Members tele_jas Posted March 6, 2006 Members Posted March 6, 2006 Here's the deal, I have an Ibanez AEI20 acoustic guitar (a $250 guitar) that is the absoluteley BEST playing acoustic I've ever owned (even the guy in my band with a Taylor loves my guitar), but the electronics are JUNK!! It sounds thin and compressed no matter what I do and I'm getting ready to do a few big shows and some more acoustic gigs in the future and I want to make it sound better, but I don't have a lot of $$$$. So I need an under (or around) $75 fix and I need it by Thursday. Anyone run their Acoustic in to a Vox Tonelab SE? How's it sound and please share your settings. What are my options? * New pickups* FX processor* EQ pedal* rack gear* new guitar ( I sure hope not) Thanks in advance.
Members soundchaser59 Posted March 6, 2006 Members Posted March 6, 2006 I think you'd be better off trying something less expensive. I've just researched this same topic for my own use, and I'm buying the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI. Highly recommended by tons of people on several forums, and it passed a test drive at the local music store. It has 5 band eq, plenty of gain, uses discrete circuits instead of the shotgun approach op amps, it even has an insert side chain for sending the signal to your own fx box and back. And it is half the price of all those other tone boxes. I found one at StevesMusicCenter.com in NY for $149, and they are in stock and ready to ship. Just ordered mine today. All you are really paying the extra $200 or so bucks for with the other units is the pre-programmed canned presets, and maybe some built in fx. I have a rack full of stuff already, and I'll create my own "presets" so I figure I might as well save the extra $200 for something else...... Of course, you didn't say if your guitar has a passive pickup?? Does it require a battery in order to work? If not, then it could be that all you need is an active DI box. Countryman Type 85 is a good bet for that, if you dont need any preamp or eq or anything. I just saw one go on ebay for $100, just a few minutes ago...... A good store will let you try one and see if it does what you need, and return it if it doesn't work. SC
Members tele_jas Posted March 6, 2006 Author Members Posted March 6, 2006 Of course, you didn't say if your guitar has a passive pickup?? Does it require a battery in order to work? If not, then it could be that all you need is an active DI box. Countryman Type 85 is a good bet for that, if you dont need any preamp or eq or anything. I just saw one go on ebay for $100, just a few minutes ago...... My guitar has a cheap preamp that says Licensed by Fishman and it runs off of a 9v battery and has: Bass, mids, treb, phase, and volume. I actually tried a Seymour Duncan pickup booster in front the board and it just made it a bit louder but the tone was still lacking,,,,,, everything. I'll check out that DI, but please keep the suggestions coming.
Members DenverDave Posted March 6, 2006 Members Posted March 6, 2006 I would try an active DI - like the Baggs PADI. The Countryman is a great DI - if your signal is good to begin with. The Baggs has all the EQ and stuff you would need. I would find a local store tha stocks one and give it a try. If the Baggs does not work then the issue is either your pickup or the guitar itself...If you are going to be playing out a lot with your acoustic, and it sounds like you are - you might be better of getting a different guitar rather than upgrading the pickup in your current guitar. That may cost nearly as much as a new guitar would...
Members Mikeo Posted March 7, 2006 Members Posted March 7, 2006 Originally posted by soundchaser59 I think you'd be better off trying something less expensive. I've just researched this same topic for my own use, and I'm buying the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI. Highly recommended by tons of people on several forums, and it passed a test drive at the local music store. SC I will also recommend this one, I don't use it but a friend of mine does.
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted March 7, 2006 Members Posted March 7, 2006 Yeah, a PADI might do worlds of good, but here's another trick that works surprisingly well!: http://littlebrother.nlpd.com/Clay-UST/index.htm ...and it'll cost about $10! I've done this to all of my performance guitars and it REALLY makes a difference!
Members SiCkboy78 Posted March 7, 2006 Members Posted March 7, 2006 I have to say, I plugged in my mxr 10 band eq, sounds 100% better. Im using a mackie 808m, and Alvarez acoustic.
Members strat2 Posted July 22, 2006 Members Posted July 22, 2006 Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall Yeah, a PADI might do worlds of good, but here's another trick that works surprisingly well!: http://littlebrother.nlpd.com/Clay-UST/index.htm ...and it'll cost about $10! I've done this to all of my performance guitars and it REALLY makes a difference! Cool tip. Those are as good as it gets far as instructjions go, nothing left to guess at. Any more DI comparisons since the last post? ....
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