Acoustic Gear

[BTF]

Just wondering if any of you have built any acoustic instrument gear?

I'm currently finishing a rack-mount tube blender/preamp and it's been fun, but required considerably more thought than the electric instrument gear I've built in the past.

Regards, BTF.

[Cliff Schecht]

One of the guys I worked with over the summer at TI was just getting into being a luthier when I started working there. I played a few guitars he'd built and was pretty impressed. I eventually ended up building him a Champ-style acoustic amp with all of the modern amenities including volume, tone and switchable feedback. Sounded pretty darn good with an electric-acoustic guitar. Even the cheapie passives sounded pretty good. I posted pics and more details somewhere.

[selloutrr]

I've used a sharpie to give an acoustic some mojo.
Start with the fine tip and work up to a fat tip for fill.

[BTF]

Hmmm... Okay... Actually, until I logged in I didn't understand what in Heaven you meant, selloutrr!

I believe I remember your posts on that amp, Mr. Schecht. I'll have to look it up.

Thanks all, Bill.

[Cliff Schecht]

I'll post a schematic soon if you're interested. It was designed to be as linear as possible with respect to frequency response (especially when the feedback was switched in). It sounded really nice driving the right set of speakers, but an EQ on your acoustic is probably a must because the simple tone control only does so much.

[selloutrr]

If I was going to design an eq circuit for acoustic use I would think more down the lines of studio equipment, and then try to turn those solid state designs back to a useable tube version. if It was solid state I'd forget it and buy a product on the market.

I would include a high and low pass eq to control the boom and highend string treble that's almost impossible to eq out with a standard guitar Pickup's built in EQ.
add a 12 band EQ and it would look cool and be very functional for smoothing out the honk and mud.

Low pass filter
8K
6K - Air but honestly I'd low pass to 5 or 6K
3K
1K - String squeek / human vocal
800hz
600hz
500hz - body
315hz
250hz - mud
160hz - mud
100hz
60hz - probably would Hi pass to 90-120hz maybe higher depending on style
Hi Pass Filter

Add and EQ input level and output level for balancing the gain so it's not over loading the circuit.

a compression circuit would be a nice feature to even out the dynamics and smooth over surprise string pops.

[labb]

Yo, Cliff, post the schematic if you can find it..I've got a 5F2-A that I am trying to set up for acoustic. Believe it or not it sounds descent stock. I would like to see the mods you used...Thanks.

[xtian]

I've used a sharpie to give an acoustic some mojo.
Start with the fine tip and work up to a fat tip for fill.

Wow, nice. Your art reminds me a lot of my friend from college: http://www.zops.com/originals_1-10.html

[selloutrr]

killer art!

My style turned out more rorschach. I've got a couple tattoo's in the same style. the chicks dig it I figured when I'm old it'll still look the same only different. My grandfather got a tattoo when he was in the navy of bird or anchor and by the time I was old enough to remember it I thought it was a toothpaste tube.