Amplifying a Classical Guitar

I heard classical guitar played for the first time in 1984. It was John Stover (my first teacher) performing the Villa-Lobos Concerto for Guitar with the Germantown Symphony (Tennessee). John's guitar was amplified by means of a microphone broadcasting over the house P.A. system. Of course! What else could be done to hear a guitar with the orchestra?

Some take it for granted that this is the only way to hear a guitar in an environment where other instruments like the piano can play without amplification. There are two basic problems with this approach to amplifying a guitar. First is that the sound of the instrument is altered by the P.A. system and secondly the sound is not coming from the stage, but from the sides of the stage.

The initials "P.A." stand for Public Address. P.A. systems are designed to amplify and project sound to the masses. In theory that seems fine, but the sound is altered as the speakers are designed for their projection and high power more than they are for the quality of the sound. As with any amplification set up, the sound is only as good as the weakest link in the chain. If you have a low quality microphone with a great amplifier and speakers, the sound will be that of a low quality microphone. If there is a high quality microphone with a low quality amplifier and speakers, the sound will be that of the low quality amplifier and speakers. Even with high quality links, a typical P.A. system is not sensitive enough to give a natural sound to the classical guitar. Why have a great instrument, if it's sound will be altered by the P.A. system anyway?

I was very impressed when I saw John Williams perform for the first time (1989). He was playing at Avery-Fischer Hall in New York. This is a large concert hall, yet he was able to fill the hall with a very natural sound. Instead of using a typical P.A. system, he used recording equipment. He had an AKG 414 large diaphragm condenser microphone set 4-6 feet away from him and recording studio monitors on the stage pointing inward (not toward the audience). The level of the sound coming from the studio monitors was just high enough to use the stage to project the sound (as it was designed to do). Therefore there was no P.A. system pushing sound to people, instead the naturally great acoustics of the stage and room carried the slightly elevated amplitude of the guitar and studio monitors into the hall. The sound was very natural and subtle in the same way that good recordings are. It makes a lot of sense.

Also in 1989, I attended a concert by Per-Olaf Johnson (recently deceased) at the Yale Historic Musical Instrument Collection. My view of Mr. Johnson was obstructed as he was performing from the same level as the audience and my seat was toward the back. I remember thinking how big of a sound he had. I was curious about his instrument and his technical approach to emit such a big, beautiful sound.

After the concert I went up to shake his hand and I noticed something that appeared to be the lower bout of a guitar sitting on a stand and I asked him about it. It was a Tone-Generator designed by the luthier that built his guitar. It was made from the same woods as his instrument as well. Here's how it worked... there were two piezo pick-ups placed on the soundboard of the guitar. These pickups were plugged into an amplifier and the amplifier was plugged into the half-guitar sitting on the stand. Instead of vibrating a typical speaker with the signal from the amplifier, the Tone-Generator was vibrating the soundboard of this satellite instrument. It was the most natural sound I had ever heard coming from an amplifier as the sound was actually coming from a piece of wood as opposed to that of a typical speaker.

Mr. Johnson and I hit is off right away. He was at Yale to do research on early music. Being that he was staying about a mile's walk away from the library, he let me keep the Tone-Generator in my dorm room. He let me use it as if it were my own. It was great for chamber music! When he was headed back to Sweden, he offered to sell it to me as he could get another one upon his return. Unfortunately, I didn't have $2,000 and I had to part with this incredible contraption.

It was also in 1989, that Benjamin Verdery got his first guitar by Greg Smallman. The sound was so incredible that there was no need for amplification in chamber music situations. It was then that I ordered my Smallman and began my eight-year wait. I absolutely love my Smallman and it is perfect for most situations for which I perform, but there are still times when amplification is necessary.

Over the past 10 years, there has been an increased demand for a natural amplified sound by acoustic and classical guitarists. Many companies now make amplifiers specifically designed to give a natural acoustic sound. There are a variety of ways in which guitarists are using these amplifiers. Some are simply using a high quality condenser microphone and running directly into the amplifier. The only problem with that is feedback will occur if the amp is nearby at even a moderate volume. Other guitarists have pick-ups under the saddle that plug directly into the amp. There is less feedback problem, but the sound is not natural enough. Then there are others who use a combination of a pick-up under the saddle and an internal microphone (the microphone is inside the body of the guitar). The goal is to use as much signal from the microphone as possible without feedback and then to support that signal with the pick-up for volume. The internal microphone itself gives a hollow sound... the best placement for a microphone is externally. Most who have this combination use mostly the pick-up signal and blend just a little bit of the microphone. It is still not ideal.

A little over a year ago, I was reading Fingerstyle Guitar magazine. There was an article on a new guitar by Paul McGill (Nashville, TN). It is called the Super Ace. It received a glowing review from Peter White (soft-jazz artist) saying that for the first time he can sound on stage the way he sounds in the studio. The basic claims were that this guitar sounded like a classical guitar when it was plugged into a regular amplifier and that there was no problem with feedback. After I read the article, I gave Paul a call to find out more about his Super Ace. Paul had come across a pick-up designed by Richard McClish (RMC pickups) that far exceeded traditional pickups. He designed a guitar to make the most use of these pick-ups. The result is the Super Ace.

I was very interested in trying out a Super Ace as I was very unhappy with the sound of my Takamine electric/classical that I'd been using on free-lance gigs. I went to his shop in Nashville and plugged a Super Ace into a really cheap amplifier that Paul had there. It sounded amazing! It had a much better sound and a far stronger signal than the Takamine... and this was coming from one of the cheapest amplifiers I had ever plugged into! Paul let me take that guitar home with me to compare with the Takamine and to try out. There was quite simply no comparison. The only thing that kept me from buying that particular Super Ace is that it was green. I didn't think that would work for playing private functions. I get strange enough looks bringing in an amplifier at some functions, much less pulling out a green guitar.

I sent the green Super Ace back to Paul and ordered one with a natural finish. Since the green guitar, Paul made some significant improvements in the design of his guitars which utilize the RMC pick-up even more. The guitar I received from Paul is a really nice acoustic instrument as well as it is plugged in. To give a comparison of my Super Ace to the Takamine, I can get equivalent volume from my amp with the amp set on 2 with the Super Ace and 7 with the Takamine. A lower amp setting results in less noise from the amplifier and a more natural sound. I bought the Super Ace to replace the Takamine for free-lance gigs (parties, weddings, dinners, etc...). I really had no intention of using it as a concert instrument until after I got it.

Recently, I was asked to perform Rodrigo's Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre with Washington Musica Aperta. I knew that the guitar would have to be amplified. Soooo... should I play the Smallman and let them alter the sound thru the house P.A.? Or should I use my Super Ace where the sound quality will be predictable and dependable? I have decided to use the Super Ace.... BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE!

I saw an ad in Acoustic Guitar magazine for a Soundboard Amplifier (www.soundboard.net). This is a similar product to the Tone Generator that Per-Olaf Johnson had. It looks like a regular amplifier (not like a half a guitar), but it too vibrates a soundboard rather than a speaker. I ordered one on trial and fell in love! It is more powerful than the Tone Generator was and it allows you to adjust the timbre of sound to match that of your instrument. I have found that the marriage of my Super Ace and the Soundboard amp is something quite amazing! The sound is completely natural... it sounds just like a guitar with all of its subtlety, only louder.

With this set up, I have solved the two problems mentioned earlier in this article. The sound of the guitar is not altered by a P.A. system and the source of the sound will come from the stage. Like John Williams, the volume will only be set high enough to let the stage and the room do the jobs they were designed to do.

To top off my amplification package, I also purchased a wireless system for my guitar. So when I walk out on stage to perform, there will be no wires to trip over, no microphone obstructing the view of the audience... only a guitarist and his beloved instrument.

-Kevin Vigil

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