Better Plugged-In Acoustic Guitar Sound Basics: Pickups, PA, Amps & All That Stuff – That Pedal Show

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In this episode we delve into the world of amplified acoustic guitars. It’s a problem area for literally anyone who plays live with the ol’ flattop. Dan and I both do our fair share of acoustic gigs so we thought we’d start looking at some basics on the show.
We start off by reminding you what an acoustic guitar kinda/sorta sounds like with a mic in front of it, before heading into the world of plugging in via a PA system and/or acoustic guitar amplifier. We also take a brief look at a couple of ‘pedals’, more of which in part 2.

Apology time: I make THREE SCHOOLBOY ERRORS during the show (Mick here)…
I call the non-cutaway Martin a 000-18E. It is in fact an OM-18E - links below.
I explain that a piezo pickup is a piezo-electric transducer. And then like a total dumbass call it an electro-magnetic device. Which of course it isn’t. Piezo-electric transducers use pressure to create a current. Electro-magnetic pickups uses a magnet and a coil. Sorry - brain-fry!
I call the pickup system in the Martin guitars an LR Baggs Lyric. It is in fact an LR BAGGS ANTHEM (link below).

Apologies all round - brain trying to do too many things at once and I didn't have my Shreddies this morning.

Apart from all that, please enjoy the episode!


Pedals and amps in this episode…
• LR Baggs Align Series Session
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2QhAOEG
USA: https://imp.i114863.net/zMz9O

• LR Baggs Align Series Equalizer
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2wSckJ9
USA: https://imp.i114863.net/EB0vP

• LR Baggs Align Series Reverb
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2M7FcCU
USA: https://imp.i114863.net/nM4J6

• Orange Acoustic Pre
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2Cw8trn
USA: https://imp.i114863.net/6jk5K

• AER Compact 60 III
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2oNdi5O

• Mesa Boogie Rosette 300 Two:Eight
USA: https://imp.i114863.net/2DR9z


Guitars in this episode
• Martin OMC-28E (with LR Bags Anthem pickup)
https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/...

• Martin OM-18E (with LR Bags Anthem pickup)
https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/...

• Collings CJ35 (with K&K Pure Mini pickup)
https://www.collingsguitars.com/acous...

Why do we have preferred retailer links? Find out here: http://www.thatpedalshow.com/partners


Interesting bits and go-to sections…
Oh no – they’re singing! 0:00
Hello! 3:00
What are we doing today? 3:45
What proportion of your gigs are acoustic? 4:20
…because people like it! 5:51
The sound of a mic’d acoustic guitar: 8:44
… Martin OM-18E, OMC-28E and Collings CJ35
Back in the room: 14:38
Mick has no sense of humour about acoustic guitars: 15:02
Are you reluctantly acoustic? 16:05
Acoustic was nowhere in the 1980s: 16:45
Plug in… and all the problems start: 18:00
Oops, we accidentally bought a PA system: 19:14
The sound of a nice pickup into a PA: 19:50
…and an undersaddle straight into the PA: 20:59
And that’s the sound of plugged-in acoustic guitar as we know it: 23:45
More reluctant purchases: 25:30
Mick’s acoustic sound, and what we’re not prepared to give up: 26:57
LR Baggs Align Series: 31:15
Orange Acoustic Pre Twin Channel: 34:11
Phase and the acoustic guitar: 36:25
Tangent time… 39:35
…combine harvesters: 39;35
…The Wurzels' sagely advice: 40:28
Acoustic guitar pickup types: 41:50
What about a microphone? 43:50
And back to the program: 45:27
Acoustic guitar amp – another reluctant purchase: 46:48
Mick’s acoustic rig: AER Compact 60 3: 47:50
Piezo pickups and tone ‘problems’: 54:30
Mesa Boogie Rosette 300: 55:15
Parametric mids explanation: 58:20
Oh no, they’re jamming again: 1:00:02
Acoustic guitar into an electric amp? 1:04:35 (1:05:55) (1:07:45)



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