Review: Orange Acoustic Pre Preamp/DI Offers Great Tube Sound and More for Acoustic Guitarists
The Acoustic Pre delivers tone in spades without compromise
Doug Young
Doug Young is a fingerstyle instrumental guitarist, writer, and recording engineer. He is the author of Acoustic Guitar Amplification Essentials.
Review: L.R. Baggs Align Series Pedals Are Sonically Focused for Acoustic Guitar Pickups
All pedals in the series mesh well together; they can be used independently and also easily integrated with an existing setup.
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Review: Audio Sprockets ToneDexter Preamp/DI Gives the Sound of a Mic with Convenience of a Pickup
The ToneDexter learns how your guitar sounds through both a microphone and a pickup, and uses this information to produce a snapshot of your tone.
Review: Fishman’s New SA Performance Audio System (SA330x, SA Sub, SA Expand) Adds Power and Flexibility
Fishman raises the bar and lowers the weight with this flexible component system
Review: Boss Acoustic Singer Pro is Made For the Gigging Singer-Songwriter
This amp packs a lot of power into a small package.
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Video Review: Trance Amulet M Phantom Pickup System Eliminates the Need for a Battery in Your Guitar
This pickup system has a built-in preamp that runs off phantom power, completely eliminating the need for an onboard battery
Everything You Need to Know About Microphone Phantom Power
Most of the time, phantom power just does its job silently, but a bit of knowledge can help when things go wrong or when choosing the gear with which you work.
Gear Review: The Grace ALiX Preamp/EQ/DI Is a Robust, Stage-Ready Package
This device is rugged, relatively compact, and boasts high-quality audio.
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Review: iSolo Guitar Pickup Combines Sound of a Real Mic with Wireless Mobility
This unit combines the sound quality of a real microphone with the total mobility of a wireless system.
Review: The Fishman Loudbox Artist is a Powerful, Portable, Flexible Acoustic Amp
This 25-pound amp delivers plenty of clean sound and volume, with a compelling array of features
Review: TC Electronic’s BodyRez Pedal is an Acoustic Pickup Enhancer
This pedal allows you to restore much of what gets lost in the amplification process by twisting a single knob.
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Review: Yamaha THR5A Amp is an Offstage Amp with Impressive Tone and Effects
With battery or external power options, powerful software effects, and a small footprint, this amp has a lot of potential for home practice sessions, in the studio, or even for a house concert or quiet gig.
Review: L.R. Baggs Anthem Combines Mic and Undersaddle Pickup with Internal Crossover
In this system, the microphone is the primary sound source for frequencies above 250 Hz while the Element undersaddle pickup handles the rest.
Review: L.R. Baggs Venue DI Might Just Be the Only Thing You Need Between Your Guitar and the Sound System
The Venue combines a direct box (DI) with a powerful EQ, tuner, a volume-boost button, and a transformer–coupled output to eliminate ground loop buzz.
Review: Zoom A3 is a Do-It-All Pedal
The unit seemingly provides everything you would ever need, but only if you can figure out which of the 14 knobs to push to operate it.
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Review: Hill Guitar Co. New World Player Series Fingerstyle-C
The Hill Fingerstyle-C delivers the full-bodied tone one expects from a classical guitar, with a warm resonant midrange.
Review: Córdoba GK Pro is a Hybrid Nylon-String Designed for Flamenco, with Plenty of Versatility
The GK Pro is an upgrade of Córdoba’s popular GK Studio Gipsy Kings Signature Model
Review: Takamine P3FCN is a Nylon-String Hybrid with a Decidedly Modern Feel and Onboard Electronics
This guitar sounds as handsome as it looks and plays virtually effortlessly
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Video Instruction Series: 7 Lessons on Recording at Home
Doug Young demonstrates how to set up your own home studio and how to use your gear to make recordings that sound great.
Tips on Recording Acoustic Guitar with Pickups
Most people find that microphones capture the sound of their guitar more realistically than pickups, but pickups can be effective in some recording situations.
Video Instruction Series: Mix, Master, and Publish Your Recording
Once you have completed a track, you’re ready to mix and get it ready for release.
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Video Instruction Series: Tracking and Editing in the Home Studio
It takes experience to find the right balance between obsessively fixing every little thing and letting small issues go.
Video Instruction Series: How to Set Recording Levels
Learn to check that levels are balanced between channels and how to speed up the process of setting up mics.
Video Instruction Series: Prepare Your Room for Recording
Carving out a dedicated space for recording, even if it’s the corner of a bedroom, allows you to start recording more quickly when inspiration strikes.
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How to Get Started on Your Home Recording
Today, modest-priced gear is capable of producing recordings that are indistinguishable from their commercial big-budget equivalents