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Author
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Topic: Fishman Loudbox or SWR Strawberry Blonde Amp?
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JimmyZ
Member
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posted 02-12-2004 10:25 PM
  
Hi guys. I'm in the market for an acoustic amp and I've played through a number of them. I've narrowed it down to 2 choices after playing Genz Benz, Fender, Beringer, Kustom and Calif. Blonde. I am a perfectionist/tone monger with a good ear and am not swayed easily. I've played through a Strawberry Blonde for 6+ years and love the ease of getting a sweet, full, non-quacky sound out of it. I'm a firm believer that if you have to work too long to dial in a great sound, then it's past time to pass on. I am on a budget or I'd check out the Daedalus system. I'm looking in the $500 range. I know my needs and although the Strawberry has 80 watts to the Loudbox's 250 watts, it will be fine for what I do.
So, has anyone who considers themselves to be a bit picky, ever tried out the Fishman and compared it to the Strawberry?
Thank you. Jim |
LP26
Member
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posted 02-13-2004 09:15 AM
The Fishman is not in the $500 range and it only has a single channel (but then so does the Strawberry Blonde).Read the current issue of AG. Teja compares the Loudbox and the Schertler Unico. I think you should also audition the AER Compact 60. I have a Schertler Unico and LOVE it. It's very flexible (4 channels) and the sound is the very definition of natural... more like a high quality studio monitor than an amp. |
John Fowler
Member
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posted 02-13-2004 08:09 PM
quote:
Originally posted by LP26:
The Fishman is not in the $500 range
Street price on the Loudbox is under $550 at most stores.John
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JimmyZ
Member
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posted 02-13-2004 10:03 PM
Thanks for your suggestions. I was on the Fishman website and read a reprint from a Guitar Player review and they said the street price for the Fishman was about $525. So, I see it's an option.
However, I don't know where to purchase one. Do you guys know? Has anybody even heard or played through one? |
Gary Hall
Member
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posted 02-13-2004 10:41 PM
Hi Jimmie,I can't tell you what the Loudbox sounds like, but here's a good place to buy one. http://www.samusic.com/amplification/fishman.shtml The price includes shipping. Gary Hall |
Sweet Tyrone
Member
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posted 02-14-2004 06:57 AM
Thanks JimmyZ for bringing the Fishman Loudbox to our attention.I'm looking to simplify my acoustic set up so my interest is peaked! Sure like to hear from someone who's played through one. Odd that we didn't hear any NAMM reports on this product. |
JimmyZ
Member
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posted 02-14-2004 09:10 AM
Thanks for the site for the Fishman,Gary. I checked it out ($525) and they do not charge for shipping. That thing weighs 55 lbs, too.
I found it a bit interesting that according to their NAMM blurb, only 3 amps were used to showcase instruments: AER, Ultrasound and Fishman. I just may go for it on Monday morning. It's a plus because I live in Oregon and the outfit is in San Diego. I appreciate the input from you guys. Thanks again. |
JimmyZ
Member
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posted 02-16-2004 12:41 PM
Hi there. Just ordered the Fishman Loudbox from www.samusic.com. Thanks, Gary for giving me that site. I couldn't find one.
I talked to John (the owner) and am pleased with the response. I recommend this outfit in San Diego for your needs. BTW, you might want to order very soon as this amp appears to be in demand. Free shipping, too. Thanks again. Jim |
Gary Hall
Member
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posted 02-16-2004 04:14 PM
Jimmy,Please let us know how it works out for you. The Loud Box is so new that user feedback is rare and much needed. Hopefully, you'll find it to be as impressive as the preliminary reports seem to indicate. Gary Hall |
Sweet Tyrone
Member
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posted 02-17-2004 01:08 PM
I went down to Maple Street Guitars to test drive the Fishman and bought it. George met the Shoreline price, but he was pretty close to begin with.Plugged my Sunrise and buffer box in for the test, (the current gig guitar is a Martin OOOX-1) and it sounded on the very good side of fine. Better than my components set up, which (was) the buffer box into an ART tube pre into a Raven Labs True Blue EQ into a JBL EON10 G2 (which ain't bad sounding by any measure). I had a SWR CA Blonde before this last rig. The tone controls were in the right spots, the brilliance control was very usable, you can dial between a jangley acoustic sound and a sweeter smooth sound. The spring reverb was just right (thank you Fishman for the lack of digital effects), smooth and not overly splashy or dark. The speakers sound better than the JBLs with a 8" woofer, a 4" polypropylene mid driver and two soft-dome neodymium tweeters. Plus it's a heavy duty cabinet like a Marshall and it's dense like birch ply. Unlike Fishman's earlier stuff, this feels like a guitar amp. I like the simplicity of the Loudbox's design. I don't like the 55 lbs but I think the payoff is in a very good sounding cabinet. It has a cool boxy wedge shape just like my 1956 Magnatone Triplex 180. I'm going to sit in with some buddies tonight so I can give a quick report on real life band type usable tomorrow. I'm very pleased so far. |
JimmyZ
Member
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posted 02-17-2004 03:37 PM
Tyrone, thanks for the report on the Box. I especially like the, "sweeter smooth sound", of your evaluation. Most of the time, I cannot afford what my ears tell me. It isn't a curse, but more of a challenge finding great quality at affordable prices. So I'm a little excited about getting this amp and putting it through the paces.
Gary, I will get back to you guys after I play it this Saturday night. At that time I will let you know my complete set up, which really isn't much but it does makes a difference. Thanks much. Jim |
Sidheguitarist
Member
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posted 02-17-2004 05:51 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Sweet Tyrone:
[B]The speakers sound better than the JBLs with a 8" woofer, a 4" polypropylene mid driver and two soft-dome neodymium tweeters.
[B]
Triamped is good for clarity and I like dome tweeters, no doubt about it. How is the bottom end with that fat sunrise? Would the amp reproduce a low "C" if you dropped the low e that far? Thanks for the report ST, glad you like the new toy...
-MM
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Sweet Tyrone
Member
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posted 02-18-2004 06:24 AM
Last night was an incomplete test for the Loudbox, I played a set with another acoustic player, bass, drums and chicken coup percussion (w/ three singing). I used the Fishman as a stand alone amp without using the line out into the PA and monitors, so it was a little difficult to blend with the band.The amp certainly has enough power, the bottom end seemed to hold up, stayed tight, mids were fine, nice and articulate but the top end seemed a little thin. It was great with strumming and fingerpicking but the single note leads with pick were not as fat as I like. I have some dialing in to do, but I believe the Loudbox will work out just fine. I ran everything close to flat last night so I know I have room to adjust the tone to my liking. I may also need to adjust the Sunrise pole pieces to fit the response of the Fishman's cabinet and speakers. I'll post more in the next couple weeks as I work on fine tuning. I've ordered a Baggs M1 and I plan to install that in my Collings OM1, so elements will change. |
JimmyZ
Member
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posted 02-25-2004 02:11 PM
OK Boys, it's time to give my 2 cents on the Fishman Loudbox.
Like I promised, here is my set-up. 1989 Taylor 812C (no onboard electronics), with a Fishman Matrix Natural 1 under the saddle, light strings (J16's), to a Boss GE-7 EQ pedal then an old Ibanez DCF-10 Chorus Flanger, last an Ernie Ball Volume Pedal. I also installed a JLD bridge system back in '90 or '91. It's a great device which absolutely does not affect the tone or sustain of the instrument.
How did it do through the Loudbox? Well, it was definitely loud and clear w/o any fear of overdriving the amp. I played through it in a band setting with fairly high volumes, so no trouble at all in being heard. It's very quiet for an amp w/250 watts and the reverb was so sweet. I did have a hard time trying to find the exact EQ I was after w/o the aid of the Boss GE-7. Even after engaging the EQ it was still difficult. I was left with a bit of a harsh sound (midrangish honk/quack). Sure you can dial the harsh out but the trade off is clarity. When I kicked in the Chorus it was really harsh and the sweet definition I'm used to, was gone. I spent a total of 2 1/2 hours trying to get the goods and couldn't.
It isn't a bad amp at all, so please don't get me wrong. It's that my playing style is from finger style/tapping to hard playing and the warmth of say a Strawberry Blonde just wasn't there. I tried someones Blonde yesterday as a comparison and my memory confirmed it. I see the Loudbox as an amp where you need a tremendous amount of volume with clarity in a small package. AND it's not that heavy. Trust me, I'm 127# and it was no problem for me at all (are guitar players getting a little wimpy?).
So in closing, I will purchase the SWR Strawberry Blonde amp because of it's easy to dail in warm sound, portability and power.
Like I stated in my opening letter when I started this thread, I've got a very critical ear and I understand that folks will disagree with my assessment. That's OK, I won't feel stepped on. That's why there are so many amps out there. The ear is an interesting little beast, isn't it.
Anyway, there is my take on it. Thanks for listening. JimmyZ |
Sweet Tyrone
Member
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posted 02-25-2004 02:51 PM
Thanks JimmyZAs I mentioned, I wasn't thrilled the the Loudbox at the first gig using my Martin OOOX-1 and the Sunrise but with the Collings/Sunrise it was just fine. The Loudbox sounds better to me than the California Blonde I owned in the past. I suspect the midrange might be a problem for some users. The mids are driven by a separate amp so if there's some harshness or pizeo quack there, you're going to hear it. I like mine, but as all things go, YMMV. |
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