Members d03nut Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Throughout the years, I've read countless guitar-related articles and reviews. For the most part, I've noticed that there seems to be more positive reviews in the acoustic guitar realm as opposed to its' electric counterpart. Now why is this so (or not)? I may be bi-ased based on my own experiences but I think I've found the answer. Volume. Until amp modelling came along, I spent thousands of dollars/man-hours on electric gui-tars and amps in search for the kind of tones that I had heard on records (or in my head), usually to no avail. In retrospect, the big flaw in my process was that I rarely played at a loud enough volume to really enjoy the benefits of, lets' say, a tube amp. And digital distortion, as the name implies, sounded, well
Members riffmeister Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Man, I certainly love the banjo............KERBLANG KERBLANG!!!!
Members FingerBone Bill Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 I find I can record a very acceptable acoustic sound with an I-Beam and a ParaDI. I also add a Bass V-amp for a little 'verb. Of course, you need a good acoustic to start with.
Members Charlies Ghost Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Maybe acoustic players are more easygoin' than those tweaked out electric players.An unamplified acoustic is a pretty much an is what it is instrument.Theres only six knobs on my acoustic and most of the time it's knda easy to tell when there not in the right positions.Maybe spinin' all those dials on the amps and guitars gets them all pissed and makes them write less positive reviews.Your volume theory could be valid.When people get aggressive and angry they sometimes increase their volume and start yelling.Maybe the electric players don't give positive reviews cause there guitars are yelling at them all the time.You know it could be the electricity too.Why don't you put some wire leads on to a nine volt battery and hook yourself up to it for a week.Report back and tell us if you find yourself more critical of things.It could also be that theres more acoustic reviewers that are bedroom players and are less concerned about finding that perfect tone as the electric guys are.After spending those countless man-hours tweaking your tone with the electric stuff you've kinda conditioned yourself to spending the time on tweaking the tone.Maybe you've gotten use to that just get up and go acoustic attitude and are not happy about ruinin that feeling when you have to tweak those knobs.It could also be that you can face the amp toward you and unless your playing the acoustic with your feet the sounds traveling away from you and your not use to hearing it from the other side.
Members guitarplayer Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Excellent post. The simplicity of the acoustic. I play both and the electric has so many more variables. Live playing requires a complete eq change as opposed to trying to get a good sound from bedroom playing. All amps sound different, swapping tubes, speakers, and all the freakin pedals we have, not to mention changing pickups. Plus the guitar too. A LP sounds so different from a strat. Plug them into the same amp and.....no no no, you have to re-tweak all the darn knobs again to get a decent sound. It's endless. Sure, a Taylor sounds a bit brighter than a Martin, but they all sound great without all the frustration.
Members JasmineTea Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Volume. I think it depends a "little" on the electric guitar/amp combo. However, for bedroom players, volume will continue to be a problem, unless you're happy wiyh "80%". If you're into loud/heavy stuff, you need loud/heavy gear. If you just want to keep up with a drumset, 40w is enough. Imo, electric guitar needs to be kind of loud. You can't send bombs whistling to the back of the barroom without some volume. Further-more, as owner of a most wonderful old Fender tube amp, I have to say there is something magical about tubes, especialy when they are working up a sweat. An old Fender amp modded with a dual-gain master-volume, and a Tele..yeah man. As for recording acoustic guitar: How about a mic? or two?
Members FingerBone Bill Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Originally posted by JasmineTea ....As for recording acoustic guitar: How about a mic? or two? Fine as long as you've got a sound-proofed room.Failing that you just know that that one perfect take is going to be interrupted by: I'll stick to AST pickups thanks.
Members JasmineTea Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Well, I don't have ALL that stuff to worry about. A truck rumbles by during the day once in a while, not too bad at night. To me, Acoustic guitar with a pup/mic-pre/wtevr is like electric with an ipod. It's not what the guitar realy sounds like. I spend $1000 on an acoustic because it sounds good. I'd rather hear that on tape than the pup.
Members FingerBone Bill Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Which one's mic'ed and which one's the pickup?Sample 1 Sample 2
Members JasmineTea Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Originally posted by FingerBone Bill Which one's mic'ed and which one's the pickup?Sample 1 Sample 2 Is this a test?Sample 2 sounds most like a real acoustic, but I think the're both done with pups.
Members FingerBone Bill Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Hmmmm...... How about this one?Sample 3
Members JasmineTea Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Originally posted by FingerBone Bill Hmmmm......How about this one?Sample 3 pup. If it's mic'd, it's got Elixers, and heavy compression/EQ. The best pup I've listened to so far on the forum is the KK-trinity. edit: My point is, I'd rather hear what the guitar sounds like. I'm not knocking pups, but they are'nt, ya'know, the guitar.I'll be looking into them soon for live stuff.
Members FingerBone Bill Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 So you can't pick the mic'ed one eh??
Members JasmineTea Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Originally posted by FingerBone Bill So you can't pick the mic'ed one eh?? I guess not. witch one?Sample 1 has two guitars. Mabey the lead electric-solo guitar is mic'd by the amp? The rythm guitar has got a pup, I spose that could by going through an amp, mic'd.
Members FingerBone Bill Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Interestingly, sample 1 was recorded with acoustic guitars, not electric - it's amazing what you can get a UST to sound like isn't it?
Members d03nut Posted June 10, 2005 Author Members Posted June 10, 2005 I had me a not-so-old Fender tube amp. Loudest 40 (or was it 30) watts like in the world, I tell ya. Given my "hostile" living environment, couldn't really use all that...........volume.
Members JasmineTea Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Originally posted by FingerBone Bill Interestingly, sample 1 was recorded with acoustic guitars, not electric - it's amazing what you can get a UST to sound like isn't it? Yeah. I'm one of those weirdos who does'nt use any effects on electric guitar, except sometimes when recording. I hav'nt electrified any acoustics yet, hav'nt had a reason to. Always rec'd them with a mic.
Members Preacher Will Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 Originally posted by d03nut I had me a not-so-old Fender tube amp. Loudest 40 (or was it 30) watts like in the world, I tell ya. Given my "hostile" living environment, couldn't really use all that...........volume. That's one of the reasons why i got rid of my Classic 30--only thirty watts and it would get ear-bleeding loud. (Man i miss that amp!! ) i love a Twin, but i never could understand how to get it to sound right at reasonable volumes. Right now, i'm seriously considering designing and building a small amp with pentode-triode switching to go from two to five watts. it should have point-to-point wiring, a ten-inch speaker, master volume, bass, mid, and treble pots, and, in a perfect world, spring reverb. Think i could sell it?i agree about all the switches etc. that are "needed" to get an electric to sound "perfect." Was looking at a Gretsch Country Club the other day. Thing had more controls than a 747! Half of the switches i never did figure out (i wasn't about to ask the sales kid!!). Which is one of the reasons why i much prefer acoustics. it is what it is. My best guitar is a Taylor. Whenever i'm gigging, that's what i play. But, my old beater, an A&L Cedar, is the guitar that i find most inspiring and is the one on which i do most of my writing. The intonation is off a bit, it's a bit muddy in the bottom register, and it is starting to look like Trigger, but it's got soul and every time i pick it up, something magic happens. ('Course, my writing may be be pure garbage so maybe i need a better muse--but, there yuou have it. ).
Members d03nut Posted June 10, 2005 Author Members Posted June 10, 2005 That's funny. I got my Fender amp by trading in my Peavey Classic 30. The Fender was at least just as loud. Miss 'em both though. Ah well......
Members Cldplytkmn Posted June 10, 2005 Members Posted June 10, 2005 my electric sound is pretty easy... its a strat w/ lipsticks plugged into my '65 50W Bassman 2x12 flip on the bright switch, treble at 6, bass at 7, volume at about 5-6... but yeah acoustics are still easier
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