Standard Amp versus Acoustic Amp

[jmusser]

I don't know what else to call a non-acoustic style amp, except "standard",  but I've always wondered what the criteria is that separates an acoustic,  from an a non-acoustic amp. I have had the chance to buy what looked to be a decent acoustic amp with a lot of power but left it, because I had no idea what it would sound like with an electric guitar. What is enhanced (or not enhanced) to differentiate between the two? I have heard some people say that the amps used during the British Invasion were of the acoustic type, and that's why they sounded the way they did with something like an original Tone Bender (think Yard Birds). I haven't been in this stuff for decades like a lot of you, so this informatiion has always eluded me.

[bwanasonic]

I have heard some people say that the amps used during the British Invasion were of the acoustic type, and that's why they sounded the way they did with something like an original Tone Bender (think Yard Birds).

Hmm, not sure what those people are talking about. Basically an amp aimed at acoustic players will have a more full-range and *flat* tonal response, and will have an EQ section tailored to the needs of acoustic players. They are also not likely to breakup in a manner conducive to rock guitar, if at all. Unless big clean sounds are your forte, get a *standard* electric guitar amp. Especially if you are considering using things like tonebenders, etc.

Kerry M

[Threefish]

The speakers in acoustic amps (well the combos anyway) are different as well, and respond to the wider range of frequencies. I've seen a couple that even have tweeters for the really high range stuff.

[MartyMart]

Yeah, Accoustic amps are more "full range" voiced, whereas "Gtr" amps
mostly roll off above 6-8khz or so and have more of a "mid/body" tone.
Keyboard amps ( also full range ) can make quite decent Accoustic gtr
amps too, so long as the input stage is variable enough - they are expecting to see mostly "line" level.
A small cheap PA amp/speaker can also be used for accoustics with a
fair amount of success.
How's the "Ring Frob" Jeff ?

Marty.

[jmusser]

Well, I may have totally misinterpreted what was said about the British Invasion amps, I'll have to see if I can dig that up again. I had wondered about what the differences we're, and I had never plugged into an acoustic to see what it would sound like. I figured they had to somehow be frequency filtered to enhance the "jangly" type tone of an accoustic. As for the Ring Frob Marty. I just a little bit ago went through the schematic with a highlighter. I found a couple pins on the op amp switched, and my favorite flub.... all 3 pins of your added 20K trimmer pot wired together! This means that +9 and Vb are one and the same...Grrrr! I had the original schematic marked up with my own component designations, and they weren't the same of course as the one off GEO. I ended up taking the GEO schematic into Paint, and changing all those designations to the ones I had already labeled on the perf board. That helped a bunch and got rid of the confusion. The 3 legs being wired on the trimmer is just a matter of "component congestion". I got that little perf board packed tight! Hopefully after I get these two night shifts in, I can get it rewired sometime this weekend, between trying to get some sleep Friday, and throwing my Mom and Dad a 50th Anniversary party on Saturday.

[Gilles C]

The last time I tried an accoustic amp with an accoustic guitar, it made me wish I was playing accoustic more often.

Even the middle price guitar I tried with it sounded better with the amp.

Just like a guitar amp helps sometimes an electric guitar sound good.

Gilles