A Classical Guitarists Guide To Amplification

In this video I will be talking about multiple amplification options for classical guitarists to use in various situations. Not every option is the best for every situation so when looking into any of these options you want to pick the one that will suit the situation that you need it for the best.
My name is John and I am professional classical guitar performer and instructor. The goal of this channel is to help student of all ages, levels, and interests learn things that they might not learn in your standard “method book” or even while studying guitar. If you like the content I make please consider subscribing or dropping a comment in the video. Thanks!
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON
www.patreon.com/fortheclassicalguitarist
FOLLOW ME ON OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
INSTAGRAM: fortheclassicalguitarist
FACEBOOK: fortheclassicalguitarist
TWITTER: ftcguitarist
#classicalguitar #guitar #guitarlessons
About FTCG:
My name is John Cesar and I am a classical guitarist from New England. If you are reading this thank you so much for checking out my KZbin channel! The goal my trail is to share classical guitar content that I wish existed when I first started learning Classical Guitar. I have been studying Classical Guitar for over 10 years. Anyway check up on my videos if you were interested in learning more about classical guitar!
Product Links
Shure SM-57: www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/shure-sm57-dynamic-instrument-microphone/270102000000000?rNtt=shure%20sm57&index=1
Fishman Loud Box’s
Mini: www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/fishman-loudbox-mini-60w-1x65-acoustic-guitar-combo-amp-with-bluetooth/l50866000001000
Artist: www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/fishman-loudbox-artist-bluetooth/l54561000002000
Performer: www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/fishman-loudbox-performer-180w-bluetooth-acoustic-guitar-combo-amp/l54560000001000
Roland Cube Street EX: www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/roland-cube-street-ex-battery-powered-stereo-guitar-amplifier
QSC CP8: www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/qsc-cp8-8-powered-speaker
LR Baggs Venue DI: www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/lr-baggs-venue-di-acoustic-guitar-direct-box-and-preamp
Godin Multiac Grand Concert Duet Ambience: www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/godin-multiac-grand-concert-duet-ambiance-nylon-string-acoustic-electric-guitar/620258000872000?rNtt=Godin%20grand%20concert%20duet&index=1
Codoba GK Guitars
Studio: www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/cordoba-gk-studio-acoustic-electric-nylon-string-flamenco-guitar/583151000010000?rNtt=Cordoba%20gk%20&index=6
Pro: www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/cordoba-gk-pro-negra-acoustic-electric-guitar/j07421000000000?rNtt=Cordoba%20gk%20&index=1

[@LongTrout]

I would NEVER glue anything to the soundboard of my Classical Guitars. Thanks for the vid. I enjoyed it and watched it until the end. I may watch it a seconded time. It is good info.

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Thanks so much for checking it out ! And I am glad that you found it helpful!

[@janwilkendorf]

Great information! Thanks :)

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Thank you for your comment! Glad it helped

[@MJ-pv6ks]

Love it, keep up the good work. Can you make a tutorial about practising and memorizing a piece from start to performance ready. Your approach perhaps.

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Mohamed Almujtaba Thats a great idea! More videos coming soon!

[@MJ-pv6ks]

@@ForTheClassicalGuitarist cool, waiting for it.

[@Lunarte.]

Nice video. One question, Would You always need a preamp? I've installed a LrBaggs Element transducer in my nylon acoustic guitar and sounds good, but It does not have the same sustain as the unplugged sound, that's a really bad point if You use the guitar to play Picado technique, I had a couple of gigs few days ago and the sound of my guitar was terrible while playing Picado lines... I tried playing my guitar plugged in an amp wich has gain and compressor, the compressor gave it a better sound but I'm still dissatisfied. Any advice please

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

It all depends on the kind of pick up. I looked up the one you mentioned and it seems that is only for acoustic steel string? That might be part of the issue... unless you have one that is meany specifically for nylon. And preamp certainly helps because you boost the signal BEFORE it hits the amps input. No pick up is going to have the same sustain as it unplugged. Because most of them pick up the vibration from that one specific section of the guitar. Id recommend a better pick up or getting a nice preamp, such as the LR Baggs I mentioned to get a better and better EQ’d sound!

[@knotpye4214]

Another option might be a ToneWoodAmp. They have a nylon version but i dont know how loud it is without wireless connection to a speaker but it does add effects even without being plugged in!

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Knotpye I have heard of those! I personally haven’t ever tried them but I can’t image they would be that loud in a noisy setting? But may be I am wrong. I would love to try one one day!

[@crazyFrankyy]

Thank you for video! Question, in real situation(for example i play live music with many sound and want to use classic guitar with dynamic microphone) it's no problem when you play on stage with massive main sound and monitros on stage, what about feedback?

[@johnpower2018]

I am going to try the Hendricksen Bud 6. The dimensions are more to my liking 9x9. The AER compact 60 (which is the one I am guessing you are referring to) is 17x14x13. Way too big for me.

[@arthurkluver]

I played a 100 seats restaurant for twelve years.discovered the fishman aura,schertler David amp and a flat Alhambra guitar.people came to compliment me,thought they heard a cd…that tells everything!

[@MrDogonjon]

I tried the Fishman Aura the modeling was sad providing enough latency I may as well have a digital delay instead.

[@tommygunrunner4656]

Excellent video

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hey Tommy, Thank you so much for your comment!

[@andrewcleggguitar]

Great video - very happily subscribed

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hey Andrew, thank you so much and thank you for the support!

[@paulysguitarjournal]

L.R. Baggs has an Active DI pedal for “acoustic” instruments. Also, I like my Marshall AS50D. You could get a Marshall AS100D and it will cover a large room easy.

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Yes! Those are great!

[@OfficalMcM]

What do you think of the Cordoba C7CE instead of the Studio? From what I've heard it sounds slightly better. Thinking of getting one of them.

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

OfficalMcM The Cordoba guitars are great guitars for the price! I personally would always got for the standard one with no electronics but thats totally up to what you find most comfortable and what style of music you are going to use it for!

[@OfficalMcM]

@@ForTheClassicalGuitarist Both of them are with electronics though, I was wondering if you know about any significant differences between the two

[@naifm4733]

Thanks for the video . Could you please tell me how to set my amp ( Champion 40 by fender ) for classical guitar ? I wanna get the sound that Guitarists play

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hi Naif, I would personally not recommend to use an electric guitar amp for classical guitar. I would more likely suggest amp by fishman, roland, or yamaha. also it totally depends on what kind of pick up system you have as each one may need different EQ settings. What kind of pick up system are you using?

[@Bflatest]

you can also get a digital floor unit/pedal that has IR files loaded of your type guitar playing in a studio on 10k mic. this IS the second best option period.

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hmmm i will have to try it out! Sometimes playing on a guitar we are more used to is helpful though depending on what you are playing

[@mihaidinca2062]

Nice video, instead of cordoba studio etc, what do you say about alhambra ?

[@daliborrajacic8445]

Great videoi! What DI box would you recommend for Godin Nylon string guitar? Thank you.

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Thanks so much! And those are very good and can sound great. I could just never get used to the thin body haha

[@maicimyoshiki9715]

very nice video😉👍✨

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Maicim YOSHIKI Thank you!

[@GitarrenTobi]

I came for your memes but stayed for the content. Hope, you rise to the big musician KZbinrs :)

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Gitarren Tobi Thank you again so much! That inspires me to make more videos!

[@GitarrenTobi]

@@ForTheClassicalGuitarist you're doing a great job. Good to listen to and funny memes in-between :D

[@Casiyounadatube]

I think the guitars you recommend have crossover necks (1"7/8 or 48mm) Yamaha has the NCX line with true classical guitar necks or the NTX line with crossover necks. I enjoy your videos. 😀👍

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hey! The cordoba does slightly but it is very close. The Godin has a standard classical guitar neck

[@Casiyounadatube]

@@ForTheClassicalGuitarist Almost, they don't have a flat fretboard, it has a 24" radius. 😀

[@sujeth3909]

Sir can you suggest some good classical guitars for buying? It will really help me now. Thank you in advance!

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hi Sujeth, I apologize for the late reply! Cordoba anything in the C5,C7 or C10 is great! If you are looking into a better guitar I would recommend to look into Alvarez or Kenny Hill!

[@johnpower2018]

I have the Godin Multiac Nylon Deluxe and have been playing it through a Bose S1 Pro Plus and I am just not happy with the tone I am getting. I am willing to buy a seperate amplifier for it but I do not need one loaded with features I will never use. Reverb is nice though. Money is not really an issue. Any suggestions?

[@arnieg65]

I highly recommend the Fishman Loudbox Mini, it's 60 watts of loud power and has the basic stuff you need, including a second channel for a mic. Sweetwater sells them new for around $375 or less if you ask for a discount. It's also not heavy to carry... If you want top of the line and money is no issue; AER is the way to go!

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

yea i highly second the loudbox mini! Great amp and great price point

[@aureliomartinez2633]

Question I have been looking Takamine nylon guitar what you think about them

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

hope you find your guitar for you! But the takamine guitars are great guitars for the money! They play well and sound good and for that price point what more can you ask for haha!

[@scherzo0o]

Nice video! One question: up to no I've played nylon strings with, occasionally, purely acoustic amplification (mike and mixer into loudspeakers - provided by the venue where I played). Easy stuff, don't think big... accompanying vocals in folk, choir, carols etc. Now I've got a new nylon string guitar (piezo and built-in Fishman preamp with battery). I also want to buy an amp and an electric guitar and start learning electric guitar. Could I use the amp of the electric guitar also to amplify the nylon string guitar? I'm having in mind Roland JC-20 or Blackstar ID 40 V3. I'm not expecting the best sound for nylon strings, but just to work decently.

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hey I apologize for the late reply! I would not suggest using the electric guitar amp to amplify a nylon as they have different frequencies and you might damage the speaker using a nylon on an electric guitar amp since it isn’t meant to handle that

[@halilkeserguitar]

an interface reccommandation for recording ?

[@diegurke1482]

How do I properly clean the fingerboard on my classical guitar? It is slowly starting to get gross haha

[@GitarrenTobi]

I clean it everytime I change the strings (which isn't that often :D). I use a lemon oil cleaner by D'Andrea and a microfiber cloth

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Chris Richardson I was going to answer but this comment gives so much! I was going to recommend most of what is on here but the tooth brush thing I didn’t think of! Totally got to steel that one!

[@goshu7009]

Use thin napkin (those for Monitors or glass) and go under the strings stretching it. I do clean my board every few days. Dust and not clean hands mixed with dead skin is indeed GROSS

[@richardcprovost]

John You've got some good suggestions but you leave much out. First off, If you're are referring only to gigs then an amplified classic guitar like a Takemi run through the Roland Street EX is an excellent option. This can also work in some classical settings particularly with orchestra or string quartet. I agree with you that the mic option is the best. The mic that I used for years with no feedback issues was the Biers dynamic mic. It retails for around $300. Amps that also should be considered are the Yahama MS 100 which is a studio monitor and the Bose system has an excellent system that is a little large but gives you great acoustic flexibility. I have used the Fishman and found it overpriced and more suited to finger style playing rather a true classical guitar sound.

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Richard Provost Yes I realized I didn’t specify each use for each way. Normally for gigs I run my cordoba into the cube street EX with no preamp. I actually went from using a different speaker to using the Cube Street based EX on a recommendation you gave once in studio class. Yes there are way better mics then the shure mic and that might be another great video idea. Good mics for classical guitar since again that is something I don’t see anyone talking about here on youtube at least not to the popularity that of good mics for singing or podcasting. I personally have never used the Yamaha MS100 so I didn’t feel as though I was in the right place to recommend it. Although I have heard it in a live setting a few times and thought it sound good. In my opinion yes the fishmen is overpriced (all of them) but people seem to like them and sound wise they do offer something different then the cube street EX or the a studio monitor/speaker. Which gives people options. Thank you for your comment!

[@richcovers2994]

Question: for street shows what's the best method of amplification for a pure classical guitar?By the way Your channel is really underrated I loved the video

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hi Rich! Thank you so much for your kind words. For street shows I would say an electric nylon with a pick up/mic blend would be the best for the easiest as well. However the real purest sound would just be micing your guitar with a mic on a mic stand!

[@StephanieSante]

@@ForTheClassicalGuitarist Barbera pickup.

[@ernestorallon]

Great information, thank you! What is your opinion on clip-on microphones like the Audio-Technica PRO 35 Cardioid or the DPA 4099? Something like the one seen here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYiZfZKiidd8fMk

[@igorperic5232]

Hey :) have you heard for Carlos vip pickups?

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Hi Igor, Thanks for your comment. No I have not sadly. If you know a good place to check them out let me know please!

[@igorperic5232]

@@ForTheClassicalGuitarist kzbin.info/www/bejne/on6meGCOps2dgqc I have heard even in my country Croatia that these are the best of the best acoustic pickups. Jaguar, Ferrari of pickups.. and the price tag confirms that..

[@StephanieSante]

Barbera are the best.

[@lucasjuliancarballeira6392]

BRO ID NEVER SEEN THAT PHOTO OF SEGOVIA WITH A DOUBLE FULL STACK AND FUCKING DIED

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

he went hard in live shows

[@piedpeter1]

What about sound hole pickups?

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

They dont make them for classical guitar since the strings aren’t metal

[@madiem4912]

AER amplifiers are far superior than those you recommended, yes a little more expensive, but if your spending thousands on a great guitar, spend the money on a superior acoustic amp

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

I’ve heard of them before but never got to try one! But I have heard good things!

[@louiscyfer6944]

​@@ForTheClassicalGuitaristthe acus cremona or one for strings is even better than the aer.

[@MrDogonjon]

For every decibel you increase the volume of classical guitar you increase the midrange feedback =400hz by a factor of 10. Getting above the level of the average conversation require scooping mids to the point there is no mid sound and classical guitar is only mids =400hz= the 4 inch sound hole. Then if there is another instrument in the room the guitar will resonate that sound amplifying it through your system effectively drowning yourself out with your own amp. Same with microphones. Piezo sound awful requiring so much EQ you need 2 or 3 stages of 32 band EQ to eliminate the horrible quacking and woofing feedback. You can go the solid body route, Gibson Chet Atkins or Godin Multiac (I have the grand concert and the neck is not a standard CG dimension... the fretboard is radiused and the back of the neck is flat, not radiused... poor playability) are not great playable instruments with a sound you will never fall in love with. Still no great options everything is a compromise losing tone and playability just to be heard over a quiet conversation in a wine bar..

[@ForTheClassicalGuitarist]

Yea there is no perfect option! Awesome input! Thank you!