone try out a LR Braggs Gigpro?
tulk1 Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 I use the ParaDI on my acoustic pedal board for banjo, mandolin and fiddle. I also use the ParaDI on Tracy's Larrivee. Get pretty good results from that model. Haven't tried the GigPro.
Steiner Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 I use the ParaDI on my acoustic pedal board for banjo, mandolin and fiddle. I also use the ParaDI on Tracy's Larrivee. Get pretty good results from that model. Haven't tried the GigPro. +1
JeffB Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 I use the ParaDI on my acoustic pedal board for banjo, mandolin and fiddle. I also use the ParaDI on Tracy's Larrivee. Get pretty good results from that model. Haven't tried the GigPro. +2
DetroitBlues Posted September 2, 2011 Author Posted September 2, 2011 I looked up the preamps, not bad pricewise. But a question I have is, what good is a preamp if I cannot plug it into anything. I'm assuming I shouldn't plug a preamp into an electric guitar amp? Which if that was the case, does that mean I'll need a PA or an acoustic amp?
JeffB Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 I looked up the preamps, not bad pricewise. But a question I have is, what good is a preamp if I cannot plug it into anything. I'm assuming I shouldn't plug a preamp into an electric guitar amp? Which if that was the case, does that mean I'll need a PA or an acoustic amp? Ive played acoustic through my Mesa Lonestar and though a Fender Twin. Sounded great. Through a bass or keyboard rig sounds alright as well. But an acoustic amp or PA sounds better.
Bulldog Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 I typically play my Martin acoustic in our duo gig. Yes, either the Baggs or ParaDI work well. I have a Bose preamp that is great and I run that into my Bose sound system. I've never been satisfied playing through my Fender Twin or most guitar amps with an acoustic guitar. However, I do on occasion run my Bose preamp into a Roland AC-60 and it works quite well. I try to reproduce the same tone I get acoustically when the guitar is amplified. In a full band situation I'll run my preamp into the sound board, with good results. Have fun and try all different combinations.
DetroitBlues Posted September 2, 2011 Author Posted September 2, 2011 For the moment, I'm going to enough just playing the guitar.
TalismanRich Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 I find most acoustic pickups tend to sound best through a full range system like a PA, or a stereo. Normal guitar amps are by their nature coloring the sound. Acoustic amps tend to be full range as well. Most of the time the goal is to reproduce the real acoustic sound as it would be unplugged, but at a higher volume.
JeffB Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 I find most acoustic pickups tend to sound best through a full range system like a PA, or a stereo. Normal guitar amps are by their nature coloring the sound. Acoustic amps tend to be full range as well. Most of the time the goal is to reproduce the real acoustic sound as it would be unplugged, but at a higher volume. I play acoustic gigs, and have tried out lots of different methods of getting the sound I want to hear both on stage and out the front. The reason I tried my Mesa LS was because I saw a local guy playing both his acoustic guitar and his mandolin through his Mesa LS. In the context he used it to get his sounds out there it was awesome. Big warm and full sounding. The mando was just pure awesomeness. It didnt really work for me when I tried it. It wasnt bad just not right for our over all band sound. Right now I run through what ever preamp/di I have in the bag and a cheap multi fx for some modulation and delay and a volume boost when needed. Some times I dont use the preamp just the fx. I found the choice of monitor became more important than any other factor, because we never had a problem making it sound good out front through the PA's we use but to get the sound on stage I wanted took a little more work. Once the signal has hit the main desk and then the fold back desk there is more than enough eq and level to muck around with. I use two monitors one for the guitar and one for mine and every one elses vocals.
t0aj15 Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 I would suggest an acoustic amp. The one I use has great sound and a great price.
DetroitBlues Posted September 3, 2011 Author Posted September 3, 2011 If you have an acoustic amp, do you still need a preamp?
tulk1 Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 If you have an acoustic amp, do you still need a preamp? No. Well, you shouldn't, but it wouldn't hurt either. What we did when Tracy wanted to use her amp was run the unbalanced (instrument) Line Out/Thru from the ParaDI to her amp. Then run the XLR Direct Out to the PA. Her amp actually had a DI built in for running to the PA, but it was very iffy. But that was her amp, not the nature of the onboard DI. I can say tho', that running my acoustic pedal board thru our keyboard/acoustic amp makes all the instruments sound just that much better. If you're messing at home the amp should be more than sufficient. If you want to play out, can't hurt to have both.
rockabilly69 Posted September 17, 2011 Posted September 17, 2011 Here's three recommendations and I play acoustic for a living, so I've used these tons. If you want to use the pre with an electric guitar amp it's best to send them to the return of an effects loop. If that's not available try to keep the preamp gain on your electric amp down to it's minimu m to reduce it's effect on the sound. Dtar Soltice Best Fishman Platinum Pre Better LR Baggs Para DI Good
212Mavguy Posted September 18, 2011 Posted September 18, 2011 A LOT depends on what kind of pickup is in the acoustic guitar itself. I had a SD Mag Mic installed in my 12 string's sound hole, it's active, stacked humbucker and microphone built in, has 12 pole pieces that happen to line up under the pairs of strings well (I raised the poles under the treble strings) volume and source blend knobs, it works wonderfully and gives that guitar a f-ing GORGEOUS sound going into the same amps as my other guitars use. It also sounds amazing with the gain cranked up a bit into dirty territory. Spendy but worth every penny for my uses. Back in the 80's when Piezo PU's were the rage in acoustic guitars, Howard Dumble used a FET input on his Overdrive Special guitar amps. It does a hotter signal going into the first gain stages, needed for the wimpy output of a Piezo design. Clones of that design being built today by both ceriatone and Marsh still have that input. The Fishman Aura system in my Yairi electric acoustic sounds great plugged into a regular tube guitar amp. But for many, likely most electric acoustics I like the approaches suggested in rockabilly 69's post. Get the best that you can afford, into the soundboard or guitar amp fx return from the appropriate acoustic pre is excellent.
rockabilly69 Posted September 19, 2011 Posted September 19, 2011 Just a heads up there is a used DTAR Equinox on the AGF, these are excellent single channel pre/eq's. I own one of these and it is really a good piece of gear! http://www.acousticg...ghlight=equinox
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