Just me or is it age, laziness, or possible just less complicated?

[deacon Mark]

I am posting this because I don't really gig these days as such so my amp sits in room. I am for sure and acoustic archtop player at heart but my 2005 SuperCes is one outstanding guitar. If I needed one Vinny's would be sold by now. However, to the point these days I don't plug in much to practice. My guess is of the last 6 months I probably have only played plug into an amp 20% of the time. Then mostly with the Super400. I actually would not mind playing the Super400 not plugged in either but feel compelled to once in a while.

Am I a rare bird or do any of the others in this forum find an amp one less thing to worry about just grab the guitar and play? I think at times it is laziness no need to since my guitars work all quite nicely acoustic wise. But it also seems like one less thing to drag around. To do anything like move sheet music or look something up like chart or fire up youtube to play along, the chord is just one more thing to deal with. These days my practicing centers all around playing tunes and trying to memorize as many as possible. I work through chord melodies and bop heads. No need for an amp and lately I am just working on playing through changes with nothing but a metronome, outlining the changes, no backing track. So an amp is just not needed. But I am terrible lazy, and I like the get the most done in shortest time. I also remember Joe Pass said that playing acoustically was different and if he worked something up on the acoustic it would come out different on the gig with the amp. Well I am not Joe Pass but to some degree I understand.

[wintermoon]

I posted about this recently but since you brought it up.... I always used to plug in when playing one of my electric archtops.
Years ago I found a buddy a beautiful 50s Gibson ES-350N and whenever I'd call him he'd say he was practicing on it w out an amp. I couldn't understand it because he has a couple serious vintage acoustic archtops for that.
But now I probably haven't plugged in at home in over a year either and I rarely play my acoustic archtops anymore, I'll usually grab an old electric Super 400 or L-5 these days and play sitting on the couch.

[DawgBone]

Joe Pass is 100% right.

It's a problem not to plug in at home at least occasionally. I developed a bad habit of an overly heavy pick attack playing solid body unplugged at home. Took a while to rid myself of that habit. Time wasted. Also if you are playing something unplugged and will be using gain in live performance, it's good to know just how much gain will make it right as too much and you'll bury some of the finer aspects of your rhythm playing and then it's all for nothing.

I still play unplugged at home mostly but regular gigs and rehearsals let me work out with an amp as well on a routine basis.

[Christian Miller]

Tbh I spend a lot my practice hours on an unplugged tele; nice and quiet late at night

but I do think it’s important to practice plugged as well, you can easily end up playing too heavy all the time like others have said

[floatingpickup]

I rarely plug in at home too. I always leave an acoustic archtop sitting out on a stand, and that’s the guitar I reach for whenever I practice. I play my CES guitars on gigs, but they generally stay in their cases the rest of the time. I guess I’m lazy too.

[Degranulator]

I think of the guitar and amp as one instrument. My amp is possibly more important to my sound than any guitar I have.

[AllanAllen]

I also practice on an unplugged tele, or archtop.

I can hear the notes just fine.

[Alter]

Sometimes I plug in at home, mostly to enjoy my vintage Princeton basically.

But I don't really like the sound of amps at low volume, so probably 90% of the time all these years I have played unplugged at home, acoustics, archtops and solid bodies alike.

[jazzkritter]

85-90% plugged in. I like the interaction and response of the combination of guitar and amp and speaker. Playing acoustically just seems flat, uninteresting. (To me that is, but we all know I’m out there somewhere.) And I like switching between tube and SS amps for the different feeling while playing. And flats are kind of, well, flat on an acoustic.

[Max405]

I plug in almost 100% of the time. But at low volume. Because, my favorite sound is the stereo mix between the acoustic archtop and the luscious sound of the Twin Reverb.
The “almost 100%” of time is because when I put new TI12’s on, I really like the acoustic sound of my L5’s with new TI’s.
JD

[bluejaybill]

I find that I go down to the music room and play plugged in during the day, and at night I play acoustically. But I have amps, effects, and recording gear down there as well, so lots to play around with. And it's underground so it doesn't bother the neighbors. I try to mostly play quietly not that my hearing is damaged- sorta like closing the barn door after the horses ran off!

It helps to kind of have a dedicated acoustic archtop. I have laminate arch top for electric and it just isn't the same as a carved guitar, even though it's a very good one (Borys) and sounds pretty good. I know this because my acoustic is in the shop for the week, so I miss the sound.

But I do find that I'm older and lazier- too lazy to put up a track, too lazy for the metronome sometimes, sometimes too lazy to record or prepare tracks- it requires some dedication, this music thing!

[gitman]

When I teach (3 afternoons per week) I usually have my nylonstring crossover (Cordoba 12 fret) with me so it’s acoustic only which is „normal“ with this type of guitar. Keeps my right hand in good shape and my left gets a good workout. At home I pretty much always play plugged in since I simply love the sound of my guitars through my amps, whether it’s my Tele or an archtop. Late night practice sessions are no problem, I can always plug my headphones either into my iMac (running Logic) or my newly acquired Quad Cortex preamp/FX unit and wail away ….. I need the interaction between string and amp so when on a gig there is no inhibition and weirdness, I can concentrate on the notes because I‘m hearing familiar sounds.

[JazzPadd]

As an ardent amateur, I’ve gone from electric to acoustic and back. Perhaps corresponding to corona fatigue, I rediscovered effectors so now spend more time messing around with them than straight ahead practicing.

I don’t gig but do play at jam sessions several times a month, sometimes twice a week. There are different people in different places, so some mix in funk and blues with jazz. For those I use my solid bodies and a pedal or two. I also use more pedals for an occasional solo show. So for that kinda playing preparation I need to plug into amps at home.

Other places focus mainly on standards, which I still love to play, and so for those I use my archtops or even a flat top. The latter esp. when there are gypsy jazz aficionados around. Those get plugged in at the jam venues but just to be heard when there are drums and horns joining in.

So practice at home has evolved to suit these opportunities. Like some noted above, my practice was mostly learning tunes to play standards with others. But when I started using effectors, practice time also involves amps.

I’ve always had a slow hand and heavy touch, but I could see how those with a light touch may get heavier practicing on unamped electrics. I’ve tried headphones with modelers but guess I prefer to move some air.

Age is a factor, too. My hands, back and stamina ain’t what they used to be, which led to adjustments in posture, strings.

I guess my main motivation now is having fun playing live music with others, and so depending on who that involves playing out I’ll practice accordingly at home.

[sgosnell]

I don't gig now either, but I usually plug in. I have no guitars without pickups. My acoustic archtops have floating pickups. I just prefer the sound. I could certainly play any of my guitars without an amp, but I seldom want to. The amp gives a different sound, and usually demands a different technique. To each his own, of course, but I like playing amplified, at a low volume. No need to disturb the CFO in the other room...

[Archie]

I play mostly acoustic due to laziness but when I plug in and the sound is just right, I get annoyed I don’t do it more.

I don’t like acoustic archtops plugged in. They’re too bossy tonally and I’m still not convinced that even the best acoustic archtop, beats the big fat warm hug, you get from a dialled in amp and a Guild x500 or a Gibson L5.

[AllanAllen]

As an ardent amateur, I’ve gone from electric to acoustic and back. Perhaps corresponding to corona fatigue, I rediscovered effectors so now spend more time messing around with them than straight ahead practicing.

This is precisely what I’m avoiding by skipping the amp. I still hit too many sour notes.

[wzpgsr]

I plug in to a tube amp almost 100% of the time—I just love the sound of tube-amplified electric guitars. It doesn’t have to be loud—usually I keep the amplified volume low enough that I can hear a bit of the acoustic sound underneath—that’s the sweet spot for me. I find the sound inspirational and maybe a bit nostalgic and it makes me want to play more. I have been pretty deep down the solid state and modeling amp rabbit hole, and nothing beats the right pairing of tube amp, cab, and guitar.

[John A.]

I prefer to play my electrics plugged in, both because I like the sound and for the sake of keeping my plugged-in touch in shape. But I can’t really do it when family is home. Even playing acoustic can be pushing it because we have a small place and I don’t have a dedicated music space. So I wind up playing my archtop (laminated) or my semi-hollow unplugged quite a lot.

[Litterick]

I play the amps.

[FredH]

I seldom plug in at home. If I do it is into a Roland micro cube 3x - and that is usually if the archtop isn't sufficiently loud enough, e g. Es 175, and needs just a bit of volume. But 95% of the time it is not needed. If I am preparing for a gig, I do plug in to rehearse, making sure I get the right tone from the amp to match the guitar I am using. But since I don't gig much anymore, well I only occasionally need to do this.

[Strbender]

I'm trying to break out of the habbit of playing unplugged. I think it goes back to when I was teaching. Traveled to the students home, so no amp. When I purchased my first archtop 4 years ago I found my Peavey C30 a little hard to dial in at lower volumes, so I added the Little Jazz and use it from time to time. I decided it's time to put my deditcated music room back together and start using amps again. I hope it helps me with muting strings and cleaning up my technique. Recording with an archtop, you can't hide lousy technique!

[Christian Miller]

It can be a shock to play a gig if you never practice with the amp a little loud. Muting and stuff... Dynamics change too.

[skiboyny]

I practice about 70% of the time with no amp. I love the sound of my guitars. Oddly enough I gravitate towards the sound of the laminates. I do believe you have to use an amp at least some of the time, It keeps you honest. I think your in good company, myself excluded of course. Johnny Smith was always dissatisfied with amplification mostly recorded straight in the the board. Wes Montgomery practiced almost exclusively without amplification and also struggled with amps. There is no right or wrong whatever keeps you inspired.

[AaronMColeman]

This is precisely what I’m avoiding by skipping the amp. I still hit too many sour notes.

I used to run a small company designing and building effects pedals (Heavy Lid Effects). Now I have gone full middle aged man and skip all pedals and play through a digital amp. Since I've gone with a digital amp I can plug in any time of day and it has really helped with "keeping me honest" versus not plugging in. I think a lot of us just can't even play low amp volume for a lot of the day. Say what you want about digital stuff, but it has helped me play plugged in a lot more. And, digital sounds so good now.

[mr. beaumont]

Practice the way you'll be playing.

If you're playing for your enjoyment at home, playing unplugged is fine! Got a loud gig in a live room coming up? Better spend some time plugged in and turned up.