It's time to get an amp. I don't know where to start, any suggestions out there?

Thanks

Hi Patti.  We'll need a bit more info before we can help.  How much can you spend?  What types of use (solo? band?)  venue size? (home? Church? coffeeshop?  50 people? 1000 People?) Do you like pure acoustic tone or do you prefer the more processed sound (chorus, reverb, delay, etc)

It would be for home and small venue use and  I like the pure sound. For the most part, it would be 4-5 guys playing in a small home studio (love my neighbour!!). Not sure about cost, would like to know what my choices are in say the 300, 600 and skies the limit category.

I have always been very satisfied with My Carvin AG100D amp...very versaitile, decent effects, very rugged, good clean sound, 3 channels, works well as a bass amp as well...give it a look I am not sure what they are going for now new...but i think within your original range of 3-600...and they have a 10 day return period with carvin

http://www.ultrasoundamps.com/ (http://www.ultrasoundamps.com/)
http://www.genzbenz.com/ (http://www.genzbenz.com/)
http://www.dreamguitars.com/aer/aer.htm (http://www.dreamguitars.com/aer/aer.htm)
http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=AG100D&CID=GA (http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=AG100D&CID=GA)

I own an Ultrasound DS3 (50 watts) and a Genz Benz Shenandoah Delux 200 (200 watts).  The Ultrasound series are typically not as heavy as the Genz Benz but I find that Genz Benz has better adjustment in its digital effects.  Ultrasounds have an annoying brief blurb of static when you switch them off.  Not a big deal but scared me at first.

Genz Benz has a newer Shenandoah 60 amp that looks pretty darn versatile.  But any of 'em would do you fine I'm sure.  Both Genz Benz and Ultrasound have EXCELLENT customer service.

There are other acoustic amplifier manufacturers: Fender (acoustasonic), Fishman (Loudbox), Kustom, Trace Elliot, Marshall (AS50D & 100D).

For three to six hundred dollars you can buy a REALLY nice acoustic amp.

Happy hunting and welcome to the forum.   :wave :donut :donut2 :coffee

Thanks for all the info!!!

I use a Fender Acoustisonic amp. Sounds great! I haven't used many others, but I have been very please with how it sounds. Let us know what you get??

Like Whiskeyjack, I also use a 50 watt Ultrasound -- the DS4 (the latest version, which now provides phantom power for mics).

I filled a small hall with sound no problem -- an SM58 in one input (vocals), and my iMix-equipped L-09 in the other.
Swapped out the L-09 for an AT2020 (phantom condenser mic) when it was time to play mandolin.

Some friends who know better said it sounded great -- particularly the mandolin.

Recommended.

- Richard

On the higher end side...I have the AER Compact 60 and love it...It's costly, but light, pure and clean sounding...

I just tried out a Genz-Benz Shenandoah 100 yesterday, using a Seagull AE dread that they had at the store...I'm very impressed; this is a totally pro piece of gear.

I've never tried the Carvin AG 100, although I've had GAS for one; I have a lot of other Carvin gear and I can vouch for their excellent sound, build quality, customer service and bang for the buck.

I like the theory behind the Fender Acoustisonic; the idea of using phase relationships to simulate surround sound is a very good one. I've never tried it though.

For my purposes I've found that it makes sense for me to have gear that does multiple tasks; my acoustic set up is also my recording set up and my PA. I use a Behringer 802A mixer that has 4 very clean and quiet mic preamps on it, 3-band EQ on each channel (4 mono and 2 stereo line) and 2 auxiliary buses through which I can dial in things like digital reverb, compression, EQ, whatever I need to add. A Behringer mixer with similar features will set you back about 60 to 80 bucks. I then run the outputs into a Carvin power amp and speakers, another 3 to 500, depending. I can plug in multiple instruments and vocals through this little system, or use it as a submixer into a larger set up.

This is a very versatile system for all my uses and sounds fantastic; the only drawback is that it's very cable-intensive, and I have a small fortune tied up in Monster cables to run everything.

Quote from: maxferry on February 08, 2007, 11:03:25 AM
I use a Behringer 802A mixer....
I have a small fortune tied up in Monster cables to run everything.....

You use Monster cables and a Berry 802A mixer?  Why?

sdelsolray, I'm afraid I don't understand your question..."why" what?

Quote from: maxferry on February 08, 2007, 11:20:52 PM
sdelsolray, I'm afraid I don't understand your question..."why" what?

I guess I'm just wondering why, for a given budget, you would spend so little on a mixer and so much on cabling.  Is there some sonic advantage to doing it that way?  Seems like if more was spent on a better mixer, with less spent on cabling (but not junk cabling), you'd end up with a better sounding situation.

Actually, the mixer sounds just fine for my purposes, although the main reason I bought it was that, at the time, I was living on a 32' yacht, and needed something small. Really, I have no complaints about the mixer; it does generate a bit of hiss, but at such a low level that I scarcely even notice. The mic preamps sound great and the routing flexibility is amazing for an $80 mixer. As a live mixer, this thing is great...not so much as a recording mixer, but as long as I pay attention to the gain structure I can keep the noise floor low enough to do home demo work.

Also, I acquired the cables over time. I had a whole pile of crap cables and I gradually replaced them as needed until they were all gone, or tossed into a box as emergency spares (which I haven't needed since buying decent cables...go figure). You're right though, I've spent easily 4 times as much on the cables as I did on the mixer.

anyone playing through SWR amps?

i was, i did, and now i am not. couldn't get the settings i liked...huge speaker...too much feedback that got worse with a feedback buster disc thingy.
spent a few hours at the music store today. played their LV-09...worked around a bunch of settings on the SWR(california blonde II--the amp i was supposed to be bringing home; after bringing back the loaner/floor model precursor california blonde), the sales guy i work with had me turn away from the amps and told me to keep playing. he plugged me in one amp, then another, Roland, Hartke, another SWR, we talked about Marshall. he would order one...

then he said he had another idea. wasn't crazy about it...didin't really think i'd like it; but it was certainly worth a try.  we were both pleasantly suprised. http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=2213300010 (http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=2213300010). sweet little unit.
it came home with me. very pleased.


oh yeah...GASed up too...

Quote from: little fingers on February 09, 2007, 07:19:22 PM
anyone playing through SWR amps?

i was, i did, and now i am not. couldn't get the settings i liked...huge speaker...too much feedback that got worse with a feedback buster disc thingy.
spent a few hours at the music store today. played their LV-09...worked around a bunch of settings on the SWR(california blonde II--the amp i was supposed to be bringing home; after bringing back the loaner/floor model precursor california blonde), the sales guy i work with had me turn away from the amps and told me to keep playing. he plugged me in one amp, then another, Roland, Hartke, another SWR, we talked about Marshall. he would order one...

then he said he had another idea. wasn't crazy about it...didin't really think i'd like it; but it was certainly worth a try.  we were both pleasantly suprised. http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=2213300010 (http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=2213300010). sweet little unit.
it came home with me. very pleased.


oh yeah...GASed up too...

and the Fender is nowhere near as fugly as the SWR...

Little fingers, I use a SWR CA Blonde II and I have no problem at all with dialing in the sound I want, and without feedback.  In fact, it was this very reason that I selected the amp.  I have 3 acoustics, each with different pickups and can quickly tweak it get the sound that meets or exceeds my expectations.  It also performs well when I mic my other guitars (and mandos) without pickups.  I'm sure there are other amps out there that sound as good or better but, I don't make a living playing guitar so, the SWR works great for me. 

Quote from: Biggs on February 15, 2007, 07:45:51 PM
Little fingers, I use a SWR CA Blonde II and I have no problem at all with dialing in the sound I want, and without feedback.  In fact, it was this very reason that I selected the amp.  I have 3 acoustics, each with different pickups and can quickly tweak it get the sound that meets or exceeds my expectations.  It also performs well when I mic my other guitars (and mandos) without pickups.  I'm sure there are other amps out there that sound as good or better but, I don't make a living playing guitar so, the SWR works great for me. 

so gald to hear that. iwas hoping there would be some positive words for the product.
it really was the amp i wanted, so i was kind of disappointed when things didn't mesh. however; i am very pleased with the little fender.

Speaking of SWR, I was looking at a Strawberry Blonde [used] today.  Looked like brand new, the store wanted 499.00 for it.  Thought I might ask what you folks thought they were worth.
Best wishes.

I am spoiled.  RIVERA SEDONA is a great amp to play with.

I really haven't gotten around to playing with it much yet.  But Electrics sounds great through it.  Acoustic/classical guitars dont actually sound pure throught it, but it has such a mellow sound it's just so great.  Especially for nylon, where you can make it sound natural and pure (in a recorded kind of way) or you can make it dark and jazzy.  I will play more with it when I have the time.  It is the do-it-all amp. That being said, it's not exactly cheap.

As for on a budget, I haven't tried the ultrasound, but surprisingly I love the fender Acoustasonics.  I just think they produce great sound regardless of the price.  :arrow  So what if amp x doesn't sound natural as amp y.  Get the one that has the sound you want.

I gigged last night with a Crate Gunnison and my Lo3E. I bought the amp at 5:00 and played at 8. The guy I played with has a D28 and a real nice Martin 12 string, and a Shertler Unico. The Crate sounded really fantastic! It has 2  independent channels,each for guitar or mike, a cd input channel, digital effects, built in tilt mechanism, effects loop,etc.  The 60 watts were loud and strong, the sound was terrific.  It weighs under 40 lbs, and so far I love it.  The only drawback is there is a lot of hiss, so I used the attenuatorfor the piezo to dial it out.  Not to post an exact price, but look at the $3-325 range at GC.   The Shertler is a great amp too, but costs waay more. JP

Quote from: jimmyp on March 18, 2007, 08:58:53 PM
I gigged last night with a Crate Gunnison and my Lo3E. I bought the amp at 5:00 and played at 8. The guy I played with has a D28 and a real nice Martin 12 string, and a Shertler Unico. The Crate sounded really fantastic! It has 2  independent channels,each for guitar or mike, a cd input channel, digital effects, built in tilt mechanism, effects loop,etc.  The 60 watts were loud and strong, the sound was terrific.  It weighs under 40 lbs, and so far I love it.  The only drawback is there is a lot of hiss, so I used the attenuatorfor the piezo to dial it out.  Not to post an exact price, but look at the $3-325 range at GC.   The Shertler is a great amp too, but costs waay more. JP

I picked up a Gunnison back in early January but I haven't had a chance to play out with it.  I'm still on the hunt for the proverbial 1st gig.  I've been playing at an opemn mic for about 3 months now and I'm thinking about finding a second one. 

I played around with the Crate at my local shop for a few days before deciding to buy it.  The price was right and the sound was great.  All the features you'd want in in acoustic amp. 

I ended up getting a Fender Acoustasonic Jr DSP recently.  Great little amp and with it and my I-beam... it sound exactly like my guitar unplugged does.. but louder.  I love it.  Haven't play with the 2nd channel on it yet, just the guitar side.

Just my 2 pennies worth but the Freshman David is an 80 watt acoustic amp and is an excellent bit of kit. Its only small, about 14 x12 x 10 inches but its sounds great. Costs just under 600 GBP dunno what it is over there. As it doesnt take up much room, its ideal for using in situations where space is at a premium, Maxferry............. if you ever buy another yacht :humour:

I've been playing through a Trace-Elliot 50 for ten years, no hiss, two channels (one for active/passive pick-ups the other for mikes with phantom power) and have tried many,many others. The best advice is to try them all, don't make the price your first priority as you'll be living with the puppy for a long time. I also use a Yamaha Magicstomp Acoustic to pre-set all my tweaks for all my guitars and it works well as a DI box. Trace -Elliot are no longer manufactured so there's a good chance to find a used unit for a good price. Good hunting but I'm keeping mine 'til it dies.