Need a pre amp/EQ for an acoustic/electric with no built in controls

[Br1ck]

Let me explain a big reason the better pres like the Grace Felix and SunnAudio, any of them, sound so good, and I don't believe there is a work around for this basic fact. A high quality potentiometer costs a builder north of $20. Let's just take an average of five pots on any $300 or less pre. Do you think a builder is going to spend $100 on the good parts? They have to sell the whole unit between $150-200 to a retailer. This does not take into consideration all the other high quality parts, and they do matter. So the good sounding pres I've heard tend to be simple and direct to consumer, or priced accordingly.

I have A/Bd quite a few Baggs and Fishman pres. I can hear a difference. Is a Baggs PARA DI bad? Not at all, but the RedEye sounded better, and my SunnAudio Studio DI sounds better than a RedEye. A simple, well designed unit with studio quality parts has won out every time in a comparison.

The price of a pot came from Sonny at SunnAudio. The RedEye is somewhat affordable because after trying many transformers, they found one that sounded good for $25, not the normal $100. Is the difference huge? No, but I can hear it. It's like the difference between a $3000 guitar and a $5000 guitar.

 

[fronobulax]

Let me explain a big reason the better pres like the Grace Felix and SunnAudio, any of them, sound so good, and I don't believe there is a work around for this basic fact. A high quality potentiometer costs a builder north of $20. Let's just take an average of five pots on any $300 or less pre. Do you think a builder is going to spend $100 on the good parts? They have to sell the whole unit between $150-200 to a retailer. This does not take into consideration all the other high quality parts, and they do matter. So the good sounding pres I've heard tend to be simple and direct to consumer, or priced accordingly.

I have A/Bd quite a few Baggs and Fishman pres. I can hear a difference. Is a Baggs PARA DI bad? Not at all, but the RedEye sounded better, and my SunnAudio Studio DI sounds better than a RedEye. A simple, well designed unit with studio quality parts has won out every time in a comparison.

The price of a pot came from Sonny at SunnAudio. The RedEye is somewhat affordable because after trying many transformers, they found one that sounded good for $25, not the normal $100. Is the difference huge? No, but I can hear it. It's like the difference between a $3000 guitar and a $5000 guitar.

Point noted, but sometimes you don't need The Best. If the gig is in a crowded bar with people talking and other musicians playing loud so they can hear themselves, no one is likely to notice there might be a better preamp available. Recording solo in the studio, or being the sole guitarist in a concert setting and then yes, people can hear and will be paying attention. But if or when I buy one I will remember that I should expect to pay more for something I might record with.

 

[Br1ck]

You absolutely don't need the best. All your needs can be met with a Dean Markley Woodie sound hole pickup. ALL this obsessing we do, we do for ourselves. I'm a big fans of QSC speakers, yet the Behringer 8" powered speakers used as monitors sound very good and cost under $200. But as a player, once you hear and use QSCs, you want them, and not for the audience, but for you and the guy hiring you. Kind of like the guitar you pay. I do feel sounding good helps my playing, and I'm stuck smack dab in the middle, cost wise, with my Dazzo/SunnAudio combination.

 

[Wilmywood]

You absolutely don't need the best. All your needs can be met with a Dean Markley Woodie sound hole pickup. ALL this obsessing we do, we do for ourselves. I'm a big fans of QSC speakers, yet the Behringer 8" powered speakers used as monitors sound very good and cost under $200. But as a player, once you hear and use QSCs, you want them, and not for the audience, but for you and the guy hiring you. Kind of like the guitar you pay. I do feel sounding good helps my playing, and I'm stuck smack dab in the middle, cost wise, with my Dazzo/SunnAudio combination.

The guitar already has a pickup. It lacks controls for it.

 

[fronobulax]

a Dean Markley Woodie sound hole pickup.

To veer I have seen enough rosettes and soundholes damaged by soundhole pickups that I would never consider one.

But the OP has a PU installed and the problem to be solved is controlling the volume from the instrument, rather than the amp,

Maybe if there were a soundhole cover feedback would not be an issue?

 

[Wilmywood]

To veer I have seen enough rosettes and soundholes damaged by soundhole pickups that I would never consider one.

But the OP has a PU installed and the problem to be solved is controlling the volume from the instrument, rather than the amp,

Maybe if there were a soundhole cover feedback would not be an issue?

I really don't want to lose the actual acoustic sound from the guitar just to amplify it.

 

[E-Type]

I have K&K Pure Minis in two D-25s (one arched back and one flat). With the arch-back one, just going straight into a Fender Acoustic 100 sounds fine. But with the flat back, there is no way to tame the boominess (it just sounds terrible). I got a Fishman Platinum Pro and with it I can eliminate feedback (notch filter), EQ out the boominess, and go direct to a PA (it has an XLR out). It also has a send and return for pedals. It seems to work great, but I have not tried other options.

 

[Rich Cohen]

Get a K&K Pure XLR Preamp. It's a little box with full controls, such as vol. gain, treble, mid and bass knobs and phase switch on the back, along with the input and output connectors, plus an XLR connector. It runs on a 9 volt battery and you can have it near you for adjustment when and if you need it during playing. Not expensive and easy to use. I have one.
They're $199 new. You can find used ones starting at $150, $125.

 

[Rich Cohen]

The guitar already has a pickup. It lacks controls for it.

I owned that guitar and did very well with it at open mics, using my K&K Pure XLR Preamp.

 

[Rich Cohen]

I really don't want to lose the actual acoustic sound from the guitar just to amplify it.

I can understand, as that DV-62's acoustic sound is incredibly fine, thanks to Rich P. and Tom Jacob (Mr. Fixit) who totally went over the guitar and made it into a cannon.

 

[plaidseason]

You absolutely don't need the best. All your needs can be met with a Dean Markley Woodie sound hole pickup. ALL this obsessing we do, we do for ourselves. I'm a big fans of QSC speakers, yet the Behringer 8" powered speakers used as monitors sound very good and cost under $200. But as a player, once you hear and use QSCs, you want them, and not for the audience, but for you and the guy hiring you. Kind of like the guitar you pay. I do feel sounding good helps my playing, and I'm stuck smack dab in the middle, cost wise, with my Dazzo/SunnAudio combination.

I probably stand on this side of the argument. I'm not going to argue that the Fishman Platinum is better than the Grace, etc. But I think when we're talking live sound, in nearly every venue I've ever played (small clubs, large rock clubs, outdoor festivals, garden parties, and on and on) there is hardly a chance that anyone will notice the difference between the Grace and the Fishman.

I think Baggs and Fishman make the best value for the money for working folks.

As I always say, my goal is a great live sound, not natural, not unplugged, but full, present, and alive. And I regularly get questions from peers with respect to my sound, which is just a Fishman Rare Earth humbucker (not a Sunrise) through my Platinum Pro-EQ (not Grace), with a Zoom multi-Reverb/Delay/Chorus EFX unit. Live sound is funny, for a while I ran both a Yamaha Magicstomp for effects, along with a TC Reverb. At some point I realized that I didn't need the dedicated reverb as it wasn't a notable improvement over the Magicstomp. Eventually the Magicstomp died and I replaced it with the Zoom, which I'd previously rejected.

I always opt for simplicity, low noise, and try to find affordable gear that "punches up." Which is why I use either my Simon & Patrick folk or Art and Lutherie parlor live over my Guild F44. Ironically, more people ask about the Simon & Patrick than the Guild, as they often confuse it with a guitar costing thousands (like a Waterloo).

 

[Br1ck]

Rule #1, no pickup will sound like your guitar. If you don't want a pre on the floor, buy an onboard one from SunnAudio and live with a battery in your guitar. Amplification is a true good enough proposition. Good enough for some is horrible for me, and good enough for me is horrible to others. A well designed dual source like the higher end Anthem, is a pretty good compromise. You can throw as much money at the problem as you want to. Pick your price and features and you'll be ok.