If you are predominantly an acoustic guitar player, then you already know that acoustic guitar amps are very different from electric guitar amps. If you were not aware of this, then now you know! Electric and acoustic guitar amps have distinctly different sound. While both types of amps can provide ample amounts of sound, electric guitar amps tend to put the emphasis on distortion and effects. Acoustic guitar amps, however, are characterized with a cleaner, crisper sound, with the purpose of amplifying the sound quality of the acoustic guitar. The popular effects on acoustic guitar amps usually include reverb, delay, and chorus, amongst others. Sure, you can turn up the gain on an acoustic guitar amp and give your guitar a distorted sound, but that is usually not the goal of acoustic guitar amps.
When purchasing an acoustic guitar amplifier, there are several things to take into consideration. First, how loud does it need to be? If you are a traveling musician and will be playing in large venues, you will want to look at acoustic guitar amps that are around 60 Watts – 80 Watts of power. One of the best larger-scale acoustic guitar amps is the Fender Acoustasonic SFXII. One thing to be careful of is the size of the amp. If you are purchasing an amp that is too heavy to lift, you should probably reconsider unless you have another way to lift it. If you will be playing in smaller venues or in the backyard, impressing family and friends, then a smaller acoustic amp will get the job done. One of the better options on the market right now is the Crate CA15 Cimarron Acoustic Guitar Amplifier. With 15 Watts of power, it is loud enough to entertain while still being small enough to carry anywhere.
From personal experience, I would say an important factor to be aware of is the pick sensitivity of the amp. Since acoustic guitar amps have a cleaner sound, your flaws as a guitar player are more exposed. You most likely will not have all the fancy effects to hide behind! I have noticed that, with many of the acoustic guitar amps I have plugged in to, the sound of the hitting against the string is very noticeable. This phenomenon is known as picking transients. Be aware of this when testing out acoustic guitar amps and look for amps with effects or qualities that minimize picking transients.
Of course, when purchasing any sort of amplifier, you will want to hear the sound for yourself. Make sure to test out the amplifier you are interested in buying. Just because an amp may be manufactured by a brand you are familiar with does not mean the sound is necessarily right for you. If you have questions about a specific acoustic amplifier’s features, it is worth asking an employee at the store for help. Also, be sure to ask an employee about the max volume before you test it out for yourself. I would not recommend ever going past 85% of maximum volume for any acoustic guitar amps. You risk blowing out the amplifier, which could result in permanent damage.