Acoustic guitar set up....what would I need?

Jaycee

I have been thinking about playing live.

There are a few few places within walking distance from my house so easy to get to.

Just looking at the audience I was surprised at how many just carrying on with their evening talking and drinking not giving much notice to the singer but applauding after each song.

I’m thinking “I could do that” even though signing is not my forte.

I was talking to the artist who was having a break whilst her boyfriend played a few songs, taking requests I asked for “wish you were here” which he got up on his phone and started to play, she asked my name, mentioned that I knew the lyrics and before I knew what was happening I had the mic in front of me singing for the first time ever in a pub with people in!!!

It went a bit pear shaped when the mobile didn’t show the last verse, but they clapped anyway.

To the question……..

What would be the minimum setup that is needed. ?

I have

Electro Acoustic

Marshal AS50 R amp …….would this be ok?

Obviously a mic would be needed anything else?

If you have got this far thanks

fastonebaz

Reverb delay chorus compressor tuner pedals would make it all sound even more epic.

mo6020

On my acoustic setup I have a compressor, a preamp, a reverb/trem pedal, and a DI box. You don't need any of that, but it can refine the sound and take some of the hard edges off... 

With an amp like you've got I'd probably just add a compressor, but that's mostly because I like how the Cali76 sounds on an acoustic... 

BillDL

The older Marshall AS50R and the current digital effects AS50D (with added phantom power for condenser mics) have internal Chorus and Reverb and they are pretty nice sounding, so you wouldn't really need to buy pedals for those effects.  Most portable acoustic amps will have chorus and reverb.  I think the older AS50R sounds "richer" and less sterile than the current AS50D.  Both also have a knob that can help you control feedback, but if the electro-acoustic guitar has minimal tone controls, a graphic equaliser pedal can also be useful for cutting and/or boosting specific bands of frequencies to balance the sound and mitigate feedback.  A soundhole cover / baffle can also be helpful in reducing feedback if it's a larger room and your natural acoustic sound isn't going to be heard by the audience above the amp anyway.  Thomann have some nice wood effect ones, but you can get similar ones on eBay and elsewhere and also d'Addario/Planet Waves plastic ones.  I have the brown plastic lid from a tub of Galaxy Hot Chocolate in the soundhole of one of my acoustics, but that guitar has a smaller than normal soundhole.

A compressor pedal can be useful in controlling volume spikes and also giving your fingerpicking a bit more punch and added sustain on the notes, but it takes some experimentation to get them set well.

I know it's "cheating", but those vocal harmoniser pedals are great for solo acoustic gigs to give some harmonised vocal support for choruses in the absence of an exuberat "singalong" audience.  If turned down very low in the overall mix it's sometimes hard to know if it's there, but you would notice immediately if it was off.  Yeah, that's cheating, isn't it?.

Jaycee

Thanks for the replies.

I was talking to the guy at my local guitar shop, they also do sound for local events, he said that my amp would not be powerful enough and running both mic and guitar through it wouldn't work as one would overpower the other.

Anyway, think I will look for a SM58 and try it at home.  I have a compressor and pre-amp pedals so getting there.

chickenbonejohn

Jaycee said:

Thanks for the replies.

I was talking to the guy at my local guitar shop, they also do sound for local events, he said that my amp would not be powerful enough and running both mic and guitar through it wouldn't work as one would overpower the other.

Anyway, think I will look for a SM58 and try it at home.  I have a compressor and pre-amp pedals so getting there.

I think you'll be OK with that amp for vocals and guitar in a small room, you aren't going to be wanting to be deafening people. I have a Roland StreetCube EX which is 2 x 25watts and perfectly fine for vocals and guitar. I've used it for busking, small gigs...and Glastonbury, so don't be spooked into thinking you need more powerful and sophisticated gear. Keep it simple -  SM58 and a robust mic stand and don't faff around with pedals and effects, it's just something else to carry, (plus cables batteries/power supplies etc), go wrong and to worry about...instead of concentrating on putting your music over to the audience.