Acoustasonics: Are they only for plugging in?

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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
    @Lewy I had a Dano before, and blended it sounded different. Crap to some, but it was a sound that could be used in specific ways. The piezo did sound pretty crap, but again, it was a sound in itself... If I had to choose which acoustic sound was better, it would be the acoustasonic for sure.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    Just to be clear, I meant the original-type Convertible with only the lipstick pickup.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • FreebirdFreebird Frets: 5821
    If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.
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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
    Ok, that video has changed my mind a bit on these. It sounds like its own thing. I'd love to see it in a more experimental context. Can you blend both pickups? I assume so.
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  • SnagsSnags Frets: 5325
    @Creed_Clicks if it's like the other acoustasonics, each switch position (5-way) is a different pair of models, which are at the extremes of the "tone" (i.e. not a tone control) control, I don't think you can balance e.g. the humbucker and the piezo, but you can choose your blend between whichever two models are on the switch position currently selected.
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11788
    Freebird said:
    that capo has come down a few notches!
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  • Jez6345789Jez6345789 Frets: 1756
    I find a certain irony that forumites, in general, give them a fairly hard time but Fender has and are selling bucket loads.
    If I had a use I would have one they sound better than a lot of Electroacoustics thanks to the Fishman modelling stuff. 
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  • TanninTannin Frets: 5267
    edited March 2021
    ^ Fender acoustics sell like crazy too, and we all know what they are like. 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    Tannin said:
    ^ Fender acoustics sell like crazy too, and we all know what they are like. 
    From that statement, I suspect you don’t ;).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411
    edited March 2021
    BingMan said:
    If you want an acoustic guitar, get an acoustic guitar

    if you want an electric guitar, get an electric guitar 

    trying to do both in one guitar is always going to be compromised...

    I watched a video on YouTube of billy strings playing one of these fender things and not even he could make it sound good

    Just my opinion, but I can think of better things to be dropping £1.5k on

    It's main use is as a stage electro.  I have the Tele version, and it sounds significantly better through the PA than my Stonebridge with a K&K Pure Mini.  It's probably slightly better sounding than my Martin with a Fishman blender pickup although that's  marginal.  The pickup in that Martin would about £250 to buy, and the gooseneck mic makes it feedback prone.  Given the feedback resistance of the acoustasonic and the fact that it is more physically robust, it's a much better stage electro in a real world situation than an acoustic with an added pickup.

    The electric sounds are an extra option that will be useful in certain situations, but it is primarily a stage electro, and a very good one.

    Personally, with the limited recording I've done, I'm still better sticking a mic in front of a real acoustic.  Even there though I could see a use for it.  I've got a huge bay window with big heavy curtains, and I still had to drape extra blankets around to get a half decent mic'd acoustic sound the old fashioned way.  It would be a lot less hassle to record an acoustic track with one of these, and it would work ok in a mix.

    You wouldn't want it as your only guitar, but it's a useful tool.

    My big gripe with it is that you can't get an output of the electric pickup without the modelling.  That would be really useful to me.  I would happily sacrifice one of the other sounds to get that.  I don't know if there are plans for any firmware updates.  I'm not sure if the USB port could be used for that, or whether it's purely used as a charging port.
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  • FreebirdFreebird Frets: 5821
    Freebird said:
    that capo has come down a few notches!
    It's been down one time, it's been down two times, and it's never going back again!
    If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.
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  • ArchtopDaveArchtopDave Frets: 1367
    Well put by @crunchman. I bought mine for the same reasons. Additionally, mine has a perfectly decent unplugged sound for practice at home - this was a very peasant surprise, as I wasn't expecting a Tele shaped guitar to function at all well in this regard.
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  • LewyLewy Frets: 4124
    edited March 2021
    crunchman said:

    My big gripe with it is that you can't get an output of the electric pickup without the modelling.  That would be really useful to me.  I would happily sacrifice one of the other sounds to get that.  I don't know if there are plans for any firmware updates.  I'm not sure if the USB port could be used for that, or whether it's purely used as a charging port.

    There's another USB port on the main circuit board inside - an older mini USB type (or at least it was on the Tele I had). I suspect that's where you'd do any updates/diagnostics. I did out of curiosity hook it up to my Mac to see what happened and nothing did - it wasn't recognised as a drive or anything. I also opened up the Fishman Aura librarian I had from when I used to have a Spectrum DI just on the crazy off chance it might show up in there but it didn't. I was half expecting someone would have hacked one by now but it appears not.

    I agree whole heartedly on the desirability of just having the mag pickup output without the amp modelling....it might still need some processing applied to make it work but something more neutral than the tweed deluxe sound would be good.


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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11788
    ICBM said:
    Tannin said:
    ^ Fender acoustics sell like crazy too, and we all know what they are like. 
    From that statement, I suspect you don’t ;).
    I don't know
    I tried some way back and could tell they weren't competing with Santa Cruz, Goodall, Lowden, Avalon, etc.
    How good are they?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    ToneControl said:

    I don't know
    I tried some way back and could tell they weren't competing with Santa Cruz, Goodall, Lowden, Avalon, etc.
    How good are they?
    Of course they don't compete with those - or even Martins, Taylors etc. They're not meant to, and I expect that Fender know very well that they would never be taken seriously if they tried.

    They are very good quality and value for money entry-level acoustics, up to mid-priced electro-acoustics. Apart from the Acoustasonics they don't do anything above about £700, but every one I've played has been well-made, sounded decent and played really well - at least as good as any other maker in the same price range and type, and usually a bit more distinctive-looking.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • TanninTannin Frets: 5267
    edited March 2021
    They are mediocre at best. I can think of ten different brands that do it better for the same money.

    Fender strings, on the other hand, seem to be excellent. At least the brass 12s and 13s I've been using lately are. I don't know if they make them or just buy them in from somewhere, but they are cheap, feel good,. and sound great. 
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    Having watched a few of the videos if I was doing a band, or live duo where I was mostly doing acoustic with the odd requirement for an electric sound I'd 100% get one of these.

    I don't think I'd have one for home use, but it seems like an excellent live solution.
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  • martmart Frets: 5205
    Tannin said:
    ...
    Fender strings, on the other hand, seem to be excellent. At least the brass 12s and 13s I've been using lately are. I don't know if they make them or just buy them in from somewhere, but they are cheap, feel good,. and sound great. 
    I believe they're made by D'addario - see this thread
    https://www.tdpri.com/threads/fender-strings-question.273831/page-2
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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1384
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