Acoustic amps - Bugera AC60 vs Fishman Loudbox Mini

Shadow

I want to dip my toe into playing through an amp, just at home in the first instance and I've narrowed it down to these two. The LB seems to be the gold standard at this price point, but I like a few features on the Bugera that the LB doesn't have: switchable gain to cater for passive pickups, phantom power on the mic channel and a headphone jack. Anyone been able to compare the two for sound quality?

Mods, apologies if this should have been in the amps subforum but that seemed pretty much exclusively electric.

Snags

I can't offer a comparison, never having played through the Bugera. However, I do have an LB mini.

Obviously tastes, preferences and reasons differ, but I pretty much never use it for playing at home, for a few reasons:

• plugging in as a faff (applies to any amp)
• I'm tight and don't see the point in draining the pre-amp battery in the guitar (applies to any amp, and is doubly important to me because my pre-amp battery is in a fairly inaccessible "strings off" location)
• it does colour the sound. Not unpleasantly (far from it) but "in the room" I generally prefer the pure acoustic sound. I imagine this also applies to any amp.

All of that said, it's a great little thing, and I do use it for various purposes:

• personal monitor and DI for some circumstances when playing live (guitar only, vocal direct to desk)
• sound reinforcement and "lift" for vocals and guitar when playing a small room where the intention is to be heard but not to have rock concert "you're not talking over ME" levels of PA
• when I want to sod around with effects
• when rehearsing at home with A N Other and we need something to balance out the combo of vox, acoustic and either electric or bass

A few comments in relation to the above.

The vocal channel is a lot quieter than the guitar channel. I only use it with passive vocal mics, and it might just be that they're low output, but to get a balanced output/clear vocal you very much need to crank the vocal harder than the guitar channel. So if you were looking to use it as a "mini PA" you might have a problem if you were pushing the guitar hard. This could be influenced by the fact that I have a relatively low voice (sort of straddles baritone in rough terms).

For sodding around with effects, I get a better representation of what it will sound like when the effects are used live (and therefore direct to desk) by running them through a little Behringer PA monitor rather than the LoudBox. Although if you're going to take the Loudbox and use the DI out, obviously that changes things.

I haven't found the lack of a headphone socket a problem, and can't imagine one would be much use when you're playing an acoustic guitar, as you're still going to piss off anyone else in the vicinity regardless. Equally, the lack of phantom power has never been an issue for me, because of the mics I use.

Shadow

Thanks for taking the time to leave such a comprehensive response, I appreciate it.

In the first instance it'll just be for playing around with at home. I'm not aware that I piss the family off currently (or they haven't told me!) but if I were to ramp up the volume I'm sure I would hence the headphones.

I'll certainly be playing with the effects, some of the fingerstyle stuff I play would benefit from a bit of reverb etc.

No battery in my passive pickup so that's not an issue.

I've ordered the Bugera now, due to arrive today, so looking forward to my new toy!

Soupman

I've been fancying a loudbox mini for ages, not seen those Bugeras before, but a friend has one of their 5w valve amps which sounds good.
Given the hike in the Fishman price, the Bugera looks a good spec design at a better price. A wise choice I reckon.
Let us know how it sounds when you get to try it out.
 
 

Shadow

Soupman said:

I've been fancying a loudbox mini for ages, not seen those Bugeras before, but a friend has one of their 5w valve amps which sounds good.
Given the hike in the Fishman price, the Bugera looks a good spec design at a better price. A wise choice I reckon.
Let us know how it sounds when you get to try it out.
 
 

Will do. There are two or three LBs on eBay but the sellers all stipulate collection only. One of them is up for £150 (no Bluetooth) which is a great price if it's legit and you can convince them to send it. This is the third relisting I've seen so it's not going anywhere in a hurry

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186017446973?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=k_NaSpkLSbm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=iPxytCtRSGe&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY ;

JCA2550

Sorry no experience of the Bugera, but the Fishman Loudbox Mini is brilliant.
I've had one for 6 years or so and have used it for small folk clubs, acoustic and outdoor gigs with guitar and also as bassamp for quick in and out live appearances at radio stations. I'm currently using one as a personal monitor live as I'm DIing electric guitar direct through a Two Notes ReVolt.

It's a handy size, plenty loud, sounds great, has a decent DI out and is built like a tank.
My only complaint is the "tolex" covering material is completely rubbish, the top layer scuffs and tears as soon as you look at it. This is well documented and hopefully sorted out on more recent versions?

In fact I'm going to be moving a Loudbox Mini on soon as I recently "upgraded" to the Loudbox Mini Charge for gigs where there's no power.

Soupman

@Shadow - just had a quick look at Loudboxes on eBay. Gawd stuff isn't cheap! 
That £150 one has a lot of cover damage for being 'moved round the house'!
 

 

Timcito

Soupman said:

Given the hike in the Fishman price, the Bugera looks a good spec design at a better price. 
 

Yes, I've noticed that. I thought the Loudbox Mini was an easily affordable option. Not so any more.

BigLicks67

I've got a Loudbox Mini and I've been pretty happy with it. It's solidly built works well with the K&K pure mini and LR Baggs M1A (with a bit of eq tweaking), it's not so great with the LR Baggs Element VTC, but that's maybe because I don't like UST pickups. The mic channel is useful for singer/songwriter stuff at open mic nights or folk nights as previously mentioned. You can also use it with hollow body arch tops if you are going for that transparent AER Compact 60 sound that Martin Taylor favours. The chorus effect is functional, but the reverb could be better. The DI out is useful as well. Not sure what use headphones out would be on an acoustic amp though?
However, if you are looking for a budget option the Marshall AS50R is pretty good and can be picked up used for £100.00. Avoid the digital ones though as I believe they have reliability issues.

Littlejonny

Have you considered a Bose S1Pro? You can get one with a battery for around £450 second hand. The sound quality is really amazing IMO. I have two friends with them and have used them extensively. I’m hoping to get one myself when funds allow.

Acus are also very good - had one and sold it because I wanted an S1 Pro…and then I got a problem with the car from what I remember, so the cash went on that!

Soupman

@Littlejonny £450 used is a bit steeper than the Bugera or even the Fishman new.
   

Shadow

£450 is about twice what I wanted to pay for what will probably just be a toy for home use. I got the Bugera and took it to a friend's to compare with his LB mini. We tried his Taylor 414CE with whatever active system they were using 25 years ago and my Eastman E1OOSS SB with JJB 330 passive pickup, and to both our ears there was very little difference between the two amps, certainly not taking the £80+ price difference into account. 

Wazmeister

Ive owned a couple of the LB mini, battery and non-battery. Very impressed with mine.

I recently bought a used AER Compact 60, for a good price, and its super impressive.

BigLicks67

Wazmeister said:

Ive owned a couple of the LB mini, battery and non-battery. Very impressed with mine.

I recently bought a used AER Compact 60, for a good price, and it’s super impressive.

Would you say the Aer is much better than the Fishman?

TheBigDipper

BigLicks67 said:

Wazmeister said:

Ive owned a couple of the LB mini, battery and non-battery. Very impressed with mine.

I recently bought a used AER Compact 60, for a good price, and it’s super impressive.

Would you say the Aer is much better than the Fishman?

I've owned a couple of different Loudboxes and never got a sound as good as an AER Compact 60 (which I've never owned, just admired). The AER seems to do guitar and mic sounds better, too. 

But, the best amplified acoustic sound I ever get is a K&K Pure Mini pickup into a K&K Preamp and/or a FlyRig Acoustic preamp and then into any decent PA or powered monitor. It sounds really natural.