Mandolin amp

[Dave Greenspoon]

My understanding is that the acoustic amps (e.g. Feder's Acoustasonic line) has circuitry that defeats feedback from the instrument's natural resonance (I might be a little off here, but close on the essential point). #I have plugged by Rigel A Natural into different amps (straight, and with a preamp) and have heard a cleaner sound out of the higher-end acoustic amps than from, say a Crate or Line 6 rig designed for electric guitars. #I have NOT have a chance to plug in through a high-end tube amp, or one of Mr Carr's fabulous boxes (see the winter(?) Fretboard Journal for more of this!).

I will say that the simple Fishman G-II acoustic guitar preamp has been a HUGE asset when plugging in. #Rigel did a great job re-wiring the piezo's they bought, but the sound can still be a little thin through some amps. #The G-II absolutely takes care of any "thin sound" issues. #I don't know if a Godin's setup (or for that matter any mandolin with an on-board eq) would benefit from the extra oomph, but IMHO anyone playing out through a passive pickup would hear a significant improvement with a preamp.

[Mike Pilgrim]

Hey, Folks -

Another vote for the AC-60. I use mine with a Mann EM4 and a Taylor 514CE with the older Fishman Blender system. I also run backing tracks, so I use a wide range of frequencies. When I need more volume/bass I run the sub out into a KC350 keyboard amp.

FYI: the sub-woofer out is the full signal; no additional EQ / crossover / low-pass. The sub out is post master, the line outs are pre-master. The master on the AC60 controls my overall volume but I can also adjust the KC350. Pretty versatile.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Michael

[Jim Nollman]

The AC60 certainly sounds #versatile, especially the output section. What a difference it would make from the old guitar amp I've been using, which has no output except tinny headphone out.

I especially like the idea of being able to plug both a condenser mic and a mandolin into the one totable unit, using it that way#for a small gig like in a restaurant, or soloing in a bar. And yet if the situation warrants, I can then take my proven sound, and out it to a PA for a bigger gig.

[mrmando]

Jim, sorry to miss you at Wintergrass! Would've enjoyed meeting you whether or not you wanted to buy the Rigel.

[Jim Nollman]

Yes, I looked for you as well, but only had a web photo to go by. We were only there on Friday. On our waty back home after skiing at Bachelor., i went to see Andrew Mowry and looked over his latest batch. Unfortunately, he didn't have anything strung up. What I saw in his shop were all very gorgeous instruments.

I would sorely have loved to try out that Rigel, and any other beauties you might have lugged with you. I'll be taking the ferry to the mainland someday this week maybe tomorrow, to buy an acoustic amp at Hugo Helmers in Burlington. I'll use it with my Godin, and subsequently with whatever I end up buying eventually as my main electric.

[Jim Nollman]

Just to update this old thread. I finally bit the bullet and bought a Fishman Loudbox 100. I haven't stopped smiling since. It has everything I need in an amp, including a mute button, a tuner out, and even 2 different ways to plug in a computer, one as general input, and two as an effects loop.

Today I got myself my Schertler Dyn mic. So I'll probably sell my electric Godin and amplify one of my 2 acoustic mandolins. I'm still sniffing furiously at Rigels. Keep tuned.

[mrmando]

You're still dropping by to play the Rigel next week, are you not?

[mandroid]

AC-60 is enhanced for me by its padded bag it comes with.Nylon, closed cell foam padded.
a side pocket on each end for cables, a flap folds over it from the sides ,
and I can stow the mains extension cord on the top, another flap holds it down.

A grab and go, with a shoulder strap so I have a hand free to open Doors and such.

I can plug my TR output magnetic pickup EM and run it in one channel,
and the Schertler XLR balanced output pickup goes into the other .

[Mike Bromley]

Mandroid, #

I'm trying to imagine what adding a subwoofer to your AC-60 amp setup might sound like with a mandolin.

FWIW, $0.02, etc. Subwoofer good! I've posted about this before, but the best tone I ever got was with a solid-state (not digital) bass guitar amplifier head through a 15" speaker.

I also found that anything digital in the daisy chain muddys rather than clarifies, because of the processing delay. Ruins tremolo!

The louder the stage volume, the less of the effects loop sound is available from a stage amp; law of diminishing returns, because now feedback is being processed as well.

$0.02

[Dave Caulkins]

I definitely think that dedicated acoustic amps are the best for acoustic mandolins, and I don't really play a true electric mandolin - that said...

I've been using my mandolin with small tube amps for years now, and the best results I've got were from a Vox tonelab into an Atomic slave amp (very versatile but a LOT of knob twiddling) and my current rig which is a Gibson GA20-rvt (15 watt 6v6 amp with a Eminence Wizard 12"). I usually run a tube preamp/distortion unit to eq the tone and warm things up. I also use this rig for my Tenorcaster and electric guitars (which is why I don't have a dedicated acoustic rig, so many toys - so little cash). I also use delay to try to mimick the double strung nature of the mandolin, but it can get a little muddy as mentioned above.

I really have an affection for tubed amps, and unfortunately the acoustic varieties are rather pricey and uncommon.

Dave

[mandroid]

FWIW, when I use the Guitar synth , with a pretend bass patch ,

[ just doesnt look right, toy look, no jobs for a Bass player with a 14" scale bass]


I use a submixer, then the signal to the powered KCW sub woofer is controlled as an effects send,
so I have the volume blend up there , with the outputs of the module
then the stereo output of the mixer goes into the back panel of the AC-60.

[Flagstaff Mike]

I've heard a lot on here about the AC-60...any thoughts on Roland's AC-100? Found a good deal on a used one but not sure if it would be too much power. Seems like it would be versatile enough for my mandolin (kentucky 950 K&K twin internal w/preamp) and acoustic guitar, and also loud enough to serve as a personal monitor for my mandolin with the 5-piece band I play in (including drummer) that runs a PA and a couple of personal amps (for bassist and guitar player). Any opinions out there?

FWIW, I've heard great acoustic sounds out of the Roland AC-60. It's the one with two 8" cones, a pretty hefty amount of power and I remember enjoying it a bit more than the Loudbox. Give that a try, too, while you're at it...

Christian

[Flagstaff Mike]

I've heard a lot on here about the AC-60...any thoughts on Roland's AC-100? Found a good deal on a used one but not sure if it would be too much power. Seems like it would be versatile enough for my mandolin (kentucky 950 K&K twin internal w/preamp) and acoustic guitar, and also loud enough to serve as a personal monitor for my mandolin with the 5-piece band I play in (including drummer) that runs a PA and a couple of personal amps (for bassist and guitar player). Any opinions out there?