
The striking new heads, cabinets, and combo amps are 40 percent lighter than previous models.
Thousand Oaks, CA (October 5, 2015) -- Acoustic Amplifiers' new Class-D/Neo Series bass amps and cabinets are amazingly lightweight and portable yet deliver the classic "pro's tone" for which Acoustic is famous. The striking new heads, cabinets, and combo amps are 40 percent lighter than previous models without compromising tone, thanks to compact, yet powerful Class-D amplification and neodymium drivers. You also get all of the features professional bassists need, regardless of style or genre. The series includes three amp heads, four speaker cabinets, and three combo amps.
Bass Amplifier Heads
Ideal for rehearsal, practice and most club stages, the B300HD bass head features 5-band rotary EQ and a 300-watt Class-D power section housed in a sleek, ergonomic chassis. It weighs only 6.6 pounds and can fit easily into most gig-bag pouches.
Providing the perfect balance of power and portability for the gigging musician, the 7.2-pound B600HD bass head is Acoustic's new go-to traveling bass amp head. It provides a 6-band edge-lit graphic EQ and delivers 600 watts of Class-D power.
For bassists who want all the power they can get, the B1000HD bass head goes all out with 1,000 watts of Class-D amplification. It also sports an 8-band, edge-lit graphic EQ for detailed tone control. Yet this muscular amp weighs in at only 8.2 lbs.
All Class-D Series bass amplifier heads feature a footswitchable, blendable overdrive circuit that lets you combine the overdrive and clean sounds; Acousti-Comp⢠compression to even out your dynamic range; a notch filter with frequency control; an effects loop; a full-featured direct out with ground lift and level control (XLR balanced for live and studio use); ¼-inch and locking-barrel speaker outputs; super Hi and Lo EQ boost; a 1/8-inch headphone jack; and an 1/8-inch aux input.
Bass Cabinets
All four Neo Series bass cabinets feature custom-design neodymium speakers, enabling them to deliver outstanding tone while weighing 40 percent less than ceramic-magnet speakers. All handle impressive power into 8 ohm loads.
Perfect for rehearsals, practice and smaller clubs, the BN112 cabinet features a powerful 1x12-inch speaker, rear-facing ports, and can handle 400 watts RMS. For more earth-shaking roar, the BN115 cabinet's single 15-inch speaker and front-facing shelf port provide extra low end and handles 500 watts RMS. The BN210 cabinet offers a great combination of tone and portability, with twin 10-inch speakers, multiple rear ports, and 600 watts RMS power handling. If you want to move as much air as possible and fill the venue all the way to the rear, go for the BN410 cabinet, with four 10-inch neodymium speakers that handle 800 watts RMS and a front-facing shelf port for supreme low end response.
These killer cabs deliver the features pros need, including a high-frequency horn with Defeat switch, and dual, 1/4-inch (parallel), single locking-barrel inputs. Design touches like plywood construction and spring-loaded handles make them seriously roadworthy.
Bass Combo Amps
Equipped with custom neodymium speakers that are 40 percent lighter than ceramic-magnet versions and powerful yet lightweight Class-D power amplifiers, the new combo amps give you the ultimate combination of power, performance, and portability. With plywood construction and spring-loaded handles, they're ready to go wherever your music takes you.
For articulate low-end tone in a super-compact footprint, look no farther than the BN3112 300-watt bass combo, with one 12-inch speaker. At only 21x16x13 inches and 40 pounds, transporting it is no sweat. Need more gut-kicking low end? Go for the BN3115, which slams 300 watts RMS into a 15-inch speaker. If that's not enough power for you, check out the B6210, which slams 600 watts into two 10-inch speakers, hitting a sweet balance of power and portability-yet this portable powerhouse weights only 59.7 pounds.
All Class-D/Neo Series bass combos include both Drive and Clean channels (footswitchable); Acousti-Comp⢠compression; a notch filter with frequency control; an effects loop; a full-featured direct out with ground lift; super Hi and Lo EQ boost; a 1/8-inch headphone jack; and an 1/8-inch aux input. The BN3112 has a rear-facing port and 5-band rotary EQ, while the BN3115 has a front-facing shelf port and 5-band rotary EQ. The BN6210 employs a front-facing shelf port and gives you 6-band, edge-lit graphic EQ.
Acoustic Class-D/Neo Series bass amps, cabinets, and combos are available immediately. U.S. street prices range from: amp heads $349.99 to $699.99; cabinets $399.99 to $699.99; and combo amps $499,99 to $749.99.
For more information:
Acoustic Amplification
Guest picker Ally Venable
Blues rocker Ally Venable joins PGās editors to imagine what their dream late-night band would sound like.
Question: Whatās your dream late-night show band?
Ally Venable - Guest Picker
By FifthLegend from Eagan, Minnesota, United States of America - Thundercat, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70617212
A: For my late-night show's house band, Iāve assembled a dream team. This ensemble inspires me with their unparalleled musical talents and diverse backgrounds. Chris Laytonās drumming is unmatched and he will provide a solid foundation. Iāll have Jon Batiste on keys. His creativity and energy is boundless. Eric Gales would be on guitar. I love how emotive his music is, and I strive for that type of connection within my playing as well. Finally, Iād have Thundercat on bass. His playing is infused with jazz and funk sensibilities that would tie the whole sound together in an interesting way.
Obsession: My current obsession is shifting my approach to playingāfocusing on connection over applause. Instead of chasing technical perfection or crowd reactions, Iām leaning into the emotional and spiritual side of music. Itās about creating moments that resonate deeply, whether itās with myself, my bandmates, or the audience.
David Saenger - Reader of the Month
A: I love the idea of supergroups and how each of the players would interact. On guitars I would have Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) and Isaiah Sharkey. My drum and bass combo would be Stewart Copeland (The Police) and Mohini Dey. On keys and sax, I would have Herbie Hancock and Joshua Redman. My male and female vocalists would be Corey Glover (Living Colour) and Liv Warfield (Prince). All of these players are fantastic improvisers and really know how to put on an entertaining show in any genre.
Bassist Victor Wooten
Obsession: My current obsession has been bass. My 12-year-old daughter started playing electric and upright bass about two years ago, and itās been a blast working with her. Iāve been really focusing on having a solid pocket, and itās forced me to get better at reading bass clef. Iām taking her to see Victor Wooten next week. Canāt wait!
Jason Shadrick - Managing Editor
Jason Shadrick on the SNL stage.
A: The natural move would be to go for a high-energy party band decked out with multiple keyboards, horns, and vocalists. Iād go a different route. Iād go for a more rootsy vibe with Blake Mills leading a band consisting of Jay Bellerose on drums, esperanza spalding on bass, Bob Reynolds on saxophones, and a rotating guest each week. They could cover lo-fi Americana, funky open-tuned blues, and so much more.
Obsession: This month is slightly less obsession and more reflection as this will be my last issue as Managing Editor for PG. Over the last 15 years Iāve worked on 182 issues, which is kinda mind-boggling. Iāve been lucky enough to do some incredible things during my time at PG, including walking through the host door at SNL and spending a few minutes with Brian May. Never could have imagined it. I am very grateful.
Nick Millevoi - Senior Editor
A: Iāve long said that joining one of the late night bands would probably be my absolute top dream gig. So, if I were choosing my own late-night band, from any era, I would go no further than getting a chance to sit with Paul Schaffer and the Worldās Most Dangerous Band or G.E. Smith-era Saturday Night Live Band.
Obsession: The late guitarist Jef Lee Johnson, who spent time in Schafferās band, had a heavy resume that included stars of all genres from Billy Joel to the Roots to McCoy Tyner. I got to see him play some low-key gigs around Philly, and each rearranged my molecules. Itās only now, years after his 2013 death, that Iāve become obsessed with his discography. Though much of his work was as a high-level sideman, his albums show the broad range of this masterful guitarist, whose tone, feel, and phrasing conveyed the instrumentās deepest emotional capabilities.
Detail of Tedās 1997 National resonator tricone.
What instruments should you bring to an acoustic performance? These days, with sonic innovations and the shifting definition of just what an acoustic performance is, anything goes.
I believe it was Shakespeare who wrote: āTo unplug, or not to unplug, that is the question. Whether ātis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of acoustic purists, or to take thy electric guitar in hand to navigate the sea of solo performing.ā
Four-hundred-and-twenty-four years later, many of us still sometimes face the dilemma of good William when it comes to playing solo gigs. In a stripped-down setting, where itās just us and our songs, do we opt to play an acoustic instrument, which might seem more fittingāor at least more common, in the folksinger/troubadour traditionāor do we bring a comfy electric for accompaniment?
For me, and likely many of you, it depends. If Iām playing one or two songs in a coffeehouse-like atmosphere, Iām likely to bring an acoustic. But if Iām doing a quick solo pop up, say, as a buffer between bands in a rock room, Iām bringing my electric. And when Iām doing a solo concert, where Iāll be stretching out for at least an hour, itās a hybrid rig. Iāll bring my battered old Guild D25C, a National tricone resonator, and my faithful Zuzu electric with coil-splitting, and likely my gig pedalboard, or at least a digital delay. And each guitar is in a different tuning. Be prepared, as the Boy Scouts motto states. (For the record, I never made it past Webelos.)
My point is, the definition of the āacousticā or ācoffeehouseā performance has changed. Sure, there are still a few Alan Lomax types out there who will complain that an electric guitar or band is too loud, but they are the last vestiges of the folk police. And, well, acoustic guitar amplification is so good these days that Iāve been at shows where each strum of a flattop box has threatened to take my head off. My band Coyote Motel even plays Nashvilleās hallowed songwriter room the Bluebird CafĆ© as a fully electric five-piece. Whatās key, besides a smart, flexible sound engineer, is controlling volume, and with a Cali76 compressor or an MXR Duke of Tone, I can get the drive and sustain I need at a low level.
āMy point is, the definition of the āacousticā or ācoffeehouseā performance has changed.ā
So, today I think the instruments that are right for āacousticā gigs are whatever makes you happiest. Left to my own devices, I like my Guild for songs that have a strong basis in folk or country writing, my National for blues and slide, and my electric for whenever I feel like adding a little sonic sauce or showing off a bit, since I have a fluid fingerpicking hand that can add some flash to accompaniment and solos. Itās really a matter of what instrument or instruments make you most comfortable because we should all be happy and comfortable onstageāwhether that stage is in an arena or theater, a club or coffeehouse, or a church basement.
At this point, with instruments like Fenderās Acoustasonic line, or piezo-equipped models from Godin, PRS, and others, and the innovative L.R. Baggs AEG-1, itās worth considering just what exactly makes a guitar acoustic. Is it sound? In which case thereās a wide-open playing field. Or is it a variation on the classic open-bodied instrument that uses a soundhole to move air? And if we arrive at the same end, do the means matter? There is excellent craftsmanship available today throughout the entire guitar spectrum, including foreign-built models, so maybe we can finally put the concerns of Shakespeare to rest and accept that āacousticā has simply come to mean ālow volume.ā
Another reason Iām thinking out loud about this is because this is our annual acoustic issue. And so weāre featuring Jason Isbell, on the heels of his solo acoustic album, a piece on how acoustic guitars do their work authored by none other than Lloyd Baggs, and Andy Fairweather Low, whose new solo albumāand illustrious careerāincludes exceptional acoustic performances. If youāre not familiar with his work, and you are, even if you donāt know it, he was the gent sitting next to Clapton for the historic 1992 Unplugged concertāand lots more. There are also reviews of new instruments from Taylor, Martin, and Godin that fit the classic acoustic profile, so dig in, and to heck with the slings and arrows!Ernie Ball, the worldās leading manufacturer of premium guitar strings and accessories, proudly announces the launch of the all-new Earthwood Bell Bronze acoustic guitar strings. Developed in close collaboration with Grammy Award-winning guitarist JohnMayer, Bell Bronze strings are engineered to meet Mayerās exacting performance standards, offering players a bold new voice for their acoustic guitars.Crafted using a proprietary alloy inspired by the metals traditionally found in bells and cymbals, Earthwood Bell Bronze strings deliver a uniquely rich, full-bodied tone with enhanced clarity, harmonic content, and projectionāmaking them the most sonically complex acoustic strings in the Ernie Ball lineup to date.
āEarthwood Bell Bronze strings are a giant leap forward in tone, playability, and durability. Theyāre great in any musical setting but really shine when played solo. Thereās an orchestral quality to them.ā -John Mayer
Product Features:
- Developed in collaboration with John Mayer
- Big, bold sound
- Inspired by alloys used for bells and cymbals
- Increased resonance with improved projection and sustain
- Patent-pending alloy unique to Ernie Ball stringsHow is Bell Bronze different?
- Richer and fuller sound than 80/20 and Phosphor Bronze without sounding dark
- Similar top end to 80/20 Bronze with richer low end than Phosphor Bronze
The Irish post-punk bandās three guitarists go for Fairlane, Fenders, and a fake on their spring American tour.
We caught up with guitarists Carlos OāConnell and Conor Curley from red-hot Dublin indie rock outfit Fontaines D.C. for a Rig Rundown in 2023, but we felt bad missing bassist Conor āDeegoā Deegan III, so weāve been waiting for the lads to make their way back.
This time, riding the success of their fourth LP, 2024ās Romance, we caught up with all three of them at Nashvilleās Marathon Music Works ahead of their April 30 gig to see what they brought across the pond.
Brought to you by DāAddario
Allās Fairlane
Curleyās go-to is this Fairlane Zephyr, loaded with Montyās P-90s and a Mastery bridge. It mostly stays in standard tuning and, like his other axes, has Ernie Ball Burly Slinky strings.
Blue Boy
Fender sent Curley this Jazzmaster a couple of years ago, and since then, heās turned to it for heavier, more driven sounds. Itās tuned to E flat, but Curley also tunes it to a unique shoegaze-y tuning for their tune āSundowner.ā
You can also catch Curley playing a Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar.
Twin Win
Fender Twin Reverbs are where Conor Curley feels most comfortable, so theyāre his go-to backline. The amps are EQād fairly flat to operate as pedal platforms.
Conor Curleyās Pedalboard
Curleyās pedalboard for this tour includes a TC Electronic PolyTune3 Noir, Strymon Timeline, Boss RV-6, Boss PN-2, Boss BF-3, Keeley Loomer, Death by Audio Echo Dream, Fairfield Circuitry Hors d'Ouevre?, Strymon Sunset, Strymon Deco, DigiTech Hardwire RV-7, Electro-Harmonix Nano POG, and Lehle Little Dual.
Fake Out
Connor Deegan didnāt own a bass when Fontaines D.C. began, and his first purchase was the black Fender Jazz bass (right)āor so he thought. He later discovered it was a total knock-off, with a China-made body, Mexico-made neck, and a serial number that belongs to a Jaguar. But he fell in love with it, and its soundānasal on the high strings, with cheap high-output pickupsāis all over the bandās first record, Dogrel. Deego plays with orange Dunlop .60 mm picks, and uses Rotosound Swing Bass 66 strings.
Deegan picked up the Squier Bass VI (left) for its āsurfy vibes,ā and upgraded the pickups and bridge.
Also in his arsenal is this 1972 Fender P-bass (middle). (Heās a bit nervous to check the serial number.)
V-4 You Go
Deego plays through an Ampeg V-4B head into a Fender 6x10 cabinet.
Conor Deeganās Pedalboard
Deeganās board includes a Boss TU-3, Electro-Harmonix Hum Debugger, Boss TR-2, modded Ibanez Analog Delay, Death by Audio Reverberation Machine, Boss CE-2w, Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI, Darkglass Electronics Alpha Omega Ultra, and Dunlop Volume (X) Mini pedal. A GigRig QuarterMaster helps him switch sounds.
Mustang Muscle
Carlos OāConnell favors this 1964 Fender Mustang, which has been upgraded with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails pickup since Romance. Itās set up so that the single-coil pickup is always on, and heāll add in the Hot Rails signal for particular moments.
Ghost of Gallagher
After getting to play a number of Rory Gallagherās guitars thanks to a private invitation from the guitaristās estate, OāConnell picked up this Fender Custom Shop Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster. The jangly, direct tone of this one is all over tunes like āBoys in the Better Land.ā
More Fender Friends
OāConnell runs his guitars, including a vintage Martin acoustic which he picked up in Nashville, through a Fender Twin Reverb and Deluxe Reverb.
Carlos OāConnellās Pedalboard
The gem of OāConnellās board is this Soundgas 636p, an imitation of the infamous Grampian 636 mic preampās breakup. Alongside it are a TC Electronic PolyTune, Ceriatone Centura, Strymon Volante, Eventide H9, Orchid Electronics Audio 1:1 Isolator, Vein-Tap Murder One, MXR Micro Amp, Moog MF Flange, MXR Smart Gate, and Freqscene Koldwave Analog Chorus. A Radial BigShot ABY navigates between the Twin and Deluxe Reverb.