Henricksen The Bud for mando

[Perry]

I have a Fishman Loudbox mini and get good enough results from it using a K&K and Red Eye but g.a.s. has me looking at Henricksen's The Bud. What is intriguing is a dedicated tweeter and the ability to turn that on and off. The reverb gets good reviews though I have a Dispatch Master on my board.

Anybody here have any experience with this amp? Specifically with acoustic mandolin?

Thanks

[foldedpath]

No experience with that "The Bud," but I'd be suspicious about an amp designed for jazz guitar, even with the tweeter. It has several EQ bands, but this thing is still going to be voiced for electric guitar, which is not what you want for acoustic instruments. I couldn't find specs on the input impedance, but electric guitar inputs usually don't have the kind of high impedance input you'd want for an acoustic pickup.

At that price range (actually a bit cheaper), if you're looking for a very small amp I'd recommend the AER Alpha.

The Alpha is roughly the same size and 2 1/2 pounds lighter in weight. It has a good digital reverb and an effects loop if you need it. Like the Bud, it also has an XLR input with phantom power if you're using a clip-on mini condenser mic. The EQ on the Alpha is basic, but it works fine for mandolin (at least with the clip-on mic I used with it). The Alpha also has a speaker stand socket on the bottom, so you can get it up high for room coverage.

I had an Alpha and used it for a few years as a "coffee shop" amp when I was with an Irish trad trio (fiddle, guitar, me on mandolin). At small venues like that, I'd shove it under my chair or to the side, and it gave me just enough boost to play along with an acoustic fiddler. It can run more volume if you need it, but like any of these small amps it's not a substitute for a "real" PA system.

These days, if I need minimal amplification I'll use an 8" powered speaker with a small mixer, so I have the option of keeping the speaker on the floor or getting it up on a stand for coverage. But that Alpha is a nice little amp, if you're looking for something that small.