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TC Helicon Play Acoustic


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Hey guys. Couldn't get back into my SLScott account, so STM it is... I just discovered these exist yesterday. Had anybody used one? I'm strongly considering trading in my GTX that I love for one. Pretty much all of the GTX guitar features are wasted on me, but the BodyRez sounds like something I'd really use. I think though I've accepted quack as almost the "correct"plugged in sound. http://www.tc-helicon.com/products/play-acoustic/

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interesting...so they strip out most of the guitar efx (pointless for acoustic anyway, IMHO), and street this for $50 less than the GTX. I did like the BodyRez effect, though...that was very surprising, but I think a lot has to do with e the playback system, the initial audio source, etc. My Martin a/e sounds different from my Epi a/e and my custom a/e and my Guild mic-ed...but if it can deliver that sound quality consistently without sounding digitized, I'm all for it!

 

This may be a huge step forwards for them [in sales] by taking a step backwards, much like they did with the Ditto looper. Too often I think manufacturers cram too much stuff into their units, making them overly complicated in an attempt to please everyone, and wind up pissing most of them off...it seems they want to have that 'gee whiz' factor built in to the nth degree, even though no one will likely ever use most of it.

 

I would love a harmonizer with nothing but the realistic 2 and 3 part vocal harmonies, forget the robot noises, vocorder, Gregorian monks, 12 women, pitch correction, the guitar 'enhancements'...I have had to turn a lot of that off on my unit, and it took a lot of time.

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I made the leap. GC wasn't going to give me what they needed to for it. But I bought one anyway and will be selling the GTX if I like it. I'll report back on my findings Daddymac. I think you run Undersaddle into GTX into SoloAmp also, no? I like my setup a whole lot, and am very satisfied with what I have, so it'll be interesting to hear this acoustic thing when it arrives. Lots of people complaining about the global-only guitar setting, but I play one guitar one way for the most part. They all seem to give the BodyRez A thumbs up though. Helicon's forum/participation is pretty freaking awesome I must say.

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I have been using the GTX since they first came out and would be lost without it and so looked at the new acoustic version with interest as like you I have no need off the electric sounds. However I am not convinced the body res feature is enough to make me switch. I have recently added a Behringer acoustic DI in front of the GTX that cost peanuts, it has a sweepable mis and blend mode that really makes for an improved sound. I will watch for your review with interest.

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There's also some humanization on the harmonies to make them sound a little more natural, but I thought they sounded remarkably natural already when not mixed in too high. I won't know for sure until I get the pedal I suppose. Their demos mix effects in the "this is what this effect does" rather than the "This is what the effect sounds like mixed in like you should use it" sense. There's currently a rebate for a free mic I won't use, but could be a preferable backup to the SM58. Maybe.

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So, this BodyRez thing is pretty awesome from what I can tell. It's still not QUITE a proper test without actually gigging with it through the PA and all that, but depending on the amount of truth to "garbage in, garbage out," this guitar sound is one I'd actually want my PA to reproduce. There's a little low frequency rumble for lack of a better term, which my be my computer speaker sub. Like I said, I haven't run it through the PA. Finger picked it truly sounds like a mic'd up guitar. Strumming a little less so, but still markedly better than without it. I recorded a little bit without it, sounded okay. Recorded a bit with it, and it was more rich. But it's when you turn it BACK off, you really notice how crappy the unaided pickup sounds. Is it any better than something like a para DI? I don't know. More likely yes if you're like me and don't really know exactly what you're doing.

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I was off sick the last couple days. Bad news is I was sick. Good news is I had a little time to toy with it. Indeed, it sounds much better with the bodyrez on, though it doesn't sound as bad without it. Definitely gives a rich fullness that just isn't there normally. Though it always sounded fine to me before.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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I got to gig with the pedal last Thursday. I absolutely loved it. Significantly more than the GTX. Despite the Hall of Fame reverb available I stuck with the Fishstick reverb 3. Combined with the Bodyrez, my guitar just sounded flat out awesome. It's worth the GTX bath IMO. I'm sure there are other means to the same end, but I'm really happy with the one I chose. It took that gig to know for sure.

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  • 4 months later...
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Looking for updates on people's experience with Play Acoustic, Play Electric, Harmony Singer, FX150, and what not. Especially interested in people's opinion of the "tone" knob/button that gives microphone compression, de-ess, intelligent EQ, gating, and all that other stuff that I've no patience to program in myself. Is it the silver bullet?

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  • 5 years later...
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Hi guys 'n' gals.... I just found this site and like the dialog. I've been using  the Play Acoustic and feel that it's a pretty useful tool. However, I'm confused about "all the tools a singer could want" Where is the EQ??? I want to roll off a little 300 Hz and boost a little125 Hz. Why do I feel that that's not an unreasonable expectation seeing as the guitar has the capability? Could someone comment on a "workaround" for me. Also, has anyone figured out how to some more time for the Looper?? 

Thanks, J. Rocker 

 

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I don't have one, and I wasn't sure if it included EQ for the vocal side of it or not but I took a look at the manual, and it appears that there is a filter option in the transducer menu (page 46 of the manual) - the Style Parameter can give you effects like "telephone" or "megaphone" voice sounds, and the Filter Parameter applies "an EQ filter that will make the Transducer sound “thinner” or more “muddy”, depending on the preset. Thinner filter settings sound more like a radio or walkietalkie".... but unfortunately, it doesn't appear to have any type of user-adjustable shelving or parametric style EQ for the vocal processing. 

BTW, welcome to Harmony Central! :wave:

 

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Thanks Phil, There is an option to turn on a tone setting which is basicly NORMAL (sounds like crap), LESS BRIGHT, MORE LESS BRIGHT, WAY MORE LESS BRIGHT w/o Gate, Yada yada yada etc.... or OFF (which is what I use!!! 😞 The FX are pretty darn good with the distracting addition of a bunch of (IMHO) useless vocal options. I' m annoyed at having to haul an outboard EQ along just to do what this "vocalists dream machine" is supposed to do in the first place. WOW! Thanks for letting me rant a little bit.... I feel a lot better now. I'm gonna check out the rest of your site....Over 'n' Out!

                                                           

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Hey Steve Mac..... I tried to reply to your post a little while ago but it seems to take longer than I thought so maybe it'll take awhile and both these replies will be on here. Anyway.... My PA has a loop time of 1 minute, and that's with the UNDO off. Is there a newer model with more loop time? Or a MOD I could do?

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1 minute ago, J. Rocker said:

Hey Steve Mac..... I tried to reply to your post a little while ago but it seems to take longer than I thought so maybe it'll take awhile and both these replies will be on here. Anyway.... My PA has a loop time of 1 minute, and that's with the UNDO off. Is there a newer model with more loop time? Or a MOD I could do?

"just to be clear, half of the lies people tell about me aren't true"

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