Amplifing an accoustic guitar for gigs

[jezzaboy]

Guys, excuse my ignorance but we are going to be adding another guitarist and the plan is he will be playing an accoustic for a few numbers in the gig. The guy has gigged an electric before but has only used the accoustic at home, so, what is the best way to amplify if for a live gig? He is going to get a pickup for it but it is the amplification issue.

Do we: get a di box and put it through the pa? The problem is I do the sound so can`t monitor the sound coming through the pa at all times.

Get an accoustic pedal such as the zoom accoustic pedal and put it through his Marshall amp that he uses for his electric?

Bite the bullet and get an accoustic amplifier?

Any help would be mucho appreciated as I know sod all about accoustic guitars. And it seems our "axe men" know sod all about it either.

Jez

[Monckyman]

Preamp/di>P.A>monitors.
Use the preamp to shape the tone and avoid feedback, the D.I will get you into the P.A.
Not much difference not being able to turn the accoustic down or turn all the other stuff down if you`re playing bass..
The accoustic guitar pickup will have a basic tone and volume I expect?
I suppose the trick will be to balance the out front with the monitor so you can get a rough judge of the mix.
MM

[jezzaboy]

Cheers MM. This seems like the best solution.

Jez

[EssentialTension]

In my 'acoustic' band the one acoustic guitar (fitted with piezo and associated pre-amp) goes straight into the PA. The second acoustic guitarist also plays ukulele and electric lap steel and has a switch box feeding them all to a Laney VC-30. Both ways work fine.

Edited June 10, 2011 by EssentialTension

[xgsjx]

I play Electro acoustic & it's either straight into the PA (sometimes with a stage monitor) or plugged into my combo (Markbass 2x10).

[PURPOLARIS]

Played my second gig last night with my Acoustic band. First time I gigged it was feedback hell, last night I put some cardboard and gaffa tape over the sound hole and it was perfect, more than loud enough with no feedback. Played it through my Shuttle 6 head and Eden 2x10". Can't wait for the next gig now

[pete.young]

I've had a lot of success with a Behringer AD121, which is the acoustic guitar equivalent of the BD121 Sansamp clone.
It works well with either magnetic or piezo pickups and can be picked up from t'bay for about 35 quid. It also has a DI, so you can go straight from that into the PA provided of course that you can put something back into the monitors or he wont be able to hear anything!

Plugging acoustics into guitar backline usually doesn't work very well in my experience.

Having said all that, I've now started using a Roland AR60 - this has the added benefit of being able to be stuck on a PA pole next to my ear so I can still hear the dulcet tones of my mandolin and bouzouki over the racket made by the drummer!

[crez5150]

One of the best things for acoustic guitar live is to buy a feedback stopper plug. They cost about a tenner but deal with feedback problems nicely, especially if it's a fairly loud gig

[PURPOLARIS]

[quote name='crez5150' post='1264724' date='Jun 11 2011, 11:02 AM']One of the best things for acoustic guitar live is to buy a feedback stopper plug. They cost about a tenner but deal with feedback problems nicely, especially if it's a fairly loud gig
[/quote]


Unfortunately the hole in my Acoustic is oval shaped which is why I ended up making one with cardboard. It did the job. I've got an Ibanez EWB205 on order so I'll probably get a f/b buster for that if I need it. Hoping not to though as the pre amp has an anti-feedback frequency selector on it.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

+1 for the feedback buster & ad121 - both work well on my tanglewood acoustic bass as well

[jezzaboy]

I have spoken to the guitarists and he is gonna go with the ad121 and the feedback buster. £25 for the 121 from gear4music, can`t say fairer than that.

Cheers guys!!