Q & A
Acoustic Guitar Questions & Answers
Question
I have a question about acoustic guitar amps. I have an acoustic/electric that I just bought used (Morgan Moran Serenade, its OK) I will be using it in a church praise band. My question is, do I really need an acoustic amp or can I use a combo with a "clean" channel and an effects channel (Like a Fender FM65R)? When I am not playing praise music, I play folk, classic rock, bluegrass, country and I don't want to buy another amp when I buy my first electric. Any advice you have will be appreciated. - Mat
Answer
Does the praise band use a PA? If so, you can usually just go direct into the PA wit your acoustic and hear yourself in a monitor. When I play acoustic in praise bands at church I go direct. If you want effects, just plug your guitar into the effects unit and then plug the effects unit into the direct box.
If you find you do need an amp, an "acoustic" amp will definitely sound better. They are designed to handle the wide range of frequencies an acoustic makes. Their EQ is set up for acoustics and some even have horns for high frequencies. Electric guitar amps and designed to focus more on the midrange (and crunch) and are in fact not really "clean", even in the clean channel. You can use an electric amp in a pinch, just try to dial in more treble and cut the midrange and bass until you get a usable tone. A Fender amp may be a good choice for dual use since Fenders amps are known for their clean/bright tones. If you can, go to a music store and try some amps using both an acoustic and an electric.
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