Need Help--Stupid Question --electric player going acoustic

[miragejake]

Guys,

So my band's recently booked a bunch of acoustic gigs...the first of which is Oct 5th...So I'm getting a Fishman Matrix Infinity put in my Guild...no issues there.

My question is: what do I have to have in order to play through a PA? ...direct box? or what exactly?

Thanks Gents.

jake

[DavidE]

A direct box is probably a good idea though you may be able to get away with a 1/4" to a board. If there's a professional sound company, they ought to have the direct box.

If you want some tonal control, think about something like an outboard Fishman or L.R. Baggs preamp with eq and direct out on it. L.R. Baggs para d.i. is popular.

[JohnnyB]

I don't see why you'd need a direct box if you're playing a real acoustic guitar. With electric guitars, particularly solidbody electrics, the guitar amplifiers we take for granted function as de facto equalizers. Running the output signal through a very non-linear 12" speaker (on average) boosts the bass frequencies and rolls off the treble. When you plug a magnetic pickup-based electric guitar directly into a board or PA system, the rolled off bass and exaggerated treble becomes obvious (and very irritating). That is what a direct box is for--to restore the equalization of an electric guitar to what you typically hear out of a guitar amplifier.

A well-balanced acoustic guitar should need no such correction because the signal chain is fairly linear from one end to the other. The guitar's body resonance--amplified by the piezo--provide the bass balance already. Given the way some piezos sound reedy and have exaggerated treble, you might want to roll the treble off at the Fishman panel in your guitar, but that's about it. A direct box is just going to introduce more non-linearities that you'll have to correct somewhere else.

[sonic1974]

Guys,

So my band's recently booked a bunch of acoustic gigs...the first of which is Oct 5th...So I'm getting a Fishman Matrix Infinity put in my Guild...no issues there.

My question is: what do I have to have in order to play through a PA? ...direct box? or what exactly?

Thanks Gents.

jake

You have a nice guitar and good pickup system. Most sound guys will be able to make that sound really great. Once less piece of equipment to buy!

[zenmindbeginner]

You absolutely need a direct box if you are going to be playing acoustic professionally. If it is just a coffee shop gig on the patio for free food, then don't bother. A Direct box allows you to run a BALANCED line to the P.A. Balanced lines avoid electromagnetic interference. I work with acoustic musicians all of the time professionally as a sound man. I have a trusty radial direct box that I break out whenever they don't bring one. The more well prepared and veteran musicians bring their own direct boxes, the amateurs show up with their instrument and an unbalanced guitar cable. The sound quality is a HUUUUUGE difference.

I wouldn't even consider playing acoustically without a direct box, you can use a simple passive one to fit your needs, they aren't that expensive.

I mean, walk up to a P.A. system with your unbalanced cable and plug it straight in to a channel... you will hear a shitty, small and noisy signal. Plug it into a direct box and voila, you have a bright and punchy signal that will sound great.

A direct box would still be needed when plugging in an electric guitar to a P.A. an acoustic would be no different.

You should be able to try out some direct boxes at your local gear store, just don't try them out on a weekend, music stores are usually slammed on the weekend but are virtually empty through the school hours during the weekdays. Good luck

[tomteriffic]

If the basic soundhole-mounted Vol/Tone controls would suffice, then a simple direct box would get you there. If you want fingertip control away from the guitar (instead of fiddling under the strings) or if volume/feedback will be an issue, get something like the Baggs ParaDI. I believe Fishman also makes external preamp/control/DI units as well.