Basic acoustic setting on blackstar HT 5R

MikeWoodward

Hi folks

just wondered if anyone can give any suggestions for amp settings for an acoustic guitar. I’ve got a Taylor Academy 12e acoustic and a blackstar HT5R amp. I like playing stuff such as the Eagles, Creedence Clearwater Revival etc and still very much a “strummer”. Any help much appreciated

Cheers Mike

crunchman

MikeWoodward said:

Hi folks

just wondered if anyone can give any suggestions for amp settings for an acoustic guitar. I’ve got a Taylor Academy 12e acoustic and a blackstar HT5R amp. I like playing stuff such as the Eagles, Creedence Clearwater Revival etc and still very much a “strummer”. Any help much appreciated

Cheers Mike

Is there any reason you need an amp?  At home I'd just play acoustically.   If you are playing out, then there will normally be a PA to plug into.

ICBM

I think it's unlikely you get a decent acoustic sound out of it at all - it's just too dark, compressed and middy, essentially the exact opposite of an acoustic amp - but if you want to try...

Use the clean channel and just set the tone control wherever it sounds best, probably full up or nearly so.

Or - if you can set the gain low enough to not distort - use the lead channel with the gain very low and the volume high, the bass about halfway, middle at zero, treble up full, and ISF to wherever it sounds best.

Or possibly, if the guitar has enough range on the onboard EQ and volume control, try plugging into the FX return, which will bypass the amp's preamp. (Be careful of feedback, and start with the guitar's volume off.)

MikeWoodward

Thank you for the advice, really helpful

I usually use the amp with my Strat (I love the sound it makes - not sure my neighbours do) and normally play the acoustic without the amp, but was curious what it would sound like. 

ecc83

You could try a more "hi fi" speaker on the Five? Feedback as IC says is likely to be a problem.

Dave.

John_A

If you have a pre-amp on the guitar, try is straight in to the FX return and EQ with the guitar.  Might work?

Funkfingers

ecc83 said:
You could try a more "hi fi" speaker on the Five? Feedback as IC says is likely to be a problem

I have a mk1 HT-5 mini stack with an Eminence Legend loudspeaker.

In answer to the OP question, my recommended settings are:
Mains switch - off
Standby switch - off
Input jack - no connection.

The Taylor guitar deserves full range sound reinforcement. This probably means P.A. or specialist acoustic instrument amplification - neither of which will be inexpensive.

MikeWoodward

Thanks for the advice - appreciated