Nitebob Okay, so I am taking the plunge... Prefer a wider neck, so I am going to buy a Cort 12 string from Gearjunkie sans electronics, or else wait for a good one to come along (no rush). Planning to make/get a piezzo disc system ala K&K. So talk to me about preamps...the good the bad, the ugly and where to get them. The Fishman Aura is plain unaffordable, LR baggs I've heard is good, but is also quite costly. The Behringer ADI21 I've heard isn't too bad either. Are these the only options? Uses will be, some stage use, and some home recording. Would like something quite compact, as I am planning to get a acoustic pedalboard going, which will be funded by the selling off of some of my current gear. Your advice is always valued Bob
AlanRatcliffe LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI is the most useful Preamp/DI I own. Powerful EQ, quick to dial in, so it's my go-to when doing sound gigs for/with other people. Personally I use the Aura Spectrum DI. Yes, it's expensive and it can take some time to find the best image, but it's got a great compressor, adequate EQ and the imaging removes quack and adds a realistic body simulation. If you play solo acoustic guitar or are fussy about realistic tone, it can't be beaten. It's also got a built in auto-feedback killer. If you run into the D-Tar stuff (particularly the Mama Bear), it's well worth a try. For ultimate studio grade preamp, the Pendulum SPS-1 is widely acknowledged as the best.
Norman86 Check out the Zoom A3 as well. Similar to the Fishman Aura. MAybe not as good, but still pretty damn convincing.
