Tired of Playing Unplugged

[WillMbCdn5]

I had a bit of an epiphany recently - A carved top acoustic archtop with Phos Bronze strings is a thing of extraordinary beauty . A pickup equipped/amplified laminate archtop with flatwounds is a thing of extraordinary beauty. But they really are very different .

While I was once happy to play my pickup equipped/amplified laminate archtop with flatwounds unplugged accepting the "acoustic" sound , now that I also have a guitar specifically designed as an acoustic archtop I only play the former amplified .

I find myself gravitating to quite different music on each instrument and being very aware of "acoustic archtop" technique and "amplified archtop " technique as being related but distinct.


Will

[whiskey02]

That guitar and amp just screams "BadAss Simplicity". The tiny music stand tells me that you don't wear bi focals. Sweet setup.

[Vladan]

Middle ground, no noise amplified sound, even heavy distortion should you feel like it ...

Guitar - FX Box/ Amp Sim - (recorder -) Headphones

[jazzbow]

I'll swear that I see the image of Joe Pass in the middle reflection. And definitely Ella Fitzgerald in the bottom one. The top one could well be Wes himself, but the stand is in the way.

dave

ps. OK - maybe a bit of a reach

Lol. Too much coffee

[jazzbow]

That guitar and amp just screams "BadAss Simplicity". The tiny music stand tells me that you don't wear bi focals. Sweet setup.

Not bi-focals, more bi-zee-calz

[Burrellesque]

As mentioned above the Yamaha THR10C is the perfect practice/home amp. Can't recommend it enough for anyone that plays guitar.

Previously I would never plug in at home, maybe just to check my amp was still working before I headed off to a gig.

I find I use the THR everyday. Probably not every single time I pick the guitar up, but always if Im playing along to backing tracks or intending to play for more than a few minutes.

I find run it on rechargeable batteries most of the time and love that I can go anywhere with the thing.

Great sound, even at very quiet settings. Responds to your playing in a way that feels tube like too.

SaveSave

[AlsoRan]

As mentioned above the Yamaha THR10C is the perfect practice/home amp. Can't recommend it enough for anyone that plays guitar.

Previously I would never plug in at home, maybe just to check my amp was still working before I headed off to a gig.

I find I use the THR everyday. Probably not every single time I pick the guitar up, but always if Im playing along to backing tracks or intending to play for more than a few minutes.

I find run it on rechargeable batteries most of the time and love that I can go anywhere with the thing.

Great sound, even at very quiet settings. Responds to your playing in a way that feels tube like too.

SaveSave

Man, I checked that amp out and it boasts some pretty impressive specs! It is not only an amp, but also a guitar interface and many of the reviewers rave about the tone. It really seems to be a great "tool" for a guitarist to have on hand.

When I get a moment, I will check out the Youtube review.

[henryrobinett]

I spent most of my life practicing without an amp. I could get away without bothering people. Practiced after a gig or hearing music. 2 AM. Nobody knew. Even in the day, I just got used to practicing without an amp on electric. But it had a bad effect ultimately. So now I pretty much only play plugged.

[AlsoRan]

I spent most of my life practicing without an amp. I could get away without bothering people. Practiced after a gig or hearing music. 2 AM. Nobody knew. Even in the day, I just got used to practicing without an amp on electric. But it had a bad effect ultimately. So now I pretty much only play plugged.

Do you mind sharing what the bad effect was?

[henryrobinett]

Do you mind sharing what the bad effect was?

Oh yes! I thought it was obvious. Sorry. Dynamics. Whenever I'd play a gig it took me a good set to adjust to the volume. More than that when practicing with my electric, even a semi-hollow body, the sound was coming from my chest and was really small. My gigs the sounds was removed by 4-6 feet and much louder. Sometimes very loud. I was suddenly playing with more force, when I actually should have been playing with much less force. But having the sound OVER THERE instead of in my chest messed me up without really being aware of it.


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[AlsoRan]

Oh yes! I thought it was obvious. Sorry. Dynamics. Whenever I'd play a gig it took me a good set to adjust to the volume. More than that when practicing with my electric, even a semi-hollow body, the sound was coming from my chest and was really small. My gigs the sounds was removed by 4-6 feet and much louder. Sometimes very loud. I was suddenly playing with more force, when I actually should have been playing with much less force. But having the sound OVER THERE instead of in my chest messed me up without really being aware of it.


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Wow. The effects were definitely appreciable then.

It also illustrates to me how you advanced players can be affected by these things just as much lesser-skilled souls, such as myself. We will probably never know what challenges a given advanced players may have had to overcome to be able to put on a good performance. They just seem like Supermen (and Superwomen) who always deliver.

Thanks. All the more reason for me to continue plugging in as much as possible!

[Burrellesque]

Definitely check out the THR10C. It also works as an iphone/MP3 player or computer speaker setup when you aren't playing guitar through it.

Its a tiny thing and generally wife approved for looks, tone and volume rather than looking like a piece of backline. The THR5 is even smaller with a few less features.

I find that I get nice clean tones for jazz using the Deluxe and the Class A amp models, but my favourite is the Bass amp setting for some reason. Sounds great.