Acoustic Guitars

[Fran]

Thanks guys.

Dreadnoughts eh Doog, that's what mine is, like playing a fucking boat.

I'm getting my head around it though. Sounds nice with these bronze strings, I don't feel like a charlatan anymore, proper musicianlolz.

I'm watching a soundhole pickup on the bay in case I need to plug in. It's an Angry Duncan but they have good reviews. It's a bit of a new adventure/challenge for me, trying to figure out what to do instead of lead parts within the remit. Making me think again.

[Mike]

Next you'll have a fucking capo!

[Fran]

Don't tell robroe but I've had one for some time.

[Mike]

CAPO BROS

I love mine.

Slap one on the 4th fret and make all your boring chord progressions sound 100% more interesting.

SECRET WEAPON

[Fran]

I agree mate.

Johnny Marr knew it, John Squire knew it...

I've got a Spider Capo as well. If you haven't seen one you can capo single strings and leave others in standard. Takes things into Sonic Youth territory.

[robroe]

Johnny Marr knew it,

holyfuckingcrap

[mickie08]

I probably gig with an acoustic as much or more than anyone here (about 150 times per year on average).

My thoughts.....

if you are going to gig with it, definitely find one with a built in pickup and preamp/controls. You will thank yourself later.

DO NOT order online. Especially in the budget prices

Second hand is your friend. The fender sonorans can be found cheap second hand (one of my guys plays one). I play an Eastman and a Breedlove while my other guitarists have martins and Taylors.

I do not know if you ca get them over there or how much but check out the breedlove passport. THey usually have great necks and very solid electronics with built in tuners.

My Eastman is the best acoustic I have ever owned counting 4 breedloves, 2 taylors, a martin, and numerous yamaha, takamine, etc.

Also, as long as you get a good one, the epiphone EJ series (160, 200, etc) can be great guitars for the $

[Fran]

Thanks Mickie.
You don't recommend the soundhole pickups then, like the Seymour Duncan woody and stuff like that?

At this point all that stuff is out of my budget, but I'll take it on board and definitely aim to buy something locally when I do.


Rob

[BearBoy]

Just smash a humbucker into whatever you can find Fran. It'll be fine.

[dezb1]

I'm not a fan of the piezo much prefer a sound hole pickup I have a Shadow SH141 but my acoustic guitar playing is more from the Kevin Shields / Robin Guthrie school

[Doog]

I've got one of these in my parlour, does the job for not much wodge.





I changed the bottom strap pin for jack-pin and wired it up, but it comes with a lil' jack socket already wired on, which can just attach onto the strap pin:



Happy to do an quick straight-to-desk demo for you, it's pretty reasonable; low noise as it's a humbucker. I just needed to crank down the plain strings' polepieces as they were loud as fuck

I used to use an electro-acoustic with a piezo fitted for the Pixies tribute band. I fucking HATE how piezos sound as a reproduction of a 'real acoustic' sound. This is a bit less zingy and weirdy at least.

[Fran]

Bearboy

Thanks Doog. I looked at those. If the others I'm watching get bid over £25 then the Artec is definitely an option.

Can you get Woman Tone with it?

[dezb1]

I've got one of these in my parlour, does the job for not much wodge.





I changed the bottom strap pin for jack-pin and wired it up, but it comes with a lil' jack socket already wired on, which can just attach onto the strap pin:



Happy to do an quick straight-to-desk demo for you, it's pretty reasonable; low noise as it's a humbucker. I just needed to crank down the plain strings' polepieces as they were loud as fuck

I used to use an electro-acoustic with a piezo fitted for the Pixies tribute band. I fucking HATE how piezos sound as a reproduction of a 'real acoustic' sound. This is a bit less zingy and weirdy at least.

Those are great I had one in my old acoustic really nice sounding pickup.

[mickie08]

Thanks Mickie.
You don't recommend the soundhole pickups then, like the Seymour Duncan woody and stuff like that?

At this point all that stuff is out of my budget, but I'll take it on board and definitely aim to buy something locally when I do.


Rob

If you are running though pedals and going for the more rock type acoustic set I don't mind the sound hole ones. They just do not have the flexibility t control of a full built in preamp. Acoustics with noisy pickups or without some pre-amp control on stage can be very unforgiving on stage. They can work though. Other issue is they tend to not last long if you use them regularly. I had one for a 12 string and I would have to buy a new one every 6 months or so (again that was being carted around 3 times per week). The cables always seem to go bad. Also, I am not a fan of anything in the soundhole as my strumming hand gets heavy at times and I end up beating up my right hand on the PUP. Thats not the pups fault though.

As far as the anti piezo thing, I find that mainly in budget acoustics that do not sound that great already (just my 2 cents). I have always been able to EQ in a solid tone from my guitars and sound board. Currently though I run my acoustic into a sansamp fly rig, an ART tube preamp/Compressor/EQ, then into our presonus board. Sounds super full but that is alot of gear for an acoustic.

[Fran]

Thanks Mickie.
You don't recommend the soundhole pickups then, like the Seymour Duncan woody and stuff like that?

At this point all that stuff is out of my budget, but I'll take it on board and definitely aim to buy something locally when I do.


Rob

If you are running though pedals and going for the more rock type acoustic set I don't mind the sound hole ones. They just do not have the flexibility t control of a full built in preamp. Acoustics with noisy pickups or without some pre-amp control on stage can be very unforgiving on stage. They can work though. Other issue is they tend to not last long if you use them regularly. I had one for a 12 string and I would have to buy a new one every 6 months or so (again that was being carted around 3 times per week). The cables always seem to go bad. Also, I am not a fan of anything in the soundhole as my strumming hand gets heavy at times and I end up beating up my right hand on the PUP. Thats not the pups fault though.

As far as the anti piezo thing, I find that mainly in budget acoustics that do not sound that great already (just my 2 cents). I have always been able to EQ in a solid tone from my guitars and sound board. Currently though I run my acoustic into a sansamp fly rig, an ART tube preamp/Compressor/EQ, then into our presonus board. Sounds super full but that is alot of gear for an acoustic.

Thanks Mickie, you are the law on acoustic guitars 'round these parts and I appreciate your opinions.

[Mike]

with good reason, his band sounded pro as hell when we saw them in Temecula

[mickie08]

with good reason, his band sounded pro as hell when we saw them in Temecula

Thanks Mike. Weve just gotten stronger since then. Guitar player started playing pedal steel and keys and we added another guitarist/singer who is a killer player. Lots of fun with 3-4 vocalist depending on which drummer we are with that night.

[Fran]

I picked up a Seymour Duncan 'woody' new for under £30 shipped, it seemed the best deal within my budget.

Quite impressed with it, sounds less tinny than the piezo stuff I've recently heard. Great that you can use it in any guitar too.