does an acoustic guitar NEED an acoustic amp?

[Twostep13]

A few years ago when i got my first guitar (acoustic/electirc), i tried playing through an electric amp, and it worked if i played lightly, but when i played harder i would get a loud garbled sound that sounded awful. Just recently a friend of mine told me that i needed an acoustic amp because the electric amp cant handle the tones of the acoustic or somthing like that

is this the problem i was having? becuase i though my guitar was messed up even though it was brand new

so will getting an acoustic amp fix this problem?

[Duffman]

i believe so, but get a 2nd opinion beacuse i've never has an acoustic/electic. but that is what happened to my brother. he has his a/e and tried using it on his friends electric amp. he ended up buying his own acoustic amp i think because it wasn't coming out correctly on the electic amp.

[c_tietze]

depends on your style and your preference as if you're attempting to as closely as possible recreate the tone of an un-plugged in acoustic then you will want to splurge on an acoustic amp

if you're using the amp for home practice or with a lot of effects then you can save the money and just buy any old 15 or 30 w amp and have fun

personally, folks who use a pelthora of effects on an acoustic puzzle me as the tone you are getting is so far from acoustic guitar it's silly.

[sunglassesatnight]

John Butler plays an acoustic through an overdriven Marshall stack. Ben Folds plays his piano through a Marshall stack. So it's not a must. But for truly acoustic sound you do, or use a P.A.

[ericwormann]

If you want a clean, acoustic sound, then go for an acoustic amp.

If you try it through an electric amp, it's going to sound more like the acoustic guitars on Nirvana's Unplugged albums. Some people are into that, it's just a style preference.

[dmbguitar718]

acoustic -> electric amp is ok, but acoustic -> acoustic amp is the best.

however electric -> acoustic amp is a nono.

[Dutch]

acoustic -> electric amp is ok, but acoustic -> acoustic amp is the best.

however electric -> acoustic amp is a nono.

why is that

[You_Enjoy_Myself]

When I bought my acoustic amp, the salesman explained that the main difference between an electric and an acoustic amp, is that an acoustic has got an enclosed back, whereas an electric amp will have an open back. The enclosed back will keep the low end sound in, and give you a nice "boom" to your playing. I don't know if this is what's causing your problem but it could be.


btw, if you're looking for a good acoustic amp, I play a Peavey Ecoustic 112, and I have had no complaints about it over the past 2 years.

[Twostep13]

When I bought my acoustic amp, the salesman explained that the main difference between an electric and an acoustic amp, is that an acoustic has got an enclosed back, whereas an electric amp will have an open back. The enclosed back will keep the low end sound in, and give you a nice "boom" to your playing. I don't know if this is what's causing your problem but it could be.


btw, if you're looking for a good acoustic amp, I play a Peavey Ecoustic 112, and I have had no complaints about it over the past 2 years.

im prob gonna take my guitar to a music store and try it out on an acoutsic amp and see if it fixes the problem... how much did you pay for the peavey Ecoustic 112?

[Elliottman]

This is slighly off topic and prob a stupid ass question.....

but when the videos on this site were recorded, was the guitar plugged in or not?

Thanks

[thejoe]

When I bought my acoustic amp, the salesman explained that the main difference between an electric and an acoustic amp, is that an acoustic has got an enclosed back, whereas an electric amp will have an open back. The enclosed back will keep the low end sound in, and give you a nice "boom" to your playing. I don't know if this is what's causing your problem but it could be.


btw, if you're looking for a good acoustic amp, I play a Peavey Ecoustic 112, and I have had no complaints about it over the past 2 years.

that salesman is wrong

many electric amps have open backs, and many have closed backs

[Dutch]

ya man i mean, my electric has an open back

[montiac]

Acoustic Amps STILL have their own tone in them. You won't get a pure acoustic sound if you use an acoustic amp. If you're looking to capture the true sound of an acoustic guitar, run it through a PA system. A small PA system is either a powered mixer and a passive speaker, or a non-powered mixer and an amplified speaker. the non-powered mixer -> amplified speaker would be your cheapest choice running close to about 400 dollars for a pretty decent setup. not only can you plug your guitar into the mixer, but also a microphone, so your money goes further with a PA system than with an amp.

anyway, that's my $0.02

[dmb66]

First of all, go with a P.A. system. P.A.'s are much much more versatile than any acoutic amp. For one, the P.A. offers many more inputs that you can use to your needs (i.e. vocals, instrument mics). Secondly, the tone will not become distorted at all at high volumes. MOST IMPORTANT..while acting as a high quality amplification system for your acoustic, the P.A. offers better equalization and effect options and the all important monitor channel which will be critical if you play in any sort of group where drums or other guitars are draining out your own ablility to hear yourself or your instrument. I can not reccomend a P.A. over an acoustic amp enough if you want more for your money.

For the question of acoustic amps versus electric, as I understand it, the electric amp is designed to help produce some of the tone of the guitar which is why different amps sound so much different with the same electric guitar. An acoustic amp is aimed more directly at simple reproduction and amplification of an original signal from the acoustic guitar therefore allowing the guitar to sound as good as in its natural state.

But the P.A. is still infinitely better

[montiac]

First of all, go with a P.A. system. P.A.'s are much much more versatile than any acoutic amp. For one, the P.A. offers many more inputs that you can use to your needs (i.e. vocals, instrument mics). Secondly, the tone will not become distorted at all at high volumes. MOST IMPORTANT..while acting as a high quality amplification system for your acoustic, the P.A. offers better equalization and effect options and the all important monitor channel which will be critical if you play in any sort of group where drums or other guitars are draining out your own ablility to hear yourself or your instrument. I can not reccomend a P.A. over an acoustic amp enough if you want more for your money.

For the question of acoustic amps versus electric, as I understand it, the electric amp is designed to help produce some of the tone of the guitar which is why different amps sound so much different with the same electric guitar. An acoustic amp is aimed more directly at simple reproduction and amplification of an original signal from the acoustic guitar therefore allowing the guitar to sound as good as in its natural state.

But the P.A. is still infinitely better

most definately. your basic PA system will last you for a long ass time, throughout years of experience without needing to be upgraded very much. you can run all your effects through it, you can use the mixer to record as well as perform. depending on the size of the mixer, you can add additional guitars, microphones, speakers. there's just so much more you can do with it. woooooooooooooooo