• From: Laredo, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-01-24
  • Posts: 38

Topic: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

Hi All!
    I've had an Ibanez AE37 for a couple of months. I want to buy an amp for it, but am unsure whether to buy an acoustic amp or an electric am. My son has a strat with a Marshall amp, but I have not plugged in to his amp, thinking I might damage the Ibanez. Any recommendations?
   Thanks

But, here's the secret about the guitar: It's defiant. It will never let you conquer it. The more that you get involved with it, the more you realize how little you know.
                 Les Paul  March 2007

skydivr103's Website

  • From: Sunny France
  • Registered: 2009-01-04
  • Posts: 20

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

What's the difference between an acoustic amp and an electric amp? An acoustic amp IS electric.

Or do you mean something else?

Weather forecast for tonight: dark. Continued dark overnight, with widely scattered light by morning.
  • From: Laredo, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-01-24
  • Posts: 38

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

Hi mate. When I went to Guitar Center, the tech I spoke to showed me some amps that were supposedly designed specifically for A/E guitars. He said the amplification on solid body electric guitar pickups, is different from the amplification on acoustics. I am enough of a neophite, to not know the difference.

But, here's the secret about the guitar: It's defiant. It will never let you conquer it. The more that you get involved with it, the more you realize how little you know.
                 Les Paul  March 2007

skydivr103's Website

  • From: Victoria, Australia
  • Registered: 2007-07-24
  • Posts: 28

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

Hey skydivr103,

I'm going through exactly the same dillema. Thinking of making my next purchase an A/E and was wondering whether I could use my existing 15w Marshall.

What to do?

Check out what the knowledgeable folks on Chordie say of course!

I ended up typing in 'acoustic amp' into the forum search box and came up with a stack of useful information (sorry don't have an actual link for you).

To summarise what most posts were saying: You can use your son's Marshall and the sound will be 'OK' but a dedicated acoustic amp is going to bring out the richer acoustic tones far better. I acknowledge I'm speaking from a largely unqualified perspective here as I have yet to make that purchase, so hopefully some of those more in the know will offer you more qualified advice.

Cheers,

Turret

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act...it is a habit.        Aristotle
  • From: Laredo, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-01-24
  • Posts: 38

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

Thanks Turret. Makes sense to me. I guess on an electric guitar the amplification comes from the magnetic resonance of the pickup. On an acoustic the pickup is more of a microphone, with the sound originating from the soundhole. Should have used a little common sense I guess. Thanks for your help and the recommendation of the forum search engine!

But, here's the secret about the guitar: It's defiant. It will never let you conquer it. The more that you get involved with it, the more you realize how little you know.
                 Les Paul  March 2007

skydivr103's Website

  • From: Sunny France
  • Registered: 2009-01-04
  • Posts: 20

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

skydivr103 wrote:

Thanks Turret. Makes sense to me. I guess on an electric guitar the amplification comes from the magnetic resonance of the pickup. On an acoustic the pickup is more of a microphone, with the sound originating from the soundhole. Should have used a little common sense I guess. Thanks for your help and the recommendation of the forum search engine!

Well that's something I've learned today!

Cheers.

Weather forecast for tonight: dark. Continued dark overnight, with widely scattered light by morning.
  • Registered: 2007-03-24
  • Posts: 1,108

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

There is a difference between the 2. You can clearly hear it even with low end equipment. If you're serious about playing you'll need 2. If you're just playing around, you can just use 1. It depends on your needs. Acoustic amps are generally very simple, amps designed for electrics tend to have more features but again if you're just playing around for fun...

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello
  • From: Chesapeake,VA
  • Registered: 2008-11-12
  • Posts: 332

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

Welcome to Chordie, skydivr103.  I agree with geoaguiar.

I've had a Fender Acoustasonic 30 with 1/4" guitar input and a separate XLR mic input for a few yrs.  Love it.  I recently added a Crate Palomino all tube (electric guitar) amp.  Love it too.  I've played electric on the accoustic amp and accoustic on the "electric" amp, but clearly the accoustic guitar shines on accoustic amp and vice versa.  I think you'll be very pleased if you get an acoustic amp for your A/E guitar.   Expect to pay around $300.

AccoustikNoyz's Website

  • From: Laredo, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-01-24
  • Posts: 38

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

Thanks geoaguiar. I play mostly for my own entertainment, and sometimes with a few friends. No professionsls here! Thank you for the welcome AccoustikNoyz. I have heard some good things about the Roland AC-60, and the Marshall AS 50D. Anyone care to comment?  As an aside, I think the Chordie community is fantastic. I found it by accident, when I was linked to the site from another one. The closeness, humor, and affection from everyone on this web-site is unsurpassed. I hope to contribute to it in my own small way whenever possible.

But, here's the secret about the guitar: It's defiant. It will never let you conquer it. The more that you get involved with it, the more you realize how little you know.
                 Les Paul  March 2007

skydivr103's Website

  • From: plymouth - uk
  • Registered: 2007-11-15
  • Posts: 199

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

just about to purchase an amp for my accoustic ... didnt realise there was a differnce for them over electric ... thanks for making me think twice and look around for something more specific and perhaps getting something more adequate ...

any resemblance to my songs sounding anything like the original is highly unlikely.

evsynator's Website

11 Reply by NELA (edited by NELA 2009-02-03 19:43:12)

  • NELA
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: West Monroe, La. 71292
  • Registered: 2007-11-28
  • Posts: 1,303

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

If you can go to a music store with someone who can play. Get that person to play thru both types of amps while you listen a few feet away. You WILL be able to hear the difference between an acoustic guitar amp and electric guitar amp. To get the best sound from your A/E guitar it needs an amp made for acoustic guitars. Second best would be a keyboard amp (they can even be a little less pricy) or just play thru a mike and a PA system. I have a Roland AC-60 and it does a VERY good job. This amp is set up as 2 systems of 30 watts each. You can control 2 guitars, seperately, or 1 guitar and 1 mike each with 30 watts. If I had to do it all over again. I would go for the Roland AC-90 which is just a little bigger. Now is a good time to buy as there are still some 2008 models out there. Shop around for the best price, don't get in a big hurry and find out if the salesperson gets a commission on the sale. If so, find out when that period ends and then negotiate the price.

Nela

NELA's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

skydivr103 wrote:

I hope to contribute to it in my own small way whenever possible.

You already have.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-11-13
  • Posts: 51

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

I bought a Crate Acoustic Amp. The Gunnison model. Sounds great.

Learning to play the guitar is easy. Converting that knowlege to sound like music is hard!
  • Registered: 2007-03-24
  • Posts: 1,108

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

skydivr103 wrote:

Thanks geoaguiar. I play mostly for my own entertainment, and sometimes with a few friends. No professionsls here! Thank you for the welcome AccoustikNoyz. I have heard some good things about the Roland AC-60, and the Marshall AS 50D. Anyone care to comment?  As an aside, I think the Chordie community is fantastic. I found it by accident, when I was linked to the site from another one. The closeness, humor, and affection from everyone on this web-site is unsurpassed. I hope to contribute to it in my own small way whenever possible.

You are very welcome. I own a small Crate CA10 Acoustic Amp for practice (it's in my very small office in the basement). It's adequate and costs less than $100.00. Unless you're gigging I don't see a need for anything more. I think Doug Smith said it in another post "I suspect most people are "over amped"". I agree with him

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello
  • From: Georgia
  • Registered: 2007-07-09
  • Posts: 381

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

I have an acoustic Ibanez Troubadour T35 that sounds really good with my electric and my acoustic. It comes with chorus and reverb with the mic input as well. I paid like $250.00 for it and it as has been a great practice amp and it makes a good monitor to boot.

  • From: Laredo, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-01-24
  • Posts: 38

Re: Acoustic Amp Vs. Electric amp

Thank you everybody. Lots of good things to think about. I hadn't really considered the Mic input. But it might be a good idea, since my voice barely carries to my ear, much less projecting outward. smile

But, here's the secret about the guitar: It's defiant. It will never let you conquer it. The more that you get involved with it, the more you realize how little you know.
                 Les Paul  March 2007

skydivr103's Website