High gain electric guitar through acoustic guitar amp

[StoneCrow]

Serious question that only looks absurd:

Does anyone have any experience playing high gain guitar in any style of heavier music through an acoustic guitar amp and how did it sound?  

The reason I ask is because I saw it suggested on a forum somewhere  (don’t remember where) and it occurred to me that many acoustic amps actually have a pretty high wattage output and for reasonably affordable prices, especially used acoustic amps. 

It also seems sort of ridiculous. Obviously the gain would have to come from your pedal board. 

Hendrix played through a bass amp, from what I understand. And those Sunn amps totally skyrocketed in musical value and actual value once the metal heads caught onto them.

Anyway, has anyone else heard of using acoustic amps for heavier electric guitar or done it successfully? 

 

[tbonesullivan]

Most acoustic amps are basically miniature PAs. I would make sure you have a cabinet simulator, as the speakers and frequency response on a guitar amplifier are intended to take the mid heavy guitar sound and make it sound good.

One thing to remember though is that you can use much more of the actual rated power of a tube guitar amplifier than you can with a solid state amplifier.  So while an acoustic amp may say 200 watts, a 50 watt guitar amplifier will drown it out easily.

[gorch]

Using acoustic amps might make sense when having a digital board that creates ready made sounds. I‘d suggest trying a stereo setting as those boards often provide stereo outs. It allows to create room filling echo rooms or choruses. 
 

Actually, I have connected my mixer to the home stereo stack. Some of my pedals are actually real amps. DI‘d to the mixer they directly go into the stereo. Sounding really great.

[HamerCustomEr]

On 9/19/2020 at 6:55 PM, tbonesullivan said:

One thing to remember though is that you can use much more of the actual rated power of a tube guitar amplifier than you can with a solid state amplifier.  So while an acoustic amp may say 200 watts, a 50 watt guitar amplifier will drown it out easily.

Right on!  I'll go even further.  There are even some 15W tube amps that when goosed by a pedal can keep up with a 200 watter.