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Is Carvin AG100D the only multi-purpose amp?

K

K-Frog

Feb 6, 2002
1,175
10
Camden, AR, USA
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#1
Hey guys, Are there any other good choices for an amp that will do a good job for Acoustic guitar as well as electric or A/E bass?

I know the Carvin is suitable for such. Is that the only thing out there?
I'm not as concerned about being able to do vocals and guitar and bass all at the same time, I just want to know if I can get away with owning 1 combo amp that will do either.

I think a minumun of 50 watts and a 12" speaker are about my only criteria.

Does a keyboard amp do an acoustic guitar justice? I know they work pretty well for bass in general.

What works?

thanks, K
 
#3
look at what peavey offers. they make both ecoustic combo amps and kb keyboard amps that will work for both acoustic guitar and abg. i think i'd prefer the ecoustic, but the kb amps have some nice features, too. i'd rather own an ecoustic 112 or kb5 than an AG100D. i've played through them all.

of course, the AG is $399 direct, and the ecoustic 112 lists at $900 and probably sells for about $650 or $700.

dollar-for-dollar, i'd rather get an ecoustic 110 ($600 list, $450 street) than an AG100D. the AG100D has NO BASS. i've played one. that's probably because its "100W" power section is rated for less than 1% THD at 50% power. that's shameful. that's yamaha shameful. the 30W/10W biamp of the peavey is probably comparable in power, and both channels have a graphic EQ.

robb.
 
#4
Thanks for the reply Rob.

I also want it to cover EBG pretty well. I do have an ABG, but I'm concerned mostly over getting a good acoustic geetar tone, or a decent EBG tone.

I don't think the ecoustic amps are well suited for EBG at any volumes. Aren't they designed for A/E guitars specifically? I'm assuming light duty speaker that wouldn't hold up to the pounding of a bass. I could be wrong.
 
#5
Lads, I have owned an AG100D and as a bassist I can attest, despite the published specs, it is a fine A/E bass amp. One must run it all the way out(darned LOUD) before distortion becomes an issue. Carvin seems to have more than their share of bashers, though I have to wonder why...Made in San Diego, Ca. by folks you can talk to, backed by a serious warranty, they have been making fine instruments, amps, P.A.'s longer than Fender(look it up...)...Why they aren't the go-to for everyone simply eludes me. Excuse me, I must climb down off this soapbox...
 
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#6
Carvin seem like they are in about the same market spot that Peavey was for a long time. US made, inexpensive, and bomb proof. I picked up a MB12 amp recently to use for DB mostly, but it seems to work for other things pretty well. It's rated at 200 watts and has a 3-way speaker setup, with the largest being a 12. It doesn't like piezo pickups, so if you are going to run piezos, you need some kind of preamp to match it up. Otherwise, it sounds boxy no matter how you twist the EQ around. It sounds fine with a preamp. Aside from that, it seems far better than you should be able to expect for the price. It makes whatever signal you sent in louder, and that's it. It's accurate and uncolored. I have only had it less than a week now. That's not long enough to have wrung it clear out or tested what kind of abuse it can tolerate. That will happen in time. It is plenty loud enough, and it has a DI out if you need FOH support. It's worth a look. I got one that has a scratch on it somewhere, but I can't find the QC issue. That knocked about $90 off the price. Even without a discount, they are under $500 delivered to your door.
 
#7
There are a few amps out there that are known for their ability to correctly match the impedance of high-impedance pickups associated with acoustic instruments, and to correctly reproduce an uncolored sound. Notable among them, are the Acoustic Image products, Gallien-Krueger, SWR Blond Series, and Phil Jones Series. I have an Acoustic Image and a Gallien-Krueger, and can vouch for their versatility between Acoustic, Upright, and Electric Bass.
 
#8
I really wanted an Acoustic Image, but the price difference between the Carvin and a Ten2 pays for a preamp and a whole lot of good beer. I thought about a GK as well, but they are more expensive than the Carvin and an Fdeck. It's all tradeoffs.
 

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