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Post by sergio67 on Nov 14, 2022 18:41:08 GMT
Hi,
I’m a newbie and would like some advice.
I’ve not long been playing the acoustic guitar, bit of a late starter. I have a solid body Faith Venus acoustic guitar, and I’m looking for an acoustic amp that is also good for vocals.
I do fancy a second hand AER amp which I see are out there for around £350. But should I spend roughly the same amount on a new amp of a different make and more up to date?
Any help will be welcome
Thanks
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Post by borborygmus on Nov 14, 2022 18:47:52 GMT
It will very much depend on what you want to do with it... I have a Fishman Loudbox Mini for my occasional amplified use.
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Post by newdave on Nov 14, 2022 19:07:14 GMT
Good advice from borborygmus . Consider what you want it for and how often you will use it. You may, upon reflection, find that you don't need one at all, or not yet anyway. If you do need one, where are you going to use it? Outside or inside? For busking or solo performance or with a band? Do you need something loud enough to fill a hall or be heard in a busy pub or will you manage with something smaller? Do you need one or more additional channels for vocals or to plug in a backing track? Will you want an amp with effects like reverb or chorus or even more or would you prefer to use pedals for those or are you happy without? Are you going to need to transport it long distances? By car, public transport, bike, hand? Some amps are battery powered. Some have internal batteries that are great until they lose their ability to hold a charge and then it can cost almost as much as a new amp to have the battery replaced. Roland make an amp that runs off batteries you can buy in a supermarket. Some people get a golf-buggy or similar battery and an inverter to power a mains amp outdoors. AER make fine amps but I wonder if you really need to spend as much on your amp as you would spend on a second hand Venus. There are a lot of perfectly adequate amps out there for less than £350 - but of course it depends on what you're using it for and how often you intend to use it. Sorry to give you more questions than answers but I speak as someone who spent more than he should have on nice guitars and other bits when I really should have just concentrated on playing and I'd be sad to see you make the same mistake. You may find that if you wait until you know more clearly what it is you're looking for then your questions will answer themselves.
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Post by sergio67 on Nov 14, 2022 19:33:46 GMT
Thanks for your advice guys, did not expect a reply so soon. 😁
I basically just want to play and sing at home, mainly for myself but also family and friends.
I just don’t want to buy something not suitable and then have to spend again. So some pointers would be most helpful, so I know where to start.
Thanks
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Post by newdave on Nov 14, 2022 20:03:48 GMT
If it's mainly at home I really wouldn't bother with the AER. It's a professional quality amp for taking out and gigging. Unless the rooms in your house are big you might not need an amp at all. If you do it'll presumably be on a relatively low volume. Lots of manufacturers make acoustic guitar amps now. If you can, give some a listen then try and find a used one. I have a mint Bugera AC60 (only used for a couple of hours at most) if you're interested and anywhere near North London. 60w will be much more power than you need. You'd probably be fine with 20 unless you live in a castle. Is there a music shop near you where you can try a few out so you can experience it for yourself? That's what I'd do. I don't really feel comfortable recommending something over the internet that I haven't tried myself to someone I've never met.
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Post by fred7 on Nov 14, 2022 21:01:47 GMT
I would give the advice my local guitar shop man gave me when I asked him about acoustic amps. He said bring your guitar into the shop and try them all to see which worked best with my guitar.
Of course there are a lot of other considerations as mentioned in other comments but it is a combination of guitar and amp as much as just an amp. Trying a few in the same environment will give an important form of control.
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Post by newdave on Nov 14, 2022 21:18:39 GMT
I have a mint Bugera AC60 (only used for a couple of hours at most) if you're interested and anywhere near North London. To be clear I meant the Brugera is for sale. I bought it but I don't need it and I don't use it. If you're interested then by all means message me but I honestly think you'd be better trying some out and deciding yourself by what your ears tell you.
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Post by otis1960 on Nov 14, 2022 22:28:09 GMT
I have a Tanglewood T6 surplus to requirements; depending where you are you are welcome to borrow it and see whether you really need an amp for home use. I am based in Manchester, but travel to Surrey for work on a weekly basis; if ‘up there’, or somewhere on the way ‘darn sarff’ might be convenient then send me a message
Cheers
Otis
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Post by skyetripper on Nov 15, 2022 13:38:58 GMT
It will very much depend on what you want to do with it... I have a Fishman Loudbox Mini for my occasional amplified use. +1 on the loudbox mini. I jam with a chap who has an AER and whilst the mini can't compete on volume or the 'bigness' of the sound, I think it has a much more genuine acoustic sound. I've also tried the Tanglewood T6 and that was great for the money. Not tried much else apart from an Acus One (brilliant, very clear and precise but needs a good pickup or preamp) and the Roland AC33 (loads of features, great sound, if a bit 'Rolandy')
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Post by malcolm on Nov 15, 2022 14:31:08 GMT
For playing at home I can't see why you need an amp at all. I have owned both an AER compact 60 and a Fishman Loudbox in the past, and I now have an Acus, all good amps but I almost never plug in at home.
As someone else said, the best idea is to bring your guitar to a shop and just try a few different amps.
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Post by borborygmus on Nov 15, 2022 16:31:43 GMT
For playing at home I can't see why you need an amp at all. Because sometimes it's fun! Putting on some reverb or delay or other effects... using a looper... using a harmoniser pedal with your voice... making a BIG NOISE!
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Post by Matt Milton on Nov 15, 2022 22:25:21 GMT
I bought an AER 60 a loooong time ago now, mainly to play my violin through (with a clip-on mic). I borrowed a friend's for a gig and was impressed at how clear the sound was. I've since played my acoustic guitar through it many times.
But these days what I use it for is playing my electric, set to clean, for playing jazz - or rather attempting to play jazz. It excels at an electric for a clean tone I must say.
Still, I agree with others in this thread. It's an extravagant expense for just playing at home.
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Post by dreadnought28 on Nov 16, 2022 1:47:14 GMT
If you can find an AER amp for £350 snatch their hand off! I fundamentally disagree that it would be unnecessary for home use. You will find it makes playing more interesting and enjoyable. If you can find one with multiple built in reverbs so much the better. I have numerous amps from different makers but find myself invariably turning to AER.
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Post by newdave on Nov 16, 2022 2:39:34 GMT
Is the AER amp you're looking at an Alpha or an Alpha Plus? I think the Alpha has two channels which means that you can use different equalisation and effects on each input but I think (and I might be wrong) the Alpha Plus has only one channel with two inputs, so the EQ has to be the same for both inputs.
You can, of course, use pedals and other effects on the sound before it goes into the amp but it still complicates things. If you're putting multiple sound sources into one speaker then separate channels makes it much easier to refine your sound.
Having only one channel might work out fine but, as suggested in posts above, it's worth trying them out to check.
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Post by scorpiodog on Nov 16, 2022 12:59:38 GMT
I'm really torn on this one. My first acoustic amp was an Ibanez Troubadour which was bought on ebay as a whim to find out what playing (and singing) through an amp was like. I had a lot of fun with it, but when I was starting to play out, it really didn't have enough pizazz. Actually, truth be told, it was because I wanted a Marshall, and luckily one came on sale in the Classified section here - just another example of my shallowness, I'm afraid!
So I had a Marshall AS50D, which was perfectly fine if you don't have to carry it too far, and filled a reasonable sized pub room with as much volume as you would need.
Then I got an Asus 1-4-S 8, also from the Classified section, which is fantastic, but more complicated than I need. So I tend to use the Marshall if I play a solo gig where there is no pa (rarely).
I honestly don't ever plug in at home any more.
So my opinion is to indulge yourself if that floats your boat with anything you can afford, but only stretch the budget if you're likely to do solo gigs where you have to prvide your own amplification.
Anywhere with a pa and operator/engineer the most you'll need is an acoustic effects pedal and a DI box. I use a Zoom A3, but you'll only need one of those if you don't trust the sound engineer or you're looking for total control over your sound. But every level of sophistication comes with its own learning curve. I'd rather play than fiddle with sound parameters, so I generally don't.
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