AG Stomp, Mama Bear or???

[Shannon]

Hey guys,

In anticipation of my new baby (Koa C+) I have been trying to figure out what the best preamp or effects processor/modeler would be for that application.

Seems like there are plenty of people who swear by their AG stomp and some guys pointing toward the D-TaR mama bear.

I guess I'm curious if anyone has EITHER of these for sale and/or if there is something better that I should be looking at.

I'm running either DIRECT (depending on the pre) or into my Roland AC60 and then direct to the board.

I'm open to suggestions, so what do you have and if you want to sell it, why DO you like it (or why not)

Thanks,
Shannon

[Pietro]

Shannon, as you know, you can't pry mine from my cold dead fingers...

Somebody help Shannon out over here!

[Shannon]

Shannon, as you know, you can't pry mine from my cold dead fingers...

Somebody help Shannon out over here!


Yeah, you're one guy who has convinced me it must be the way to go... For people with discerning taste like a Crowdster owner to love it that much, it MUST be good, right?;)

By the way, sent you a PM... Have a question.

[akivisuals]

Well Shannon. I got a new old stock one recently. I tried it on Sunday and wasn't blown away. It sounded ok but I'll have to compare it to my Fishman Powerblend pedal and my Baggs DI to see if I like it better. I had some problems eq-ing it to sound right. I couldn't dial out this low-mid tone and it was just bugging me. If it turns out that I like one of them better, I'll sell it to you. You probably won't be getting your C+ for a little while anyways right?

[Shannon]

Well Shannon. I got a new old stock one recently. I tried it on Sunday and wasn't blown away. It sounded ok but I'll have to compare it to my Fishman Powerblend pedal and my Baggs DI to see if I like it better. I had some problems eq-ing it to sound right. I couldn't dial out this low-mid tone and it was just bugging me. If it turns out that I like one of them better, I'll sell it to you. You probably won't be getting your C+ for a little while anyways right?
Yeah, but I actually want it as much for my Godin A12 as the crowdster... I have a line on a few right now... two NOS ones (but the price seems a bit high considering what I see them going on ebay for) and a couple of used ones, but the guys don't want to ship em... SOOO....

I'm also liking the sound of the Mama Bear which is why I'm curious if anyone has used one of those yet with a C+

Some people swear by the AG stomp, but you know, ears are a funny thing...
At least it's a sure bet to be able to sell it if I don't like it since so many folks seem to want them.

[akivisuals]

I'm bumping this to see if anyone has used the D-Tar Mama Bear with their Crowdsters. I like what the mama bear can do based on the videos on their site. Just wondering if anyone here has used one with their Andersons.

[hdhoo73]

I'm using the Aura Blender with very good results with the Crowdster...very flexible and sounds awesome! I just want to way simplify my setup and I think I'm going to let it and the XT Live go and look into just a high end pre/eq/di type device. I think the Mama Bear does the same thing the Aura Blender does.

Jim

[campy]

BBE Acoustimax Preamp. It has EQ, as well as a pre/post switchable-balanced DI output. Sold everything else in my rig and went to this, my Crowdster, and a tuner.:) Does everything I need without any worries.

[tom]

i'm a simple guy, and all the add on sounds i've heard from the after processors always sound fake to me. but i must admit i hate to spend tons of time trying to dial in something if i don't hear something pleasing pretty fast. i still really like the crowdster straight in. there's enough other stuff going on with the electric guitar and keys.
i'll add that the best thing you can do for a crowdster, or any acoustic for that matter is learn to play with a lightish touch. the dynamics are so loverly that way.

[Shannon]

i'm a simple guy, and all the add on sounds i've heard from the after processors always sound fake to me. but i must admit i hate to spend tons of time trying to dial in something if i don't hear something pleasing pretty fast. i still really like the crowdster straight in. there's enough other stuff going on with the electric guitar and keys.
i'll add that the best thing you can do for a crowdster, or any acoustic for that matter is learn to play with a lightish touch. the dynamics are so loverly that way.

Tom,
What exactly do you mean by that?
Lightish touch? Fret or strum/pick hand? Or do you just mean in general, being "lighter" all around. I suppose in order to do that in a "band" setting, you'll have to run your acoustic channel a bit hotter just to keep it up in the mix, right?

[tom]

i mean the right hand(picking hand, no offense lefties). any piezo pickup will respond poorly to a heavy right hand. people including myself often respond to not being able to get the monitor loud enough on a real acoustic by whacking the guitar harder to be heard. this results in bad tone and broken strings. this isn't an issue with a crowdster, so play softer and turn the volume up. i get the best acoustic tones when my monitor is louder than i need it so i can play more dynamically.

[akivisuals]

i mean the right hand(picking hand, no offense lefties). any piezo pickup will respond poorly to a heavy right hand. people including myself often respond to not being able to get the monitor loud enough on a real acoustic by whacking the guitar harder to be heard. this results in bad tone and broken strings. this isn't an issue with a crowdster, so play softer and turn the volume up. i get the best acoustic tones when my monitor is louder than i need it so i can play more dynamically.

I noticed this as well. I've had issues in the past where I played my acoustics harder since I couldn't hear them as well. When I played the C+ I noticed that volume wasn't as much of an issue and I played with a lighter touch. You're so right, MUCH better dynamics and tone. One of the things I love so much about the Crowdsters. :D

[Shannon]

Tom, You have no idea how great that news is to me.

I seem to have that exact problem, but I never really KNEW that until I read your response. I wondered why I was breaking strings and kind of losing that real dynamic "feel" with my acoustics, but now that you say it, I IS because I have a hard time hearing myself when the stage sounds gets louder.

I like how my Taylor sounds when I'm the only thing going on stage or I just have the bass and some light drums in the background but I think that's because I can be "nicer" to the guitar and still hear it.

Since I can just turn up the Crowdy enough to sit on top of the mix a little better, I can be more "gentle" with it and let it do what it was built to do.

Man, I can hardly wait to get it....
Speaking of that, my guy says it's supposed to ship this week!

You mind "autographing" the back of the headstock for me before you ship it out?

Just make sure you leave Room for Dave's Sig and caricature too;) I'm hoping to get him to sign it at Agape Fest in May.

It's the Koa.... sn 05-27-08S (according to the dealer).
Thanks...

[csd]

"It's the Koa.... sn 05-27-08S (according to the dealer)."
I don't think that has been made yet, has it?? May 27, 08 and what's the S ???
...Or Tom is this a new system for your SN's???

[Shannon]

"It's the Koa.... sn 05-27-08S (according to the dealer)."
I don't think that has been made yet, has it?? May 27, 08 and what's the S ???
...Or Tom is this a new system for your SN's???


yeah, it's not in the system yet... the guitar was SUPPOSED to be completed in MAY, but fortunately it was ahead of schedule.

The SN is actually a "special" option for me since I essentially "ordered" the guitar and asked if It would be possible to have the guitar completed for my Anniversary (5-27) and bear that date as the SN... (S=Sela, My daughter's Name)... at least to ME that's what it stands for!:)

They were kind enough to accommodate my request even though the guitar would be technically completed BEFORE that date since it was ahead of schedule.:D

[csd]

Very accomodating! That was real cool of them to do that, good for you brother. That'll be neat to tell that story, for your daughter. Very sweet.

[Shannon]

Yeah, I'm incredibly excited about it.
I know Sela is too young to appreciate it now, but in 10 years she'll have a real treat on her hands (of course, I'll probably still be playing it at that point, but when she's ready to play... it's hers and I'll get me another:D ) Maybe there will be a whole new model out by then, who knows?;)