Marshall AS50D v Fishman Loudbox Mini

OK, anyone have experience with either of these amps. I am loving the AS50D but am starting to think it imparts a lot of fretboard noise and thumps (problem of the Shadow pickup I am using perhaps?) and it seems like the Loudbox Mini did not suffer from that - any thoughts on which you prefer and why? Mike

I own the as50d and didn't notice any unwanted fret noise? I have a misi pick updated also on my crafter acoustic guitar I haven't noticed any problems? I've used it on stage mic'd up to a pa without issues either? I have never played a loudbox so can't comment really. Rae

C. None of the above.

Go with a Roland AC-33 and you'll never turn back:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Roland-AC-33-Acoustic-Chorus-Combo-Amp-106065923-i1511017.gc?esid=ac-33

It's an acoustic chorus amp that will run 10 hours on 8 AA alkaline batteries, or 12 hours on 8 rechargeable AA NiMH batteries as well as 110VAC power. Along with a 40 second looper, it has an anti-feedback circuit, two channels - one for an acoustic instrument and one for a microphone, it has reverb, echo and chorus effects. What this means to you is that you'll own an amp you can play ANYWHERE, along with a microphone channel. There is no more versatile an acoustic amplifier manufactured anywhere. Ric

I just checked out that roland it does look cool. I needed something a little larger in wattage and the xlr output to a pa system is a feature i've used a few times now when my amp has been used as a run through for acoustic instruments at gigs. Definitely looks great though that loop effect although id probably never use it.

I've been using a Marshall AS50D for a few years and I love it. I've gigged it, spilled beer on it, dropped it, kicked it... Still sounds great.

For a small solo gig it eliminates the need for PA as you have mic and jack inputs ready to go and reverb/chorus which allow you to set the level for each channel. Phase and notch filter are great for cancelling feedback there are DI and line out from the back panel to go to a PA fo larger gigs.

I mostly play a Yamaha CPX500ii guitar through mine these days. I can't imagine needing to change it in the foreseeable future (unless it's to buy the larger Marshall AS100D combo!).

I've played uke through it, as well as mandolin (with pickups and through a mic). Also put vocals through it and played tin whistle and harmonica into the mic channel. All great.

The noise you mention is more likely to come from the pickup. After all, the combo just amplifies what the pickup detects. Perhaps you could EQ the worst of it out. In fact, different EQ settings may well be the reason for the difference you perceived in the amps.

The little Rolands are neat, but if I recall they only have a phase reversal facility for tackling feedback. I like the versatility of the Marshall's sweepable notch filter for cutting specific frequencies as and when they give problems. Straight phase switching doesn't always do the job.

buddhuu said:

IThe noise you mention is more likely to come from the pickup. After all, the combo just amplifies what the pickup detects. Perhaps you could EQ the worst of it out. In fact, different EQ settings may well be the reason for the difference you perceived in the amps.

Click to expand...

I agree that a good deal of it is from the pick-up - I really think there is an overall problem with uke pickups in that the instrument is so small, that undersaddle element just picks up everything, including hand noise on the neck. I have tried a couple of very high rated pickups and all have been excellent, but, in my opinion, they all seem to pickup a lot of artifacts as well.

That all being said, I feel the AS50D is beefier in tone and tends to "amplify" those artifacts where the Loudbox Mini does not. The Mini also has a mid control which may provide a bit more control over the unwanted sound (although I am of the opinion that the more knobs, the more there is to get wrong).

Outside of this issue, which is only an issue when I play a solo, I do love the Marshall - indeed, I love it for its beefier tone, which is a good think for a ukulele.

Someone needs to invent an undersaddle pickup biased just for the uke - something that will key in on the sound frequencies while rejecting those unwanted artifacts, something that has more limited sensitivity - sensitivity appropriate to the scale of the instrument. A cut-down pickup meant for a giant guitar top is just NOT going to work for a top 1/4 the size (if not smaller). It'll most likely have to be some smart little active circuit, but I am not smart enough to even think about the technical aspect of it.

What they said my Marshall is sex on fire