Getting a Good Sound From a Plugged-In Acoustic Guitar

[Ted]

StephenM and I are on a similar quest: To get a good sound from a plugged-in acoustic guitar. (For mic-ing techniques, see this thread from Jean Pierre.)

We both want to record our acoustic guitars, and we both want to play live (StephenM for open-mics, me with a band).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHkf44-GibM



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lUT5VV7qZ4

Zoltan says investigate recording tech and/or pedals that employ Impulse Response (IR). (Note: Here's a website with lots of information about IR. Some of the pedals reviewed in the first video above employ IR.)

Also: The Micro BR (and likely other Boss recorders) has guitar patches that are made to tame piezo the piezo :problem": ForPiezo and Piezo Ld

If you have tips, or examples, post them here.

[Ted]

Oh my god. Down the rabbit hole I go...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc-zOUAq53w

[alfstone]

Several other options

1) Fishman Aura Spectrum D.I.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttva8l7nyXA

2) Zoom AC3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQxDHGNhyCw

3) Fishman Tonedeq:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px6-uR0d3mY

I have all of them. Difficult to say which one sounds better, where better should mean *natural*. Depending by the guitar and the pickup, one or the other will sound better, but anyway all these three are high quality. Probably the Aura Spectrum one (little) step higher.

Alfredo

[StephenM]

and off we go!!!!  I have enough here, as in what is posted above to keep me busy for a while...and I am going to hear all of it...but I gotta go play bass in the gathering band called 1833 now and so I will return.  The other day at guitar center I was plugging in some acoustic guitars, they had a fishman amp...small one...very dang impressive imo... so i am really going to be interested in seeing those pedal video's...
thanks for doing this Ted... I am sure the frenzy has started.

[Zoltan]

band called 1833

And with this in mind... You don't have to worry about any of these things.
Just grab your lute and off you go!

[Ted]

The pedal that appeals to me the most is the Xvive Mike. I like the sounds and the simplicity -- and the size too. It also seems to have been discontinued. It's $199 on eBay, new. I can understand why some people would want to load their own IRs, and be able to blend the effect with a dry signal. I try to have faith that smart people who know what they are doing hard code the presets on a simple pedal – like a chef the delivers you food perfectly seasoned, rather than have a bunch of seasonings on the table so you can tweak your dinner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phz5xVGVrck

I'm still going to try to get the most with what I have for live situations (Aphex Bass Xciter + MXR Dyna Comp clone), but I may try the IR plugins for GarageBand for my recordings.

I also realize that I may have accidentally tweaked my Bass Exciter to actually enhance the piezo quack frequency rather than suppress it. So I'm going to take another try at finding good settings with that pedal.

[StephenM]

Oh my god. Down the rabbit hole I go...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc-zOUAq53w

this one is about $180.00... of the ones so far... i would lean here, possibly because he explained it so well... but that IR sounds great... and the reverb would be handy plus the eq stuff...and it looks fairly simple which would be a must.

[Zoltan]

Now that we've got you all hot and bothered. Before you get off. I mean go off on your merry way and buy these things. Think back. Look and listen. The places where you haunt. I mean play. Can you see these kinds of gadgets being used by other people? What do they think about them?

If you can't try before buy... It might be a good idea to look around. The sound is in your hands and you've already got them (the strings do help some and so does the guitar). Some of the pros go for just the DI and do fine.

Edit: This is called "give the child a candy and then take it away" technique! We're not selling these things. Not even the dreams. You're performing them!

[StephenM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqfYfUxi_HE

this is a recording taken from a phone mic with the Zoom output going into a powered speaker about a meter away from the phone mic

I plugged my Ibanez into the Zoom R24 and used setting Stereo effect and dialed in one that I like the sound on... plus I am working on plugging my mic in also so I can control volume between guitar and vocal.  That is because I am at the mercy of the person who sets up the sound system where I play... which is "set it and leave it"
the reason right now is that I already have the device (ie don't have to buy anything) and I like what I got here.  I am working on alot of new ideas.  Mostly to improve my sound and to be "in love" with it... because I am learning that when I play live if something isn't right in my sound I tend to get distracted by it and my playing gets off... so I am trying to remove this potential. 
I played open mic last night and it felt to me like the best I have done yet, so all the work is paying off. 

[TPB]

Nice video I used to use the pedal when I got the Ephiphone EJ 200 it came with Fishman Presys with Sonicore Pickup It has a Nano and Mag pick up so can be blended or put out put to two separate channels Along with the jumbo body and these pickup it was all I needed Well at least I am happy, have gotten to the point less gear is better playing live less to go wrong. Only problem I have ever had is if you leave it plugged in the preamp is on and you might have a dead battery the next time you play
Video sounded good well done brother
Tim