Testing the waters...

Oh yeah, the Aquostic albums (I+II)... well, the accompanying tour. Yes, very much yes. I was skeptical as hell when they suggested it. "That's not going to work, where's the head down and boogie??". Then I heard some of the renditions and they're bloody brilliant! Pictures Of Matchstick Men obviously translates well, but even things like Caroline (in the original sort of blues-y style it was initially intended to have before Rick changed it into a rocker), Paper Plane, Mystery Song... I have both albums. There are a few corkers on there, but most of it's actually great! Even Down Down unplugged works.
 
PelliX said:
Oh yeah, the Aquostic albums (I+II)... well, the accompanying tour. Yes, very much yes. I was skeptical as hell when they suggested it. "That's not going to work, where's the head down and boogie??". Then I heard some of the renditions and they're bloody brilliant! Pictures Of Matchstick Men obviously translates well, but even things like Caroline (in the original sort of blues-y style it was initially intended to have before Rick changed it into a rocker), Paper Plane, Mystery Song... I have both albums. There are a few corkers on there, but most of it's actually great! Even Down Down unplugged works.
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I always liked most of the MTV Unplugged shows. Clapton. Neil Young. Nirvana did one. Even KISS. Like you with unplugged Status Quo, it's easy to be skeptical of a KISS Unplugged show. It's actually quite good. But then. My first guitar was acoustic.... way back early 70s. Didn't get my first electric till like 2007. I have a soft spot for acoustic guitar.
 
iblive said:
I always liked most of the MTV Unplugged shows. Clapton. Neil Young.
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To be fair, I prefer Neil and Eric unplugged. Yes, Eric is a killer electric player, too - the most versatile guitarist I know perhaps, but unplugged he really shines. His early work with the Yardbirds and the Bluesbreakers was epic in its own right, though, that's true.

iblive said:
Didn't get my first electric till like 2007. I have a soft spot for acoustic guitar.
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Oh, certainly. Bach said that the guitar is the most expressive instrument there is, and the acoustic is more expressive to me than most electric playing. Keith Richards said that if you think you've got something groovy, make it work on acoustic. If you can do that, *then* bring it (back) to electric. I think he was right.
 
iblive said:
You’re naked when you’re playing acoustic. Nothing to kind behind. No megawatts. No effects. Just you and a guitar.
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I absolutely agree, no doubt. Reminds me of something that's happened to me a few times by now. The first time I took it as a 'random remark' but after the second or third time it got me thinking. I was out playing at what amounted to a sort of open mic/jam evening on a farm, maybe about 50 people or so watching, some years ago. During a break a guy walked over to me and asked about my rig which was my old Blues Deluxe and a Tele. "This is the amp...? And you play that Tele through it...?". I didn't know where the question was going, so I just sort of nodded and said "yup, that's what I brought along...". He gave me this look and said "Wow, you're so exposed - there's nothing to cover up mistakes, huh?". I was a bit confused by the question but nodded politely, "uhm, I guess... I'm not really a high gain player and I like single coils...".
I thought nothing of it, but I've had this a few times over the years (though the Blues Deluxe is on long term loan to my drummer and lives at his place now). I'd just never really thought of it like that. I guess many people do indeed tend to have a bunch of effects and more gain but a Tele and an amp is a lot more 'shelter' than an acoustic, indeed. If I play acoustic somewhere, I tend to plug in through my VOX on the Normal channel with very low gain - no hiding there either, haha. Funny how perspectives can differ so wildly.
 
PelliX said:
I absolutely agree, no doubt. Reminds me of something that's happened to me a few times by now. The first time I took it as a 'random remark' but after the second or third time it got me thinking. I was out playing at what amounted to a sort of open mic/jam evening on a farm, maybe about 50 people or so watching, some years ago. During a break a guy walked over to me and asked about my rig which was my old Blues Deluxe and a Tele. "This is the amp...? And you play that Tele through it...?". I didn't know where the question was going, so I just sort of nodded and said "yup, that's what I brought along...". He gave me this look and said "Wow, you're so exposed - there's nothing to cover up mistakes, huh?". I was a bit confused by the question but nodded politely, "uhm, I guess... I'm not really a high gain player and I like single coils...".
I thought nothing of it, but I've had this a few times over the years (though the Blues Deluxe is on long term loan to my drummer and lives at his place now). I'd just never really thought of it like that. I guess many people do indeed tend to have a bunch of effects and more gain but a Tele and an amp is a lot more 'shelter' than an acoustic, indeed. If I play acoustic somewhere, I tend to plug in through my VOX on the Normal channel with very low gain - no hiding there either, haha. Funny how perspectives can differ so wildly.
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I’m an odd duck. I like my rock loud. I like to feel it in my chest. But when I play. I play really clean. No more than 5 usually on the amp and most time around 3 or so on the guitar. Only effects are generally a touch of delay, reverb and I do like a bit of chorus.
 
Yeah, I'm with you on that. Sitting around at home I like a bit of reverb but I tend to record pretty dry unless the piece calls for something more, and even then I sometimes sneak in a plate reverb post-rec. In a band context cleaner is often better. It's rare for me to use any distortion/overdrive effects, just what the amp offers - and the highest gain amp I have is probably my AC15. I actually use the Low input on my JCM800 a fair bit and when on the High input the gain is around half, maybe.
 
PelliX said:
Yeah, I'm with you on that. Sitting around at home I like a bit of reverb but I tend to record pretty dry unless the piece calls for something more, and even then I sometimes sneak in a plate reverb post-rec. In a band context cleaner is often better. It's rare for me to use any distortion/overdrive effects, just what the amp offers - and the highest gain amp I have is probably my AC15. I actually use the Low input on my JCM800 a fair bit and when on the High input the gain is around half, maybe.
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My issue seems to be I can’t make myself sound decent with OD or Distortion. I can make noise and while that can be both fun and therapeutic….. when I do it….. it’s not music. And gotta admit. My Strat sounds really good clean.
 
Yup, I can fool about with one or use it for a suitable solo but they don't get much use overall. A clean boost is generally preferred. Playing in a cover band you sort of have to have some distortion tones, too, so I have a few things. If I can get it out of an amp, I will. Just a few weeks back I was trying to get the Dan Auerbach fuzz tone and I ended up simply almost diming a JTM45. Sounded glorious in the room, too. Personally, I like to sit on the edge of breakup giving me some grit if I dig in and clean if I lay back.
 
PelliX said:
Yup, I can fool about with one or use it for a suitable solo but they don't get much use overall. A clean boost is generally preferred. Playing in a cover band you sort of have to have some distortion tones, too, so I have a few things. If I can get it out of an amp, I will. Just a few weeks back I was trying to get the Dan Auerbach fuzz tone and I ended up simply almost diming a JTM45. Sounded glorious in the room, too. Personally, I like to sit on the edge of breakup giving me some grit if I dig in and clean if I lay back.
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Bedroom player here. My good amp is an old 20w Traynor. Even at just 20w, to get amp breakup…. It’s really loud. Now. I have played it at church. In a big room, way easier to crank it up to the sweet spot.
 
Sure, but thesedays there are solutions for that. Even my Deluxe Reverb is pretty intense in a room once you get it to the sweet spot without attenuation. There are many options, a few of which decent that don't break the bank and offer decent volume reduction without loss of dynamics and tone. Fitz and various others here have used the JohnH M2 or similar designs for years - it's a gamechanger.
 
PelliX said:
Sure, but thesedays there are solutions for that. Even my Deluxe Reverb is pretty intense in a room once you get it to the sweet spot without attenuation. There are many options, a few of which decent that don't break the bank and offer decent volume reduction without loss of dynamics and tone. Fitz and various others here have used the JohnH M2 or similar designs for years - it's a gamechanger.
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It’s all good. These days I mostly practice using my Boss GT1 and headphones.
 
iblive said:
You’re naked when you’re playing acoustic. Nothing to hide behind. No megawatts. No effects. Just you and a guitar.
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It is interesting how I gravitate toward the first things I ever learned on my acoustic. I used play it 12-16 hours a day way back in the late 70s, no amp yet. There are many cool sounds you can get from an acoustic. Many of the little riffs I do were found by experimenting with certain notes that would bring out the harmonic overtones of other strings. I'd just have my ear to the acoustic and play at specific fret positions and I found many such natural harmonic tones that basically act as a reverb within the strings and the acoustic sound box. Very similar to a spring reverb sound.

Even things like playing with a fan hitting the strings would cause them to vibrate and then I would just position various chords with my ear to the box. I learned a lot doing that. Translates easy to an amp. I still do this stuff at night on my acoustic, 50 years later.
 
I played acoustic for a loooong time before I even bought a real electric, and played a pretty great (if I do say so myself self) solo act on the road for a few years. I played a kind of “mini orchestra” style, made possible by the insane response of my mind-blowing Guild F-50R. I dug a hole in the top of that guitar with my fingerpicks. It just gushed air, could fill a nice sized lounge without a mic. So full-range, so balanced. I sold it when my kids were young. My current Washburn jumbo is a close approximation, but I’ve never played another acoustic guitar like it, not even other Guilds.
 
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