A guitar thats an acoustic and electric guitar at the same time?

[a_fclothes]

Is there a guitar that is a normal acoustic guitar when played without an amp, but when it's plugged into an amp can play like an electric guitar? If there is such a thing whats the name and highest and lowest estimated price for it? Thanks so much guys.

 

[jasonbmerrill]

its pretty unlikely that this exists. Your typical electric guitar relies on magnetic pickups -- you MIGHT be able to fit one in an acoustic guitar, but the resonance from the soundhole would be very un-electric like, and would be pretty reverby/boomy. (if you have heard the resonance from even a hollowbody electric, just imagine that times 10 -- overkill for most things, i would say)

and on the converse, your typical acoustic/electric guitar works with piezo pickups that are basically a bit of a different signal than electric guitars, and wouldnt sound quite right.

this is kind of crazy, but if you installed a roland vg-88 system onto a good acoustic, i think you would have your solution.

expensive, however.

 

[Gear_Junky]

what do you need to do and what equipment do you now have?

 

[solaris1982]

Taylor T5 - $2000

Taylor has a great video demo on their website (taylorguitars.com)

I don't know exactly how it sounds completely unplugged, and I think I've heard some complaints on this site about taylor's "expression system" electronics, but this might be the closest to what you're looking for.

Youtube vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgRzOWNOG08

 

[jtees4]

I do not think it exists. I have a Carvin AE-185, I use it mostly for recording....playing it live with the regular pickups through an amp sounds good, but not as good as most solid body electrics.

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[Tadpui]

Fender makes a couple of guitars that fit the bill somewhat:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...ic-Deluxe-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar?sku=512612

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Telecoustic-Deluxe-Acoustic-Electric?sku=512613

I've never played such an instrument so I'm not sure what kind of results to expect. I suspect that its a "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of situation.

there may be other brands that make similar instruments, but they certainly do exist.

 

[Dani Pace]

Fender makes a couple of guitars that fit the bill somewhat:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...ic-Deluxe-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar?sku=512612

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Telecoustic-Deluxe-Acoustic-Electric?sku=512613

I've never played such an instrument so I'm not sure what kind of results to expect. I suspect that its a "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of situation.

there may be other brands that make similar instruments, but they certainly do exist.

I haven't tried the tele style but the strat style sounds really thin and a bit tinny when played without an amp, and it doesn't have enough volume to be heard across the room without an amp.

 

[mikeh]

Fender makes a couple of guitars that fit the bill somewhat:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...ic-Deluxe-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar?sku=512612

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Telecoustic-Deluxe-Acoustic-Electric?sku=512613

I've play the Tele acoustic - while I did like the way it played - I did not like the way it sounded. Dani Pace used the same words I would use for the un-amped acoustic sound - thin and tinny and it did not project well at all. When amped it did the job but did not really have the "bite" of a Tele.

I have a Variaxe 300 and I think the simulated acoustic sound is better than the Fender and it gives me a much broader range of electric sounds.

 

[dogonjon]

Martin

I have a Martin Thinline Acoustic Electric. It amplifies well with the stock electronics and sound good and loud unamplified. It's not very expensive $695 but it has a composite body that while it sounds good it's not real wood. As far as playing electric guitar style on an acoustic I use heavier strings on my acoustic for a fuller/ louder sound. You could use light strings but you would get a considerably thinner sound.

 

[JTC111]

Is there a guitar that is a normal acoustic guitar when played without an amp, but when it's plugged into an amp can play like an electric guitar? If there is such a thing whats the name and highest and lowest estimated price for it? Thanks so much guys.

The Taylor T5 is the only one I know of. It's got 3 pickups including a single-coil humbucker. Here's a video of a Taylor rep demonstrating the pick-up sounds.

 

[ashley_B_Soton]

I dont really know what your gunning for, do you want to be able to play an electric guitar without an amp or do you want it to sound like an acoustic guitar when it's not plugged in.

If its the first, which i have considered many times, either get a battery powered amp (i know still got an amp) or a pignose which has a built in amplifier (no idea how much they cost but saw one for £150).

If it is the second, your fucked, you might as well ask for a flute that sounds like a bassoon (or an electronic keyboard that sounds like an acoustic piano, and i mean really sound like a piano).