Electric vs Acoustic Archtop Tone on Stage

[Spook410]

Anybody else find that a more electric style archtop works better in a larger setting (wedding, gathering, et al)? Seems the more acoustic I go the more dispersed the sound is in larger rooms.

[RJVB]

According to who's ears?

If you have your amp/speaker behind you or use a monitor in front of you it's no wonder you hear yourself better over an audience that has so many so much better things to do than be respectful (and listen) to you. But other than that a speaker cabinet is probably closer to being an audio point source that's louder than your guitar can be and closer to the ground the dispersion of sound should be pretty similar.

Unless you're playing over a multi-speaker PA of course.

[Jazz_175]

Anybody else find that a more electric style archtop works better in a larger setting (wedding, gathering, et al)? Seems the more acoustic I go the more dispersed the sound is in larger rooms.

I tend to agree on this.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Could this just be a case of the mids cutting through?

[kebbs]

Could this just be a case of the mids cutting through?

+1

[rpjazzguitar]

Anybody else find that a more electric style archtop works better in a larger setting (wedding, gathering, et al)? Seems the more acoustic I go the more dispersed the sound is in larger rooms.

What is a "more electric style archtop"? Built in pu's vs floater? Carved top vs pressed?

[Alter]

To me "electric" would be built in humbuckers, parallel braced, perhaps a bit of a smaller body, sometimes part of the guitar (top or back) is laminate. Sometimes smaller fretboard scale. Guitar is built for projection, feedback resistance, lots of mids and a stiffer tone, think George Benson, most Gibsons, Ibanez sound, etc.

"Acoustic" would be an all solid woods, x braced, lightly built archtop, built for sensitivity and acoustic qualities, often bigger bodies, floating pickup, more of a hi fi, acoustic sound, best suited for low to medium volume levels. Usually 25 1/2 scale. Think Benedetto, Eastman sound, etc.

[Spook410]

To me "electric" would be ,,,.

What he said.

[gitman]

I could never stand behind such a broad statement , serving an explanation for these differences in sound "impressions". So many variables are at play in ANY live music scenario that for me it's impossible to pare this down to a handful of parameters. When acoustic instruments are amplified it's aways a good idea to have a multi-band equalizer at hand, a frequency-adaptable compressor and fullrange speakers on stands. Mid-heavy instruments will always cut through a mix using less volume, that is also given thing.

Re the types of guitars and their sonic character : my Ibanez FG100 (thick all laminated plates) has the most mid-heavy tone, followed by my Super-400CES (solid top, laminated back) and the lam-top (+back) Trenier with a floater has the airiest tone of the three. Depending on the room, the stage volume and the type of music I adjust my signal-chain , be it just a simple guitar + combo-amp affair or a more elaborate setup with maybe two amps + stereo fx.

In a wedding situation with a larger group I would expect to play chords/rhythm MOST of the night so a mid-heavy sound would get in the way of horns, keys and vocals. My Tele would be the "weapon of choice". Were I to play in a smooth-jazz/funk combo then any guitar would do as long as feedback were no issue. For a reception (no dancing) any guitar would do since it would be the quietest setting of all.