acoustic guitar help

cobrasneverdie · #1 08-22-2004, 11:06 PM

I'm not sure if this is the right forum? I dont know where else you would discuss non bass equipment...

Anyway, I'm looking at getting an ovation accoustic electric, but i have a few questions. First off, will it sound halfway decent through a bass amp? Secondly, will it sound ok with a distorion pedal for the occasional rocking out?

Freaky Fender · #2 08-22-2004, 11:29 PM

It will sound muddy through a bass amp, so cut the lows and boost the mids (Ovations has a cut through treble sound!) Distortion, I see no problem with; Again, cut down the highs though.

cobrasneverdie · #3 08-22-2004, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freaky Fender

It will sound muddy through a bass amp, so cut the lows and boost the mids (Ovations has a cut through treble sound!) Distortion, I see no problem with; Again, cut down the highs though.

i play my guitar through my bass amp, and i already cut the lows and boost the mids. sounds great. but would it sound semi close to an electric with a distortion pedal? and not sound like total junk?

Kurisu · #4 08-23-2004, 12:09 PM

Many of the original blues men played through Fender Bassman amps. Granted, they're tubes, but there's no reason you couldn't.

superbassman2000 · #5 08-23-2004, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobrasneverdie

i play my guitar through my bass amp, and i already cut the lows and boost the mids. sounds great. but would it sound semi close to an electric with a distortion pedal? and not sound like total junk?

it will sound alright...i am thinknig you should listen to "the man who sold the world" by nirvana on their mtv unplugged cd. kurt used a distortion pedal with his acoustic, and you couldn't even tell. as for a bass amp, it should work fine. i find that the acoustic guitar sound a am looking for is a little more bassy anyways, so i find i plug into a bass amp rather than a guitar amp anyways.

JMX · #6 08-23-2004, 12:51 PM

Music-related, off to misc.

cobrasneverdie · #7 08-23-2004, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMX

Music-related, off to misc.

thanks.

cobrasneverdie · #8 08-24-2004, 09:58 AM

has anyone else used one/heard an accoustic with a pedal? the other guitar i was looking at was the fender electrolounge.

The Golden Boy · #9 08-24-2004, 10:47 AM

I'd imagine you might have trouble with feedback, but keep the volume down and/or the guitar away from the speaker you shouldn't have too much trouble.

jive1 · #10 08-24-2004, 11:35 AM

Well the distortion pedal may cause some feedback. Feedback is one of the most difficult things to control when it comes to acoustic guitars and high volumes. Adding a distortion pedal will only add to it. YMMV

The distortion pedal will not make the acoustic guitar sound like an electric does when distorted. Two different beasts here.

The bass amp will not distort the way that a guitar amp will. Bass speakers tend not to be designed to break up like a guitar speaker. If you're looking for preamp distortion, you'll get it, but not speaker distortion. I find that the sweet sounding distortions come from a combination of preamp/power amp/speaker.

As far as the Ovation goes, it's a great guitar, but it doesn't quite sound like a typical acoustic. I have owned one for years, and I like it alot, but more for it's playability and durablilty than it's sound. As far as being amplified, I have yet to find an an electric/acoustic that sounds like an acoustic when plugged. I prefer mic'ing the guitar, if I want to get that acoustic sound. But if you want the electric/acoustic sound then the Ovation is a fine option.

cobrasneverdie · #11 08-24-2004, 12:55 PM

thanks for your help, would feedback from the distortion pedal be much of a problem with jamming in my room? and would it just sound nasty? im possibly going to be playing in a church band so thats why im looking at accoustic electrics.

jive1 · #12 08-24-2004, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobrasneverdie

thanks for your help, would feedback from the distortion pedal be much of a problem with jamming in my room? and would it just sound nasty? im possibly going to be playing in a church band so thats why im looking at accoustic electrics.

Feedback shouldn't be a problem if you play in your room, as long as the volume is moderate and you're not too close to the speaker.

To me a distorted acoustic guitar sounds nasty. But, that's only my opinion. Are you going for a crunchy electric guitar style distortion? If so, you're better off using an electric. If you're looking for something different, then this might work.

As far as playing in church, it varies depending on the room you are in and the music you will be playing. Is it going to be raucous Pentacostal jumping around, contemporary P&W, Christian Rock, traditional hymns, or something else? How large is the church you are going to play in?

The Golden Boy · #13 08-24-2004, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jive1

The distortion pedal will not make the acoustic guitar sound like an electric does when distorted. Two different beasts here.

The bass amp will not distort the way that a guitar amp will. Bass speakers tend not to be designed to break up like a guitar speaker.

Normally, I'd completely agree with you, but I recently heard that the riff played on the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" was done on a J-160E. I always thought it was a Gretsch. Then again a J-160E is a lot different than an Ovation...

I've found that the bass amp give a more pleasing acoustic tone than most guitar amps.

cobrasneverdie · #14 08-24-2004, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jive1

Feedback shouldn't be a problem if you play in your room, as long as the volume is moderate and you're not too close to the speaker.

To me a distorted acoustic guitar sounds nasty. But, that's only my opinion. Are you going for a crunchy electric guitar style distortion? If so, you're better off using an electric. If you're looking for something different, then this might work.

As far as playing in church, it varies depending on the room you are in and the music you will be playing. Is it going to be raucous Pentacostal jumping around, contemporary P&W, Christian Rock, traditional hymns, or something else? How large is the church you are going to play in?

im going to be playing for youth group stuff, so contempory up beat stuff. and basicly i only want to use the pedal so i can jam along with some of my favorite tunes wouthout sounding out of place, and im leaning toward the fender elctro lounge.