Tube vs SS for acoustics

[WeaserP]

Question for the population at large...I know that tube amps are and probably always have been (or at least since the advent of solid state anyway) preferred among electric players for their tone, warmth, etc. Is that the same for acoustic players? Does the tube bring on the same, or at least better (if you can quantify "better"), response if you're playing acoustically or does playing acoustically really lessen the effect somehow? Seems like most of the current acoustic amps are SS unless I'm misreading them. If you're looking for a good acoustic guitar players amp, do you still look for a tube amp? And, if so, which one? Inquiring minds need to know...

[Enzo]

Maybe not the answer you want, but...

The electric guitar amp is really part of the instrument, part of the sound. That is why guys say they play MArshall or a Fender. The guitar amp is designed to be a primary producer of sound, not a reproducer. It is not meant to be transparent or accurate. it is supposed to add its own character to the sound.

Acoustic guitars have their own sound, and as a rule, players expect that sound to just be accurately amplified and reproduced louder than the original but sounding the same. The "Acoustic amp" is essentailly a little PA system.

A large portion of electric guitar players prefer the tube sound and tube dynamics, but in PA systems, solid state circuits do a darn good job. SO acoustic amps tend to be solid state.

Now there will be gray areas. An acounstic amp will probably have effects, often digital effects. And some may even have overdrive capability for someone wanting it. And while not ever flat, some tube amps on the clean channel sound pretty good amplifying an acoustic guitar.

But regardless of what you play, THE most important factor is not tube or solid state, it is what the amp sounds like TO YOUR EARS. Doesn;t matter what anyone else prefers. You are pleasing you - or at least trying to. Maybe you LIKE the sound of a Fender Hot Rod DeVille for your acoustic. Maybe you don't, and a Fender Acoustasonic model suits you better. And not to settle only on Fender, most of the major brands produce acoustic amps. Try as many as you can.

[Steve Conner]

That's true, but there is one other thing. Acoustic guitars are susceptible to feedback, and a guitar amp speaker with a raggedy frequency response will probably just make it worse.

You can probably get louder before feedback with the PA-style drivers that they put in acoustic amps, which are designed for a smooth response, hence would sound somewhat flat and dull on electric guitar. Again though, this is a grey area, since some PA drivers were popular for guitar, like the JBL D120, EVM12L, and so on. Silver domed JBLs would probably sound pretty sweet on acoustic guitar.

Also, acoustic amps often have tweeters. They add a nice sparkle to clean acoustic, but you wouldn't ever find a tweeter on a tube guitar amp: when cranked it would sound dreadful and burn out after about 5 minutes.

[mac1amps]

The tweeter factor alone is what makes most "acoustic" amps more preferred for acoustic players. Also another important factor is that the "acoustic" amps usually have on-board compression/expansion facilities, and/or "notch" filters, which are very worthwhile for an acoustic instrument.