Can someone explain acoustic-electric guitars to me?

[worldsluckiestman]

I have learnt guitar on my own for about 2 years, and unfortunately, my old guitar was broken in an accident. Am looking to switch to an acoustic-electric guitar, but can't find enough info on it on the net, so can you guys help me out?

So basically it has pickups in it, so it can be connected to an amp like an electric guitar, right?

How does the sound compare to pure acoustic and pure electrics?

What exactly is a "pre-amp" that's inbuilt into the guitar?

Does it sound softer than a pure acoustic?

help!

 

[edyeo123]

A preamp:

Basically a preamp is to control the sound being amplified. *Another thing is a pickup is a microphone that captures guitar signals i think...

So the sound amplified from an acoustic-electric guitar to an amp will sound like an acoustic guitar.

 

[lightice]

An electro-acoustic is a guitar that is acoustic.

But has the option for you to play to a larger audience through amplification.

Traditionally acoustic guitars required a mic infront of the sound hole, electro-acoustic replaces the mic infront of soundhole with several different pickup systems that the user can choose.

Have a read from the makers like martin, fishman, LR Baggs, seymour duncan, B-band.

These systems just act as a way to amplify your acoustic sound. Some have an effect on the signal, others are more natural. Research and experience is the key. You'll need to try out to hear the difference.

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Agreed with the other posts... Acoustic-electric, semi-acoustic, electro-acoustic, etc refer to an acoustic guitar with pretty much no differences from pure acoustic guitars, but has a pickup installed to allow plugging into an amplifier.

The typical amplifier you'd use with a semi-acoustic is an acoustic amplifier which is different from an electric guitar amplifier tone-wise and perhaps sensitivity-wise.

 

[worldsluckiestman]

So if I play it unplugged or acoustically, then I don't have to use the pre-amp and even if I mess with the pre-amp settings, no changes will be heard?

The pre-amp is only used when I plug my acoustic-electric into an amp?

 

[edyeo123]

yap, that's right.