'other' amps

Jack

Hi all,

We're looking to pick up a couple of amps for the band, and we're leaning toward AERs (we're both using BigTones), but thought I'd ask if anyone had experience with other amps-apart from the Schertlers-they's recommend looking into?

Thanks,
Jack.

Colin Perry

Jack--

I have an acoustic image amp (the two channel combo one with reverb). I think it works great for acoustic guitar and vocals.

--Colin

Josh Hegg

I'm likein' my Schertler. It is a great amp. The best I have used and I like the sound of a bigtone through it much better then an AER. There is a clarity about the Schertler that the AER does not have.


Cheers,
Josh

djadam

Josh Hegg wrote:

I'm likein' my Schertler. It is a great amp. The best I have used and I like the sound of a bigtone through it much better then an AER. There is a clarity about the Schertler that the AER does not have.

I'm sure it varies by instrument, but I think the Compact 60 is clear almost to a fault. I don't think it colors the sound at all.

Josh Hegg

I have used both right next to each other in the same room as a test and the Schertler sounded more natural. The AER is great... Don't get be wrong. Not putting down the AER at all. But when they are right together, one right after the other, the Schertler wins.

Cheers,
Josh

MichaelHorowitz

My basic assessment has been that the AER is a great amp for those who want a relatively simple "plug and play" operation. The AER has less channels, EQ, inputs/outputs, etc then the Schertlers. So it's pretty straightforward and doesn't cause too much option anxiety.

The Schertlers are usually preferred by audiophile types who like a lot of control over their sound. The multiple channels, EQ, Reson cotnrols, etc on the Schertlers allow you to do this. But you have to have a little more knowledge and experience to use these controls.

One nice thing I always noticed about the AERs is that they make peizo pickups like the Bigtone sound really good. They seem to do this with some pretty radical eq that is built into the amp. Which is great as long as you're using a peizo...but the AER seems to have trouble with more natural sources like a mic or the DYN-G pickup.

The Schertler amps seem to be more transparent...really natural with a mic. But has this button called "warm" which essentially emulates the EQ of the AER. SO it can get that nice peizo sound too. It's nice they give you that option. With AER you can't really alter that EQ so it can be a problem sometimes.

'm

viper

So Josh,

Which pickup were you using and which amp (David or Unico) in this comparison?

I've heard that the Schertler amps are great with Schertler pickups but I wonder how they are with other pickups. Anyone care to comment? Specifically, if anyone has experience with the Schatten pickups and both/either the AER C/60 and Schertler David, I'd love to hear.

It sounds like the warm button on the Schertler just emulates that sound of an AER. If you are not using a Scherlter pickup is there any reason to get the Schertler amp?

Thanks,

Jared

PS Can anyone comment about the volume output of the Compact/60 and the David?

Tom Landman

Hi Colin,

What type of speaker cabinet do you use?
I've read that an Acoustic Image amp (Clarus) and a Raezor's edge NY-8 speaker cabinent are an excellent combination. Anybody tried this for gypsy jazz?

- Tom

Colin Perry wrote:

Jack--

I have an acoustic image amp (the two channel combo one with reverb). I think it works great for acoustic guitar and vocals.

--Colin

Josh Hegg

I use the Basik for the most part but have used an Audio Technica AT831B, HotBridge (my hand built version of the Bigtone). They all work well. The AT831B is a hard mic in any amp and is a hard mic to keep from feeding back but does well in the Schertler as it does with the AER as well. The one thing that the Schertler allows is more adjustment capabilities. I find this useful when playing in different size rooms and layouts. When I have needed to play louder the Unico kicked some supper volume and stayed very clean.

Cheers,
Josh

MichaelHorowitz

viper wrote:

It sounds like the warm button on the Schertler just emulates that sound of an AER. If you are not using a Scherlter pickup is there any reason to get the Schertler amp?

The bigtone sounds awesome through a Schertler Unico's Stat channel with the warm button on. I've also heard a K&K through the Unico with very good results as well.

Personally, I'm just crazy about the Schertler Basik pickup now. It's actually a cheaper pick up then the DYN-G (only $150). But it does an awesome job of picking up the "crunch" of Selmers. It seems to work really well at high volumes...especially in noisy bars and outdoors. And doesn't have the brittle, nasal sound that peizos have.

Andreas Oberg used the Basik on all the shows I've done with an he sounded great.

For Example:

Bob Holo

Is that Jon's Hommage?

If the acoustic sound of the guitar has anything to do with the sound that the pickup produces - it should be noted that it's a wonderful guitar - very well balanced and open. It's a Favino sized 14-to-the-body D-hole with a really nice cedar top. It has that cedar warmth and big-body Favino characteristic in its tone, but it also has punch and projection to burn.

And hey, and who is that rhythm guy? He has pretty good form...