Fishman LoudBox Performer

I've had my LoudBox Performer for over a year, and use it on numerous solo nylon string guitar gigs around Houston. For me, this is just about the perfect answer to my gigging needs. You can read all the tech stuff above and on their website, so I won't bother with that. I would just say that for players like me, who don't use any backing tracks/rhythm units etc. but just play, the quality of this amp is phenomenal. More on this later. I also love the little touches like the built-in tilt back legs. Very thoughtful engineering!

I have three vintage Cordoba acoustic electrics I use, playing classical/jazz/pop styles using classical and fingerstyle technique. Two of the Cordobas have Fishman ProFlex pickup systems, and the other has a B-Band A8 System.

The Fishman pickup in combination with the LoudBox amp is just about perfect. These pickups takes longer to dial in tone than the B-Band, which sounds good right away. But after you've tweaked the ProFlex for the first set and it's matched to the room, the LoudBox sounds like a $5,000 amp and blows the B-Band away. I've been playing for 40 years, solo guitar professionally for 15. This is my favorite acoustic amp ever. I also love the effects. Minimal choice yes, but the quality is wonderful. I actually use less and less effect since the natural tone is so good.

I play all the time, throw it in the back of my Civic Hybrid and away I go. No problems, no hiss, no intermittent signal, just killer tone night after night. This will inspire you. I do have it bundled up in a custom Tuki padded cover to protect it.

Never had any need to call Fishman for any issue, so I don't know. I assume if they make killer pickups and amps like this, their service is probably comparable.

Here's where I can sum it up. This is how good this amp is: I sold not one but three AER amps after I had been using the LoudBox for a couple weeks. If you know AERs, they are very German, very techy and very expensive. The Fishman is probably less than 1/3 the cost new and I'm getting much better tone out of it than any of my AERs. It makes you believe in good ol' American engineering again.

I would say there is some advantage to having a Fishman pickup as a match. The naturalness of the tone with these together blows me away every time.

I am so taken with the LoudBox Performer I am going to buy a second one, not because I think the first will fail but I'm afraid they'll quit making them someday and I want to be able to use this little gem for a long, long time. Hey Fishman...if you're reading this, keep rolling these off the line. I haven't found one better.

For the past few weeks I've been trying to find the best acoustic amp under $1,200 to serve for home use and performance in a small 30 to 50 person setting. I directly compared the first generation Bose L1, the Roland AC 90, a Fender PD150 PA and the Fishman 130A Loudbox Performer.

The features that the Fishman has are ideal for those who need a monitor to hear their own guitar work and vocals before sending a signal out to a house PA system. You have two independent channels and can control effects for each of these channels independently, as well as feed out to a effects box and back into the amp independent of the other channel.

Other features about this amplifier are that it's size and weight are perfect for carrying unobtrusively, plugging in and playing quickly. I like that it can fit under my wife's piano and have a clear shot towards me and the audience.

The Fishman includes a mute switch, which is handy for getting plugged in and changing guitars while other things are happening on stage. No stand to fuss with, no tripod, no base and poles to assemble. My wife observed that the Bose leaning over at an angle would look silly when used at an outdoor location we sometimes lead music at.

Fishman is on to something with their use of tri amplification. See the section on "sound quality."

In my opinion the Fishman Loudbox was "clearer" than the Bose, although with the bass cube the Bose had better base response (maybe a little too thumpy for my tastes). The Bose marketing materials describe the sound as smooth, which is a perfect description. The Bose seems to process details like the "scratch" of the pick out. The Bose probably made me sound better than I played.

The Roland just wasn't in the same game. When pushed at higher volumes with a percussive style of playing the Roland would clip vocals.

In contrast, the Fishman sounded just like a louder version of my guitar. The "detail" in the sound was incredible. When fingerpicking you can even hear the subtle differences in the note as the percussive note becomes sound, then resonates. All of this happens in an instant, but there is no "effect" as good as hearing the player's touch on the string. If you have heard David Wilcox play his Olson, the clean and natural sound from this amp is similar to that sound.

This amp makes me want to spend a lot more time with my guitar.

New user. Demo models which have seen hard use were holding up well, but missing a couple knobs.

This amp was my easy pick of the several I played back to back.

Just right for the folk style I play; 2 channels; separate mic input for vocals. 4 reverb effects, chorus(can only use them one at a time--and you cannot combine the chorus with any of the reverbs). Effects controls(2 of them), Tuner input(although this deactivates if you are using the mic input for channel 2). Manageable weight(35 lbs.---the original Loudbox is twice that!). Anti-feedback control, mute switch, 10db pad switch, Gain control, separate bass, mid, treble controls, clip LED, Aux in, Phantom power switch, Master volume control. Also has a heavy power cord and a kickstand to angle the unit if you want. Amp section very well protected on the back with a heat-dissipating grille.

This amp is SO QUIET!...even at high volume...How do they do that? I am playing this with the Taylor ES(which is noisy at high levels--not Fishman's problem!), K&K mini, LR Baggs RT sytem and LR Baggs Element system. Nice analog sound, not digital sounding. A perfect amp for the acoustic performer that you can use for vocal, too.

Built like a tank, but with a weigh that is manageable(35 lbs.).

One email got me a prompt response; another email on another issue did not get one at all.

Been playing 30+years; also own a Crate CA60(which is a lot noisier). I would buy another if lost or stolen; I wish the retail price for new was less, although I bought mine used in great condition... I love how quiet this amp is, without the high volume 'hiss' of my Crate CA60--it's perfect for acoustic playing and would hold it's own in a small coffee shop setting.

I still wish you could combine the chorus effect with the reverb like you can do on a Crate CA60--but that' my only complaint.

This amp was made in 2007. It has 2 channels and a aux channel for patching a CD player or other input to play thru it. Very handy if you need to play a CD during breaks! #1 channel is 1/4" for unbalanced guitar input. #2 channel has 1/4" plus XLR jack for Low Z mike hookup. I am very impressed with the vocal quality this amp produces! Very powerful for such a small and lightweight amp. I use this amp at church and in live preformances and the high quality sound from the speakers is more than anyone should need for a monitor and the line outs are dead to right for any sound board!!! Mute switch is very useful. 3 direct out for every possible connection you will need. Headphone jack, tuner jack, phantom switch 10 db pad on each channel and even a niffty tweeter level knob on back in case you need to roll down the very functional and effective tweeter.

I heard about this amp from a friend in a music store and I wanted to do a side by side comparision with my 4 year old Fender Acoustasonic Jr. with the analog chorus and reverb. All the store had was the Loudbox 100. It has one 6 1/2" woofer and a tweeter. The Fender had 2-8" woofers and a tweeter. The LoudBox blew it AWAYYYYYYY. I couldn't believe my ears! I ordered the Performer right then. I figured with 2-6 1/2" woofers, a 4 1/2" mid speaker and a tweeter and 130 watts of power how could I not like it. I was right. It sounds amazing! It is very quiet, and I'm very fussey about noise. Very acoustic friendly meaning it makes your guitar sound just like it sounds normally only louder. The effects are Hall 1 and 2, Chorus, and Plate 1 and 2. I have been told they are Alesis, and they sound like it. Very non-digital. I am a analog person from 30 years back and then some. The anti-feedback and phase effects also work very well. I had it loud one day and turned into it on purpose and when it started to howl I leaned down and gave the knob a sweep from left to right and just like majic it just stopped! Big Smile!!!!

This amp seems to be built like a musician would build it if he was a tank maker on the side. Very tight with good lines and well thought out. It has a built in tilt with a kickstand mounted on the back to set it further back when in tight area's. Metal front grill, knobs recessed so if it fell forward they don't make contact with the floor. It also has a nice long and stout power cord. None of these cheappo 5 foot patch cords some company's pawn off on you. Have only had this amp for 3 or 4 months but I am very sure that it will stand up well. It just has that vibe, you know!

I have had several conversations with a tech at Fishman, I can't remember his name now but when I called a second time to ask about a fuse He remembered me! Go figure? They sent me some fuses when I inquired about why a 1 amp fuse was in it when it read on the back it was supposed to have 2 amp one. They immediatly sent out 3 fuses to me by mail. I call that "taking care of your customers" and have found them to be very willing to talk shop or answer questions since this was my first experience with Fishman. I think it has a 1 year warranty. I have gotten good feedback from all the salespeople and amp techs I have asked about issues from amp failure to complaints about the product and they get high marks all around!

I have been playing guitar for 30 years and only buy, or should I say keep the best equipment I can. I play a Gibson J-100 extra cutaway with a B-Band pre-amp. Don't buy this amp if your guitar doesn't sound good cause all this amp will do is make it sound bad louder. It is very much like a computer. Garbage in, garbage out. I know you must think that I work for Fishman cause I can't think of anything that I don't love about this amp. I even called the tech I spoke with after I got it and told him I was mad cause I couldn't find ANYTHING to suggest or bad mouth about it.PS I forgot to mention they even put the power amp at the bottom of the cabinet with a little heat sink showing to get more distance from the pre-amp to reduce any interference. How smart is that!