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

I love my acoustic guitars.

wow, I didn't know that Louis C.K. he was also a guitarist

I remember when piezo pickups first really took off, and suddenly everyone’s live acoustic tone went to sh*t. In the early days the tone everyone was getting with them had this weird trebley, farty splat on the attack that sounded nothing like a natural acoustic sounds. But sometime in the late 90s, I remember local celebrity, Ken Tobias, returned to live in our hometown again after decades, and he showed up at the pub where I went for weekly open mic night. When he got up and played, I couldn’t get over his tone. He sounded just as good as if he was playing to a really good microphone, but he wasn’t; he was plugged right into the board. I don’t know if it was a piezo, soundboard transducer, or a combination, but that was when I found out they had finally gotten the tech with acoustic pickups where it needed to be.

I’m listening ! Thanks for this freedom . You mentioned , that one’s songs were handed to the Sound Engineer 😅in
Ones ‘Moment’ at a Gig. Way back I entered a Talent Contest and was playing my Acoustic , and this Drummer walks up and says ,” Hey , I can play drums for you “, no discrimination against drummers here ; nevertheless, he threw the whole beginning instrumental off anyway . It was mic ed. My first was a chrome tube single coil … thanks again it’s been a joy .

Add in a Third Capo .😅

Solution to most amplified acoustic guitars..... good cut on the mids, pretty heavy cut on the gain then strong increase on the volume. That alone helps greatly before you then introduce something like the LR Baggs PARA DI and/ or the Fishman Aura. In my experience that there is the solution....

I’ve been watching you guys for years I’ve known the band you played in and played in, but I didn’t realize how great your vocals are!
Nicely done guys !!!

That Lone Star sounded great with the acoustic until you EQ’d it to sound shrill. I play acoustic through tube amps all the time and they sound great.

This just popped up in my feed. 5yrs on I still absolutely love this one. But it's bloody alarming it's been 5 years, could've sworn it was one or two.

And the bridge pin debate plastic vs bone vs tusk vs ebony?

What's the best sound hole pick up for my osark 3801 would it be braggs

I've just brought a tanglewood tw40sdvse small body guitar sounds nice

How did I miss this one? Can I just get you two singing here comes the sun on repeat. Awesome.

This is the first time I’ve watched a full video, Chaps, sorry! And because of my playing level and experience, perhaps I don’t understand all of the conversation and I don’t/can’t afford to play the kind of guitars you do (I play an Aria 511 acoustic) but I really enjoyed you guys singing/playing together.
But, I’m at a stage where I’m trying to find the courage to go to an open mic night? I was really interested in what you were saying about the technicals but, as an open night virgin, what should I expect, who are they actually for - good singer/musicians trying to ‘show off’ or newbies like me trying to gain confidence in playing to an audience even if I rock up with my totally acoustic guitar and a few songs to play and sing?
Apologies for length of my question and if this is not the right place to ask such a question!!

Wow I had no idea how well you two sing! Beautiful performance!

Brilliant show and video, as usual, gentlemen. Do you have any opinions about after-market additions of the in-body mics regarding brands, cautionary tales etc? I have a Taylor 114e (mid-priced acoustic, grand concert style) that has an under-saddle system and preamp. I want to experiment with adding a mic. to it. For reference, I play guitar in a Pink Floyd tribute band, and so have to play parts on Mother, WYWH etc. I also use a 12-string Ovation for relevant parts, and it is a different beast and tone, which is very practical, and conditional upon whether you like the tone of Ovations or not, which is a deeply polarizing topic, so I won’t bother asking about that. I’m thinking of getting an LR Baggs Venue DI/ preamp to use with either/ both. Any advice? Thanks!

Hi played my £4 Spanish guitar into the house mike of the Grosvenor House Hotel to accompany my sister in the very early sixties - I have never been able to replicate that sound - could not believe it was me making this lovely music- no sound checks never heard of them - surely its got to be only a mike for an acoustic guitar !!

well this was a great surprise - can't tell you how much I enjoyed seeing you guys perform this!!

Heard that. Got picked up. 😉

That Martin with the cutaway sounds excellent in the Mic recorded clip. What model is it?

Nice work fellas! Hello from Vermont, USA

Just catching up on this vid. Great vid boys. Big shout out to Maton and their AP5 Pro pickups. Absolutely magical pick up / mic system for acoustic guitars, and beautiful guitars in general.

I feel the same way

awesome fellas!

You guys really need to do this again. Brilliant.

the look on dudes face when he bumped the guit lol

Looking to fit an acoustic pickup and checked this episode . Was going to go for k&k but mick said his guitar was fitted with K&k then he demonstrated rolling off the treble with a control wheel fitted to the sound hole . To my knowledge K&k to not manufacture this type of control for the pick up . Can anyone help to identify what pickup system he is using ? . Thanks

Gentlemen, any chance of doing one on how to amplify an acoustic electric nylon string guitar while maintaining the natural acoustic sound as much as possible?
Thanks

Yay! Not too dominant in the piezo quack!!! How do people consider that a reasonable acoustic tone???

ive been playing the acoustic guitar live for 20 years. Through my journey i used a few different Preamps before (LR Baggs Para, AER, Firewood DI Japan) until i realised recently that I prefer just a normal DI Box (sometimes without DI) straight into the mixer. That way I rely more on my ears to bring out the most accurate, true-est sound of my acoustic guitar. I no longer wanna be spoilt by choices and options and i just wanted things simple.

Excellent intro! I normally skip but that was great!

Wow!!!! Excellent!
I absolutely love listening to unknown musicians play awesome world famous music in an awesome way.
You guys did such a great job on the Beatle's "Here Comes The Sun".
Just wow bravo!
🙂

I would watch an hour of you two jamming acoustic. Nice intro lads!

I’m playing only front of family and few friends. I don’t want use pick up, just microphone for singing and acoustic guitar. That means I need two microphones. Any advice, acoustic amp or PA and which one? Many thanks.

I can't believe I've not seen this video before, wow. One day I hope to find you two in a country pub doing a little acoustic set. Brilliant stuff.

I didn't know Louis C.K. played here comes the sun. I would why I never seen him play this to open his show.

I thought this was Mike Masse

Which is the best, AER or Mesa Boogie?

You guys are freaking awesome! Been watching your videos for years! Every time I need to learn about something, you folks have got my back. Thank you. :)

Nice!

I´m definitely with Simon. Dislike Piezo and new string!!!

Thankfully, I don't have to worry too much: my gigs are nearly all in small folk club type spaces, usually with no PA or at least fairly low volumes. But once in a blue moon I find myself on a stage; the last time it happened, the sound engineer stuck an AKG C214 in front of my guitar and got it working nicely.

But I didn't hear anything in this video that I'd be happy with... A finger-picker, I find I can't abide any of the piezo pick-ups I've heard. The alternative you haven't included here is the clip on mic; I use a t.bone Lucan one on my fiddle with some success. Could I hope to do something similar with my acoustic guitar?

The last thing I ever would want on an acoustic is chorus effect. Apparently, Hedges, Kottke and James Taylor used one…then manufacturers and the public thought it was a good idea? Jim Hall somehow finessed cool sounds but was mostly semi-acoustic. What’s one great/famous song with chorus on an acoustic?

killer intro

Guys, if you haven’t yet.. My go to is now a Yamaha AC5M or AC5R.. You must try one. It is absolutely brilliant, and in the studio, its an invaluable tool for recording. Very nice acoustically on its own. Plugged in its always a perfectly mic’d acoustic ribbon or condenser. No annoying piezo buzz.. I just plug into my Roland JC120 and it gets you everything you want and more. Made in Japan quality for a reasonable price. You have to try one.