Acoustic Guitar Preamps??

  • Thread starter Thread starter solo2racr
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I've never tried one, but in general you get what you pay for with these things, so I'd advise against it.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I prefer outboard preamps to cutting up a guitar. The Baggs PADI is a nice, not very expensive, and very usable unit. For a rack unit, I still like my old Rane AP13.
 
I kinda like the idea about using outboard preamps too. What I am looking to change out is a inexpensive Applause AE28 with a passive preamp to a active preamp. It is a shallow bowl so there wouldn't be much room to cut a bigger hole. Ideally, a drop-in active would be the easiest. But, being a cheap guitar, I don't want to spend alot on it. I'm not so much interested in "bells & whistles" in a active pre but just the stronger signal.
 
A pleasant surprise. I just got my AE28 today that I won on eBay and it turns out to be a AE128. Active pre and not a passive pre. COOL
 
A pleasant surprise. I just got my AE28 today that I won on eBay and it turns out to be a AE128. Active pre and not a passive pre. COOL

What is a passive pre? By definition, all amplifiers are active :confused:
 
Your right.....As usual. I was trying to say that one needed a battery (active) and one didn't (passive). I guess my terminology is incorrect. Care to enlighten my dumb ass????? :D
 
Your right.....As usual. I was trying to say that one needed a battery (active) and one didn't (passive). I guess my terminology is incorrect. Care to enlighten my dumb ass????? :D

Well, if it doesn't have a battery (or another power source like phantom power), then it is indeed passive. It's just not an amplifier. You could still have an EQ circuit, those can be passive.

I believe your sentiment was that a passive output acoustic-electric is a bad thing, and that's true--piezos are very high-impedance output, and thus really need a very high impedance input amplifier very close to the pickup, otherwise they will sound terrible.
 
Got it. A passive unit can not be considered a "preamp".

The guitar has the OP4B preamp from Ovation. From what I have read, it isn't all that bad. I believe I'll stick with it.
Thanks Ms. H. :)
 
I play alot of acoustic shows throughout the year and I use a Zager acoustic guitar. I have a Fishman Rare Earth and put that into my Baggs Acoustic DI. I wouldn't ever use anything but the Baggs. The sound quality is amazing and you can dial in what you want. Check out the reviews, better yet go try one out in the music store you will be utterly amazed at what this DI can do for your acoustic guitar.

Danny
 
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