Acoustic Guitar Into Electric Amp with Pedals: Distortion, Delay & More

[@godlaydying]

I used to get a distortion-like effect by putting a piece of paper under the fretboard.

[@Stringjoy]

I love that trick! That's an old Johnny Cash thing.

[@bink5242]

Instructions unclear no more guitar

[@fgonzalez90]

That's because the paper acts as a reed. In fact, distortion can be described as a "virtual reed" effect, to the extent that early fuzzboxes like the Maestro Fuzz Tone were conceived, marketed and widely used as "reed simulators".

[@godlaydying]

@@egierzal2184 Basically the strings hit the paper, creating a distortion-like buzzing.

[@Bigcornbread]

Johnny Cash did it first with a dollar bill

[@flatfingertuning727]

Adding distortion to an acoustic guitar will make feedback problems worse, since distortion generally increases gain at low amplitudes (when feedback is most noticeable) and decreases it at higher amplitudes.

[@danachurch3492]

I would like to try the third string like that

[@trudybergen3510]

Today I plugged my new Norman into my amp and experienced ear shattering feedback because the guitar was in front of the amplifier and the master volume was maxed out.

[@boshi9]

I’ve accidentally plugged in my acoustic into an electric guitar amp once and went nearly deaf from horribly loud high pitched feedback. I swear my ears were ringing for days. I’ve been scared to try again ever since.

[@jpwaterman5104]

Cool

[@kanrup5199]

RIP

[@gregorywilson3318]

☯️

[@hiptoalieu]

BEST overdrive for acoustic, Soul Food by EHX, super warm, creamy nice saturation, and cleans up impeccably! Modulation, Vibe Viscous,by TC Electronic univibe is great for acoustics because it sounds much less sterile than a typical digital chorus, plus you get atone print providing a LOT of tweak ability, and tremolo and reverb, Holy Grail!

[@petersage5157]

What we now call "electric guitar amplifiers" were originally designed as general purpose amplifiers. It's simply a quirk of the available technology at the time (primarily PA speakers and choobs) that they happen to sound decent when overdriven with the electric guitars that were available. Acoustic guitars amplified with anything other than a microphone were unheard of, and designing circuits to deliberately distort the tone wasn't a thing until Rock 'N Roll became mainstream. That said, I do enjoy the sound of a dreadnought through a slightly dirty valve amp or some light diode clipping.

[@Stringjoy]

You're absolutely correct!

[@sesa2984]

I used to put a rolled up bill on my bridge humbucker to mute my first guitar Samick hss student strat. So funny how we all came to these things on our own.❤

[@marcinjulius]

I usually use my acoustic guitar with two amps. With dedicated acoustic amp and a regular low gain tube amp in stereo or just feeding the tube amp from the line out of the acoustic amp. Both solutions give a very nice, full sound with the advantages of both amps, worth to try it. Anyway, bass amps are also really good for acoustic instruments, especially for high stage volume. I wish to have a good amp that does everything, but that`s way above my budget now... So my setup is a small Vox acoustic amp plus a cheap Laney Cub 10, really does the job with my Seagull

[@frankierestituto3290]

Thats what i do too, too much hassle and gears. thats why i want to know accoustic and EG plugged simultaneously to electric amp

[@hossak88]

Ibanez TCM50...big, fat, soundhole magnet / 2 band EQ+volume. 8-38 D'A NYXL (Stringjoys next...already got 'em). Sounds awesome amped and pedaled, but this is basically an electric guitar in acoustic clothing. Pretty cheap and plays great...love the neck. Really nice acoustic tone w/volume backed off a little...boost the V and stand back.

[@devkathuria2842]

Acoustic can give a decent crunch sound, and songs like 'smells like teen spirit' doesn't really sound that bad.

[@unclebigkid1020]

I played this way and just used a delay echo effect using a black star I’d core 2 and a Lind acoustic guitar.

[@goktug5976]

Im thinking of buying it does it sound like electric guitar?

[@unclebigkid1020]

Shoto the amp has lots of fx on it since it’s a tube amp it can sound like pretty much any guitar 😀

[@exohead1]

I really like the Boss Katana amps specifically because I play both acoustic and electric and the Katana handles both great. I also keep my amps clean almost as a rule. Though not always sparkling clean/sterile, just, clean with a little natural dirt from the amp circuitry at most. If I wanna add dirt to it I use a pedal :P

[@mightiert5883]

I highly relate, I have 50mk2 and it’s great, starting to want to upgrade as my cousin has a 100mk1 and it’s amazing. His pedal board is crazy

[@brucemorris3830]

I’ve done this so many times over the years. You can get great sounds with an AE into an electric guitar amp. BUT. Before you ever plug in. ZERO YOUR VOLUME, on both the guitar and the amp. Honestly as a sound guy this was the biggest thing for me, zero out the output volume on anything before you plug it in to a hot channel... If you have the guitar set like you’re gonna run it into a regular mixer, like volume at 7 or 8? And you also have the amp set like you’re plugging in a regular Strat? It will instantly shriek. Dogs in the next town over will be cowering under the table. 😂😂😂 Don’t forget acoustic electric guitars put out an active, pre-amplified signal, not just the tiny voltage coming off of passive electric guitar pickups. Start dead low, SLOWLY turn up til it sounds good, and you’ll be amazed that all your gain & volume controls are on like 2 but you’re getting this fat crunch sound

[@Peaceful_Days]

Piezzo pickups are very bright. I found out tube screamer type overdrive pedals work well with acoustic guitars because they cut those high piercing frequencies. It doesn't sound like an acoustic guitar though, but it sounds quite good with low or medium gain.

[@emmanuelalfredomendoza7365]

You could actually get a pretty sick slide guitar tone if you put an acoustic through overdrive, but not too much overdrive

[@edwincancelii2917]

This sounds awesome.

[@Mauitaoist]

Just add a switchable Tweeter with an L-pad to your guitar amp and a dedicated EQ pedal for the acoustic

[@seanh3479]

Sick video lol. Thanks for uploading!

[@jacklandismusic]

I do this less with physical amps, and more with amp simulators. I’m a recording musician, so this tends to be more convenient than micing an amp anyway. My main instrument is mandolin, and I’ve only recently got my own guitar and stopped using my dad’s. It’s a cheap acoustic/electric. I’m in college and have essentially no money, so it’s the best I can get. And honestly, it works great with amp simulators. While you can’t do most of the fancier hard rock/metal tricks you could with an electric guitar, it works just fine for some simple blues distortion. And the added bonus of using amp sims on a computer is that there’s no feedback. So if you’re in a situation like mine where the best you can get is an acoustic, it’s really better than nothing if you learn how to get a good electric sound out of it.

[@isaacadkins1282]

Jack Landis what is the best one to use thru a computer and or iPad I’ve been wanting to give it a try.

[@t.k.mcneil1186]

Used and n acoustic guitar with a sound-hole pickup run through an electric guitar amp with a tremolo pedal and it sounded amazing.

[@Stringjoy]

I bet it did!

[@Whatserface3]

T.K. McNeil you know what? I’m gonna do that. I’m gonna try it. Thank you for suggesting.

[@newtdexistion6183]

I think distortion can work with at least the right preamp settings

[@loveworksnoevil]

Wonder how this would work with a mini vox 2 headphone amp

[@raymondleggs5508]

So basically it sounds the same as a hollowbody electric?

[@geneciccone4196]

Be nice if you told us what paddles you were using !

[@rajatjoshi4271]

hi! bought a semi electric acoustic guitar (cort sfx me op) what type of amplifier or other equipment shall i buy for the better electric feel ??

[@jimevans6475]

Hello. Any ideas about how to get the Irish Ulliane Pipes sound on an Acoustic-Electric or an Electric guitar? Thanks.

[@bluzikmusic]

I had one of those Fender acoustics. It was junk and got rid of it asap!

[@ShaighJosephson]

Using an acoustic electrics without a center sound hole like some Ovation guitars does much better with feedback...

[@xclsaga]

I've run my Taylor 110e dreadnought acoustic through both a bass amp and an electric guitar one, and both sounded awful due to the piezo mics picking up tons of harsh onset string noise from picking or plucking the strings. I've also had this issue on acoustic amps prior to my Fender Acoustasonic. The compressed sound you demo'ed is close to what I got. I don't hear too much of this harshness in the tone you're getting here, but I reckon having the amp on low output and running the sound through a PA helps, whereas I had to count on my amp for volume, thus making the noise even more noticeable.

[@legionariuscenturio2601]

acoustic with a chorus sounds so good! and with fuzz, uhhh, so tasty!

[@Peaceful_Days]

Well, there's sound hole plugs for acoustic guitars to eliminate feedback.

[@Stringjoy]

Indeed! If you were doing this all the time, that would be a good thing to get your hands on

[@GrumpyTy34er]

Scott: *Uses delay and reverb pedals on acoustic guitar* Rob Scallon, going to a handball court and getting a few friends to get delay and reverb manually: "And I took that personally."

[@peterhaynes8258]

This video has answered one question, can you put an acoustic guitar through an effects pedal ? YES.

[@trudybergen3510]

The American version of that guitar is very good. I had a hard time deciding to get that or the Norman. Ended up with the Norman though.

[@Vigyyy]

Can i use an interface and make those sounds??

[@Meatrockman]

damn... He uses an Green Vodka fuzz pedal! I'm so glad to see that, and it's not very often I see these pedals at all. at least not were i come from. I have had my Green vodka since 2016, and it's a badass pedal for sure.

[@1974xaviers]

Thanks for your information 👍

[@lancelovecraft5913]

I'm just looking for a cheap acoustic guitar I can play outside during a nice spring day. My friend keeps telling me to get electric acoustic so I can put effects on it at home. But I already have an electric so idk what's the point. I'm trying to see if there is a something an electric acoustic can do that an electric cant in regards to effect pedals

[@iarreolav]

A certain vibe

[@nicholasaguilera8366]

Definitely like the delay sound

[@guitaristssuck8979]

Meta-advice: use an acoustic simulator pedal 😛

[@frankierestituto3290]

i want to know how to plug in accoustic and EG simultaneously to nuX electric amp. i wld apprciate it, any1 please?

[@bdj1955]

Is that an ashthorpe?

[@Joseph_k_1]

I don’t see a cable on the guitar. Is the guitar an acoustic/ electric?

[@whothethunk]

Sounds like sex bob ombs sound (From scott pilgrim)

[@troythemakyr]

its because the stephen stills (lead guitarist) uses an acoustic electric with a distortion pedal

[@SpringySpring04]

how do you do vibrato/pitch bending on an acoustic guitar?

[@Stringjoy]

With your fingers

[@SpringySpring04]

@@Stringjoy that was... extremely vague. but thanks anyway XD!! so im like a HUGE beginner at the guitar, i dont even know how to play bass and treble at it, i do know how the pitches work and everything, but i would really like an accurate tutorial on pitch bending and vibrato, because i actually ONLY have an acoustic guitar, i dont have an amp or any wires, so uh... yeah...

[@Stringjoy]

No worries, I thought you were being sarcastic (it is KZbin after all). You create vibrato on an acoustic by bending the string up and back down very slightly.

[@SpringySpring04]

@@Stringjoy okay... thanks! i was just wondering if there was, like, a way to... do pitch-bending on an acoustic without like turning the dials and no amps since i sadly dont have any XD but thanks anyway i aprecciate it! :3

[@graphics_dev5918]

@@SpringySpring04 You don't do pitch bending on an electric any differently. Some electrics with a floating bridge (like most strats) will also have a tremolo bar built in, but you still bend the strings the same way with your fingers in general.

[@cupcakes4100]

Whats a feedback on a guitar?

[@tbwbdnndsbsbsb5079]

does somebody know why i connected my acoustic guitar to my electric amp and it did a super loud feedback sound, my amp was at the lowest volume it could be and my ears rang for an hour

[@brucemorris3830]

Did you zero out your volume knob on the guitar itself? You should basically always do that no matter what you’re plugging into

[@loveworksnoevil]

Heard you should not point hole in acoustic at amp

[@jwei444]

What's the song you played to show off that first delay effect

[@Stringjoy]

Just a riff I came up with on the spot!

[@bipultamang7061]

@@Stringjoy dat was a good one 🔥

[@francescospennacchioli9234]

Name of the frist song played?

[@hazelnut5535]

Is it charge byl I am thinking to buy it plz someone help me

[@theoriginalbrianguillen235]

I have that same acoustic guitar

[@hhectorlector]

Nobody: Stringjoy: let’s find out how this acoustic guitar sounds through a fuzz pedal!!

[@yungstreams4175]

4:44

[@smix9098]

hmmm maybe i should do that? but need mor fret

[@3ric3acon]

I use this guitar with a Big Muff Pi into a Super Reverb.

[@craighalvorson77]

Now if only Jimi Hendrix were alive today...

[@mohammadaouwal182]

What is the model of this guitar?

[@Stringjoy]

That's a Fender FA-135CE

[@jimcamp2423]

Meh, Cleans & time pedals will work, but it's still not an Acus One or the ENGL A101 for an acoustic amp. The issue with the guitar amp is that tubes color the tone of the instrument. Acoutic amps have stereo like speakers with a woofer & tweeter, the speaker in a cabinet is generally a woofer, no tweeter. I use a Pyle open back and that by it's very nature is mids & highs, with the bass as looser and the open back fills the room with an ambient & natural dispersion. So with tubes coloring the tone like it does, the sound from a higher end Martin or Taylor isn't truly the instrument. I use an Applause/Ovation super shallow, so that by it's very nature doesn't sound like a Martin or Taylor dreadnought class acoustic. The whole point of acoustic is to retain as much of the guitars exact voice as possible. So solid state is where acoustic amps are best designed around. I think the Pyle is a nice neutral clean channel and that's why I haven't outright pursued an acoustic amp, that and the round back SS Lyrichord composite bowl of an Applause that is a distinctively unique voice for an instrument. Ovation being the Rock acoustic, it's like a deeper bowl version of a semi-hollow electric like the Gretsch product line. Still the feedback issue persists even with a shallower bowl. And that's where a true acoustic amp has a feedback cancelling/reduction feature is better. End of the day, if you can live with turning your acoustic's tone into a more electric guitar then you can use the eg amp with an acoustic. Just watch the videos for Acus One for Strings & ENGL's A101 and you can see $ 1K acoustic amps at their finest. But for the rest of us, the acoustic amps around $ 200-400 is what you're going to see as more practically affordable. The clean on a VHT Redline Micro 6 pedal amp sounds pretty nice as well. With gigging though ? There's a reason those other acoustic amps have mega solid state wattage in comparison, more like home stereo systems do. Some of the Acus are 200-350 solid state watts. I think Fender still has an acoustasonic or two and a review I watched comparing it to a Fishman. Fender's approach is amping the acoustic guitar like an electric guitar and that reviewer was disappointed with the Fender acoustasonic amp in comparison to the Fishman. I think the Acoustasonics were when Fender Music Corp bought out Kaman Music (Ovation) back when the Bush prosperity ruined life for Americans. That recession drove Kaman under & sold to Fender. Fender actually tried to make composite bowls that wood purist snubbed their noses at. I happen to prefer the Ovation design & materials. You won't find a more solid guitar than the Applause & Celebrity Ovations at that price point of sub $ 300-500.

[@O_Towne_Bear]

Didn't try a Wah. Dude...DUDE!

[@Peaceful_Days]

I like fuzz, actually.

[@jayashpande5432]

Awesome

[@radunegut2532]

Hello,where you using quitar??

[@hazstaa858]

can i do this without pedals?im using behringer interface

[@leodanryan966]

I'm just wondering why you would even buy a Fender made in China guitar for $140 when you can get the same made in China guitar with a different name on the headstock for well under $50? You can get a guitar like that one for under $35.

[@trudybergen3510]

Or an American fender which costs only about $350 CA and sounds super good.

[@ryanseanmusicandlove]

2 words..cam cole. Thats all :)

[@sapidraw6948]

Thanks for sharing, i do.. playing acoustic guitar with effect pedal `\||/

[@ciaindeed8657]

Distorted tone sounded like a Fuzzbox than the actual Fuzzbox.

[@NoahLavineASP]

Can you?... Yes. Should you?... Probably. Will you?... Hopefully! Rock on!

[@gritsguitar]

Yep....now we know....is it too late to return the Fender? lol

[@hethrham123]

Drop D!Drop D! Djent?

[@Stringjoy]

We definitely need to make this acoustic djent for another video!

[@chromaticswing9199]

Do it!

[@davidg1612]

@@Stringjoy I second this idea...or is it third? Lol!

[@Paul-dw2cl]

Good experiment; sounds pretty atrocious, but it could have an application

[@rockngpa5094]

You can use a big amp with pedals temporary BUT don’t play like that for hours or even days because the guitar will break electronically . That’s why electric acoustic has their own amps. Pedals should be fine thru acoustic amps. I say get a heavy metal guitar and play it hard on a acoustic amp and see what happens then ...

[@redouanRh]

I don't have money for an amp😭

[@loveworksnoevil]

Vox 2 mini portable, headphone speaker wire to speakrers

[@ndkcisnnsmckism8598]

BRO JUST PLAY THE GOD DAMN GUITAR

[@sudiptoborun]

You talk too much -_-

[@sudiptoborun]

+stringjoy I didn't mean to hurt you. Actually i was thinking that if you show examples by playing guitar it is easy to understand , sometimes words can't explain that much. Sorry if you mind. :-(

[@Stringjoy]

We do show examples by playing guitar.

[@hawkeyestone2122]

yea man, the video says "Acoustic Guitar Into Electric Amp with Pedals" not... " Kinda Old fret, with some scratch on the edges Acoustic Guitar Into kinda something Electric Amp that is not what you thought with Pedals."

[@davidg1612]

Cracks me up when people say dumb shit like that. It's a VIDEO! That's what they're for....TALKING! What is he supposed to do? Just play with no explanation of what he's doing?

[@RB-hj9iq]

So we are not going to ask how tf is.....STRINGJOY.......STRING.JOY....going to mention the string being no good....🧐

[@shivsays24]

Again... Fender for a reason..

[@loverforever4473]

Damn you talk too much, we want to apply, not words, we want to try the guitar in all situations

[@aiden_zae]

Wow talk and talk and talk...... So much talking....

[@ricstormwolf]

But you can just buy an electric guitar. Why buy an acoustic?

[@alexis-nl6pc]

Rev Wolf for many reasons. The sound is totally different from an electric and is the main reason as why someone would purchase one. Acoustic simulator pedals aren’t really nailing the tone of a real acoustic. Acoustic guitars came before electrics and were and still are the sound of many genres such as bluegrass, old timey blues, country, folk, and a whole bunch more. Now, acoustic electrics help get that acoustic tone into a large live setting. If you’re playing at a small open mic at your local cafe, a simple acoustic is fine. However, if you’ve got a gig at a pretty jiving bar, an acoustic electric will help you be heard. The onboard electronics allow you to plug into an amp and move around and not be restricted to one spot due to mic placement. Lastly, you can’t do things like this every easily if you don’t have an acoustic electric.

[@hossak88]

Makes it easier to sneak up on the Hipsters...

[@jacklandismusic]

Acoustic guitars serve their own purpose too, first of all. I’m a folk musician, so I bought an acoustic for my acoustic music. Secondly, acoustic guitars tend to be a lot less expensive than electric guitars. I literally paid less than $100 for my acoustic, and it’s a functioning instrument with a pickup on it. I’m not going to buy a whole separate guitar just so I can add distortion to some blues riffs. I can do that just fine with my acoustic, and it was cheap as hell.

[@nomandad2000]

I’d you’re into looping, allowing for an electric guitar sound to layer in is great

[@earthianfriendly5708]

The best tool to kill young artists....... kNow your skills.