Switching quickly between electric & acoustic guitars

  • I'm trying to work out a solution for switching quickly from electric to acoustic during the course of a song/performance. I was hoping I could switch in/out with the Kemper Remote but it doesn't seem to be possible with the Profiler only having a single input. If anyone else is performing material with both electric & acoustic, how are you achieving this? An external switcher? How are you amping and processing your acoustic?

  • If you mean switching between electric and acoustic guitar within the same song, then the only thing I've ever done that always works and works well is to have an electric guitar with piezo bridge (like a Godin LGX or similar), then have a setting within a performance that is acoustic (I like the Selah profiles) and just switch between it and the electric setting. I've never found using just an electric and trying various "acoustic simulation"patches or pedals very satisfying tone-wise and would rather just play the acoustic part on electric ... most folks don't really know the difference. Even Page just used electric for live performance of certain Zep acoustic parts.


    In terms of physically switching between two guitars (one electric, one acoustic), my experience is that it's just as fast/convenient to unplug the electric and plug in the acoustic as it is having both guitars plugged into a switcher (and fewer connections to go bad). You can mute using the Kemper tuner (from the remote) while you do that.


    Before I had the Kemper, I used a Godin LGX and when I switched to the piezo I also switched to an "acoustic" path on my pedalboard -- that used a LR Baggs Paracoustic DI and a Lexicon to sometimes add a little flanging.

  • I'm in a prog band that features many songs with acoustic parts. Swapping the cable/wireless over isn't practical, so the piezo pickup method has been my solution in the past. However, that won't work going forward, as I need an acoustic with a capo on one number. I've also never found the piezo solution terribly convincing.


    I might look into the Godin gear.

  • I use the piezo method (two piezo equipped PRS and previously a Parker Fly). If I needed a dedicated acoustic I would use an A/B switch i front of the KPA. In an ideal world this would be a midi controlled A/B (I think Lehle do one) which could automatically change the input at the same time as switching to my acoustic Rig.

  • I'm in a prog band that features many songs with acoustic parts.

    So you have the acoustic on a stand and the electric on the strap? Seen that here and there indeed...


    I remember seeing a video on YT some time ago where the acoustic was routed through the return input of an effects loop in the Kemper. You can place it in Slot A and have the full chain to process the acoustic within one rig. Switching to the next rig for the electric, stepping back from the acoustic and grabbing the electric is probably the quickest way within a song. Problem might be how the FOH receives and treats the signal, might not be ideal to have acoustic and electric on the same channel of the PA. With the Kemper Stage you could utilize the second effects loop to route the signal into another channel on the FOH. I remember as well a solution which routed using the classical outputs but not sure how this was done exactly...

  • So you have the acoustic on a stand and the electric on the strap? Seen that here and there indeed...


    I remember seeing a video on YT some time ago where the acoustic was routed through the return input of an effects loop in the Kemper. You can place it in Slot A and have the full chain to process the acoustic within one rig. Switching to the next rig for the electric, stepping back from the acoustic and grabbing the electric is probably the quickest way within a song. Problem might be how the FOH receives and treats the signal, might not be ideal to have acoustic and electric on the same channel of the PA. With the Kemper Stage you could utilize the second effects loop to route the signal into another channel on the FOH. I remember as well a solution which routed using the classical outputs but not sure how this was done exactly...

    Yep, on a stand just like you said.


    Do you happen to remember how this FX loop method was set up? I just tried plugging the acoustic straight into the FX Return but noticed the response was nothing like at the guitar inputs. Much lower output.

  • So you have the acoustic on a stand and the electric on the strap? Seen that here and there indeed...


    I remember seeing a video on YT some time ago where the acoustic was routed through the return input of an effects loop in the Kemper. You can place it in Slot A and have the full chain to process the acoustic within one rig. Switching to the next rig for the electric, stepping back from the acoustic and grabbing the electric is probably the quickest way within a song. Problem might be how the FOH receives and treats the signal, might not be ideal to have acoustic and electric on the same channel of the PA. With the Kemper Stage you could utilize the second effects loop to route the signal into another channel on the FOH. I remember as well a solution which routed using the classical outputs but not sure how this was done exactly...

    I like this idea. I saw in another thread about how the electric will flow through the remainder of the signal chain. One thing that would really make this work for me is if there was a way to have a cab block for the acoustic so you could use an acoustic IR. I am now thinking that a really small IR player pedal that I saw recently would be something you could run the piezo into before hitting the FX return.

  • Do you happen to remember how this FX loop method was set up? I just tried plugging the acoustic straight into the FX Return but noticed the response was nothing like at the guitar inputs. Much lower output.

    Yep, that's probably the challenge with that solution. Tiny preamp of whatever needed to bring the acoustic signal up to the line level for the FX Return. I have to admit I'm using a rather expensive Channel Strip for the acoustic for the studio work and then route that into the Kemper for recording. So I have it solved and no need to do that live. And it's certainly just one way (and maybe not the best) to do that...


    Just thinking and others here may advise better if they know: Does the FX Loop have the same level depending on where in the signal chain you put it, i.e. in Stomps section vs. Effects section?

  • I honestly think an A/B switch is best.


    The other, but way more expensive alternative is, I think some wireless systems allow switching between instruments ( Line 6 G90 I think)...

  • I'm in a prog band that features many songs with acoustic parts. Swapping the cable/wireless over isn't practical, so the piezo pickup method has been my solution in the past. However, that won't work going forward, as I need an acoustic with a capo on one number. I've also never found the piezo solution terribly convincing.


    I might look into the Godin gear.

    I have a James Tyler Variax (the JTV59) and i find that works well.

    I can set up the three 'electric' pickup options on the three way and if I hit the Alt knob it calls up two electrics, usually a 12 or a six. I don't use the resonators, sitar or banjo that much. Also I can preset the tunings for each instrument or adjust them on the tunings knob.

    Its actually a pretty nice LP type guitar to play. Quality is pretty much PRS SE level of build, all I've done other than a set up is add Schaller locking tuners.

    I must try different pickups at some point.


    My pre-Kemper modelling system - only the guitar has survived the cut: