There are many factors at play
for getting the right acoustic
tone in a live setting. Over the
years, I have come up with a
collection of remedies for common
problems that have come
between me and great acoustic
tone. When putting together an
acoustic rig, the first question to
answer is, “What kind of guitar
best serves the style of music I’ll
be performing?”
If you’re playing leads and need
access to higher frets, a cutaway
acoustic with built-in electronics
is a good place to start. I use
a Schecter Orleans that has an
onboard Fishman Prefix Plus-T
preamp with a chromatic tuner.
To me, string gauge and string
freshness are the two most vital
factors in acoustic guitar tone—
whether the instrument is plugged
in or not—and my Orleans is
strung with .012-.052 SIT Royal
Bronze strings.
If I need a fuller sound for
playing chords, or I need the
pickup system to hear the body
of the guitar, I’ll use my Guild
D-55. This guitar has a very
interesting pickup system made
by D-TAR and its electronics
provide only two parameters—volume and tone. If I’ve just
installed a new set of strings, I’ll
use the Tone knob to curb some
of the extra brightness that comes
along with fresh strings. Another
nice feature about the D-TAR
is that the batteries are easy to
change, since I am not a big fan
of having to loosen strings and
reach inside a soundhole just to
change a battery. D-TAR’s Load
’N Lock system positions the
batteries behind the guitar’s input
jack, and a simple 180-degree
counterclockwise twist reveals the
battery cavity. By the way, fresh
batteries are a must for a good
plugged-in acoustic sound.
I do a lot of percussive effects
with acoustic guitars, and I’ve
noticed that pickup systems that
use AA batteries will sometimes
make clicking sounds when I beat
on the top of the guitar. The best
way I’ve found to eliminate the
sound of the batteries knocking
together inside the battery cavity
is to wrap the batteries in a Post-it
note. A Post-it has just enough
adhesive for the paper to hold the
batteries together without having
any excess residue that could get
inside the battery cavity.
While the D-TAR sounds great
on its own, an issue I run into on
the road is how different monitors
sound from show to show. Since
the D-TAR system in my D-55
only has one tonal modifier, I’ll
often use an L.R. Baggs Venue
DI for more sonic control. Some
monitors sound clean and pure,
and others are, well, not so stellar.
When someone is paying me to
play guitar, it is my responsibility
to make sure I sound good. The
Venue allows me to compensate
for frequencies that might be
absent in a particular monitor and
it has the bonus feature of a built-in
tuner. Anytime I can cut down
on bulk and consolidate gear
into a simpler format, I take the
opportunity. The way I set the EQ
on the Venue is largely based on
the kind of guitar I’m playing and
how the stage monitors sound. If
I’m using one of my mahogany-body
Martins, I’ll add high-mids
and highs with the Venue for
clarity. My Martins have plenty of
natural lows, so there is no need to
boost them on the Venue. Having
some sort of preamp, like the
Venue DI, is a great way to sculpt
your tone in any setting.
Something else I think about
for an acoustic gig is how to effectively
translate my solos to the
audience. If I don’t have a preamp
with a boost function, like the
one on the Venue DI, I make
sure I set my volume at about 75
percent of its potential. That way,
I have some room to give myself a
boost for solos using my onboard
control. A single note is quieter
than a chord, so those single-note
solos need some extra volume.
I also like to use an MXR EVH
Phaser for soloing—setting it to a
slow speed adds a unique character
to acoustic leads and lines.
Another aspect that plays a
major role in a guitar’s tone,
both acoustic and electric, is
the material that makes contact
with the strings. Picks, fingernails,
and flesh all yield very different
sounds, so it’s a good idea
to focus on how different materials
factor into your tone. Also,
strumming over the fretboard,
the soundhole, or close to the
bridge will dramatically change
your sound. Remember that the
evolution of a tone begins with
your hands, so be sure to spend
time analyzing your technique
and approach.
Paul “TFO” Allen
is a multi-instrumentalist
who has worked with
Big & Rich, Sebastian
Bach, 112, Jake Owen,
Montgomery Gentry,
Larry the Cable Guy,
and many others. He also has his
own project called Ten Finger
Orchestra, and can be reached at
tenfingerorchestra@yahoo.com.