Acoustic B200 Tone

Jon Lucas · #1 06-07-2011, 03:35 PM

Hey, I have an Acoustic B200 amp and I've been trying to dial in an absolute clean tone but I cant get it to save my life, I've read the owners manual and everything, and tweaked the E.Q. right and left, does anyone know what to set everything to, to get that clean tone? Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

Gearhead17 · #2 06-07-2011, 09:22 PM

What do you mean "absolute clean tone"? Just the sound of your bass only louder? You will not get that with the Acoustic head. The B200 has it's own tone, you either work with it or you will end up fighting it.

Jon Lucas · #3 06-07-2011, 11:16 PM

I was hoping that wasnt the case, about the amp having its own tone that is, and yeah that was pretty much what i meant about the clean tone, but thanks anyway man

grayhawk1853 · #4 06-08-2011, 12:51 PM

The only way you can clean up the tone on this any is to play with the least amount of gain that you need to send a signal before you do any tonal coloring. I don't know how much volume you need or what size gig you are playing. I use one for practice so with a Lakland JO4 Fretless and it sounds pretty sweet, but the gain is just barely on. I have used it out a couple of times at smaller venues and still been able to play fairly "clean."

Jon Lucas · #5 06-08-2011, 07:35 PM

Yeah Ive tried that, but for some of the places I play, I cant get the volume I need, I also tried messing with the frequency knob, but that didnt really do anything for it as far as the clarity

grayhawk1853 · #6 06-09-2011, 06:25 AM

Could you maybe get the sound you want and then mic the cab and run it through the house, or is it that you can't hear yourself at that volume?

Jon Lucas · #7 06-11-2011, 07:47 PM

Yeah, most of the time i just cant hear myself at that volume, does the frequency knob have anything to do with the tone though?

RadioactiveGuy4 · #8 06-12-2011, 03:02 AM

the Frequency knob filters out diffrent frequencies depending on where its placed. So yes it does affect the tone

oldcatfish · #9 06-12-2011, 06:37 AM

If the B200 has an effects loop, try plugging into the effects return. Have the instrument's volume all the way down and turn up carefully so you don't blow the speaker. It won't be completely clean, as the speaker still colors the sound, but it will bypass the preamp section. You might want to add an equalizer pedal to get closer to the sound that you are looking for.

I've never tried this on bass, but I've done it on a variety of amps with an acoustic/electric guitar.

SurferJoe46 · #10 06-12-2011, 07:21 AM

Since I own a lot of Acoustic gear, I know that the reason why you cannot get the tone you want is because it's more Old School in tone than you may want. As such, it will always put it's own footprint on the sound you get out of it, but that's what I like.

To get to the least colorization from the amp, keep everything at 12 O'clock and that's where it'll produce the least amount of the classical Acoustic sound.

The Notch Filter is only for those freqs/notes that seem to bloom in a particular room or venue, and not to de-color the output.

The fact that the Notch Filter cannot be turned OFF is the only reason why I haven't bought the B-200 or B-200H yet, although otherwise I'd like to add it to my B-450 and my B-600H setups. Personally I feel the fact that it cannot be taken out of the loop on the 200-Series amps, is prolly the reason why you think it's not performing as you think it should.

But - yah - Acoustic gear is more Old School in tone and voicing. That's the way I like it.

tuba4 · #11 06-12-2011, 08:08 AM

I also have the B200 and really like the "vintage" tone that it is capable of producing.

It did take me quite a bit of "trial and error" adjustments to get the tone that I was looking for.

I agree totally with the lower "gain" setting. Mine is currently set a little below 9:00 o'clock.

Jon Lucas · #12 06-12-2011, 05:24 PM

I do love the vintage tone, but it doesnt fit everything i play, ive been messin with it the last few days though and i think ive got it about where i need it, as far as the clean tone

SSCBA · #13 06-12-2011, 06:33 PM

Isn't the Kustom DE200 basically the same circuit of the Acoustic B200?

Because I own the Kustom and the last thing I'd say is that it sounds old school or vintage. It has a very modern, hi-fi, bright, scooped tone.

Maybe they are voiced differently? I always heard both heads were the same.

fenderhutz · #14 06-12-2011, 06:45 PM

Those heads are the same.

One is just rebranded for guitar center as Acoustic.

SurferJoe46 · #15 06-12-2011, 06:48 PM

Rumors - not proven yet.

Lowbrow · #16 06-12-2011, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

Those heads are the same.

One is just rebranded for guitar center as Acoustic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

Rumors - not proven yet.

This has come up a few times before. Each time, the possibility that these amps may be the same unit in different boxes is wielded like an accusation of some sort of impropriety.

Is there an issue with this? Some feeling of deception?

Perhaps it's merely pride in one's good 'detective' work that make it read like overstated exposé each time the discussion arises.

SSCBA · #17 06-12-2011, 07:12 PM

Owning a Kustom DE200 I don't mind if they are the same or not. It's just curiosity, because I always thought they were the same but now that you describe the tone of the Acoustic it seems that is very different from my Kustom.

Maybe the layout is the same but some components are different?

SSCBA · #18 06-12-2011, 07:18 PM

Here some sound clips, played with a passive SX jazz bass. Amp set almost flat

YouTube - ‪Kustom DE200‬&rlm;