Acoustic Pick Up & Amp

[Greg Curtis]

New here guys and I'm sure I'll learn alot about Larris here. I've got my 1st on the way from Jim at Trinity guitars a new L-03R. He's a great guy to deal with.  I want to have Jim put a pickup into it and buy myself a good acoustic amp to play thru. Its only going to be used for practice and my own enjoyment so it doesn't have to anything real big just good sounding. Maybe something in the 15w-30w range. Maybe a LR Baggs I Beam for the pickup? Any suggestions guys? Thanks in advance.

[DFR]

Welcome to the forum Greg!

Kind of new to the amplified acoustic world, but I'm loving my K&K Western Mini pick up and my Ultrasound 50 watt amp.  I understand the 30 watt is a very nice amp as well, and at a good price.  You may be able to find a used one.

I've heard good things about the new pick-up system from Fishman, but I have no first hand experience.

Good luck and enjoy the new guitar

[Walkerman]

Welcome to the forum Greg!

Kind of new to the amplified acoustic world, but I'm loving my K&K Western Mini pick up and my Ultrasound 50 watt amp.  I understand the 30 watt is a very nice amp as well, and at a good price.  You may be able to find a used one.

I've heard good things about the new pick-up system from Fishman, but I have no first hand experience.

Good luck and enjoy the new guitar

I'll second both choices.

[Broadus]

I received my L-03R from Jim at Trinity a couple of weeks ago. He favored the Baggs iBeam active system, so I had him install that. I don't know about amps, but Crate gets a lot of positive talk.

BTW, if it's just for your own enjoyment, why do you want to amplify?

Bill

[wilblee]

I really love the Baggs iMix system.  As for amps, the Bose (oh YEAH, baby) if you can afford it, one of the Fishman Loudbox amps if you can't afford the Bose (the only reason I don't have one of these is that I got the Bose), or one of the Roland AC amps if you can't afford the Fishman.  I also enjoyed the Fender Acoustasonic Head through one of their cabinets, but I haven't played through one enough to really recommend it, but I would definitely say give it a try.

[mole2]

I'll go with the K & K Mini for the pickup since that's what I use on another guitar.  I just received my L-03 SO so no pickup as of yet but I will install a K & K on it.

As far as the amp, I like the Fender Acoustonsonic but I use my pickup mostly for recording on my Fostex MR-8MkII.


:)

[jerrysleftyguitars]

Welcome to the forum Greg!

Kind of new to the amplified acoustic world, but I'm loving my K&K Western Mini pick up and my Ultrasound 50 watt amp.  I understand the 30 watt is a very nice amp as well, and at a good price.  You may be able to find a used one.

I've heard good things about the new pick-up system from Fishman, but I have no first hand experience.

Good luck and enjoy the new guitar

+1 on both choices also. The K&K is transparent to your guitar when not using an amp an it adds almost 0 weight. You can also not use a preamp (batteries) if you dont want to.

[Greg Curtis]

Thanks for your opinions guys, really appreciate it. Talked to Jim at Trinity Guitars and he recommended the Baggs I Beam Active so thats the one I'm having him install. Still up in air for an amp but have been looking at a Crate Cimmaron and Taos, 15w and 30w respectively. Broadus, I want to amplify to get some effects from the guitar preferably some reverb and maybe delay. I also record into my Boss BR600 so a pickup is definitely an advantage even though the Boss has 2 built in mics.

[Winnipeg]

I had an LR Baggs Imix put into my D-03 and a K&K put into my Seagull 12 string. Both excellent pickups, but obviously the iMix gives you more control and choices. As far as an amp, I got a Crate Gunnison which was less than $400. It has 60w, 2 channels, and good features. I have been quite satisfied with the interface with both guitars and pickups.
Hani

[Greg Curtis]

Winnipeg, that Gunnison is a fine amp. Do you play locally for an audience. Mine will just be used as basically a practice amp in a bedroom (my music room I call it) so 60w is a little much I think. A 15w or a 30w probably would work out better for me.

[Winnipeg]

I do play some small venues, for which the Gunnison is ideally suited. You would be hard pressed by find a decent 15w or 30w amp for a whole lot less money though.

[Greg Curtis]

Yeah looking on MF I think you may be right. It has features on it that aren't available on the smaller size Crates.

[obe-wan]

Yeah looking on MF I think you may be right. It has features on it that aren't available on the smaller size Crates.

Thats a problem with smaller amps. I see your logic in going for something with less power, but that may also mean smaller, or only 1 speaker, sometimes 1 Channel, or if 2 they have shared EQ. Also the physical size of the cabinet affects the sound you'll get. If you can raise the cash I wouldn't limit yourself to the lower powered amps, just because its got 60 watts doesnt mean it wont sound great at bedroom levels.

Cheers, Scott.

[wilblee]

That's true.  Unlike amps designed for electric guitar which are designed to distort when pushed, acoustic amps (the good ones anyway) are designed to stay clean throughout their power range, so that he sound you get at 1 is the sound you get at 9.  For example, my Bose (and the Marshall AS100D that I had before it) can be played in my living room at barely audible levels or on stage at full tilt boogie, and the only difference in the sound is the volume.

Amps designed for electric guitar, on the other hand, designed to distort at their upper range, need to be looked at carefully as far as their power rating goes.  If you get a 60 watt amp, to push it to it's distortion level the volume has to be turned up so high that it would be useless in a living room setting, whereas a good 5W tube amp would sound delicious.  That same 5W would not be as useful for the stage, whereas the 60W would be killer.  This is the main reason that most electric guitar amps are not suitable for acoustics.  They distort - by design.

Now, as to what power rating you should get, that all depends on the amp, but - all other things being equal - buy as much as you can afford.  Scott is correct in saying that you can always turn down a powerful acoustic amp.  You can't always turn up a weak one.

[Greg Curtis]

Well my amp problem is solved. Picked up a Crate Gunnison on ebay last night for $242.00 including shipping. Looks like new and very lightly used. Thanks guys for all the advice. The 30w amps were higher priced and didn't have the features that the Gunnison has. It even comes with a footswitch. Having Jim at Trinity Guitars install a Baggs I Beam pickup in my L-03R and can't wait to get it and plug it in. Hope the pickup doesn't change the unplugged sound. Thanks again guys!

[el guitana]

I played a Gunnison a few times - it sounded good and was easy to dial in

[Winnipeg]

Well my amp problem is solved. Picked up a Crate Gunnison on ebay last night for $242.00 including shipping. Looks like new and very lightly used. Thanks guys for all the advice. The 30w amps were higher priced and didn't have the features that the Gunnison has. It even comes with a footswitch. Having Jim at Trinity Guitars install a Baggs I Beam pickup in my L-03R and can't wait to get it and plug it in. Hope the pickup doesn't change the unplugged sound. Thanks again guys!

Excellent price. I don't think you will be disappointed.

[obe-wan]

Hope the pickup doesn't change the unplugged sound. Thanks again guys!

It wont. Got one in my OM-03R.

Cheers, Scott.

[Greg Curtis]

Expecting the Crate amp sometime next week. Can't wait to get it and then the wait for the L-03R begins. Good to hear the pickup won't affect the sound unplugged. I'll try to post some pics of the Larri when I get it guys.

[Zohn]

Expecting the Crate amp sometime next week. Can't wait to get it and then the wait for the L-03R begins. Good to hear the pickup won't affect the sound unplugged. I'll try to post some pics of the Larri when I get it guys.

Greg!!!
The I-beam is an excellent choice - good for you and congrats with your Larrivee!!