Amp recommendation that can run acoustic guitar, viola...

[liftyrfists]

Hello,
I'm currently trying to put some of my stuff into the live setting. However, the music I make is very layered and comprised of many different little parts to make the whole; I also use a number of instruments. I don't want to be a complete jackass and try to bring a ton of stuff up there with me, so naturally things are going to be a little more stripped down. I'm not really looking to be a one man band, but in a sense that's what I'm going to have to do...maybe this will give people a better idea:

myspace.com/silentlandtimemachine (just the first two are candidates for being performed live, but feel free to listen to them all!)

Anyway, all stripped down I need an amplifier that can properly handle an acoustic guitar, viola, some vocals, possibly accordion, and maybe come electronics (shitty keyboard...you never know!). OH, and all these are going through a mixer, and then through a 2880 looper, just FYI.

I'm also thinking of bringing up a floor tom and hi-hat, but I'm unsure as to whether either of these necessarily needs to go through the amp. Perhaps the PA? I've never performed by myself, or at a venue that had a PA; just some smaller venues here in Austin.

So, if anyone can enlighten me as to an amp that might work for this kind of situation please please let me know. Or if you have any other information that I should certainly know, being rather naive and inexperienced, please inform me of that as well. I understand that a keyboard amp would probably be a good choice since they're rather versatile, but I wanted to see if anyone had a specific model in mind...I currently just have a fender twin which obviously will not be doing the trick for this, haha.

Please, inform me, pass your knowledge onward!

cheers,
jon

[Scodiddly]

I'd look into self-powered PA speakers - something maybe from FBT, EAW, Mackie, etc. QSC has some nice ones out these days, too.

[liftyrfists]

I'd look into self-powered PA speakers - something maybe from FBT, EAW, Mackie, etc. QSC has some nice ones out these days, too.

Have you checked out Centaur before, or has anyone heard about them? I've heard good things about them in the past; just remembered...

[UXB]

I second scodiddly's rec. That is the most solid way to do this. There are many great options to fit a variety of budgets.

Best,
H

[liftyrfists]

I second scodiddly's rec. That is the most solid way to do this. There are many great options to fit a variety of budgets.

So how do these PA systems work exactly? Am I plugging the signal (from the looper, in this case) directly into the PA or would it be going through some kind of amp/power-amp (the latter of which I'm not familiar with at all...)?

[Scodiddly]

Many of these powered speakers have a little preamp built in, and some even have a mixer for two or three mics or whatever. One box I'm very familiar with is the FBT MaxX 2a, which has a 10 and a horn. It's got an input that can amplify a mic or a line signal, with three EQ knobs. They have bigger ones with more power. A similar box is the QSC HPR122 (something like that, I'm pretty sure about the 122 part), which doesn't have the EQ. But you just run your mixer into the input, and there you go!

[kayagum]

But you just run your mixer into the input, and there you go!

Yep.

Also, don't forget about keyboard amps. Cheap, gluttons for punishment, and IMHO actually sound a little more balanced than acoustic guitar amps (which are usually too bright).

Other self powered PA speaker brands to consider: JBL Eons, new Peavey.