Fishman Solo Amp

I got my new Soloamp end of May this year, sent it back and got a new one some weeks later. I loved i for the first two hours, it has everything i need. Quick to set up, 2 channels, gain instead of volume on each channel , enough power for most small pubs. DI out for both channels and for mix you use in a PA or an active sub if you need som extra "umph". Everything they say on the Fishman website. But......

My music style is party-sing-a-long more hard strumming and rythmic than elegant. Pop, rock, disco and metal hits in an energetic country style.
I use a Fishman rare earth single coil on the guitar, a Takamine from 92, and turn the low on SoloAmp EQ till 3 o'clock otherwise flat. For song I use a EV blue condenser microphone that gives me a really rich voice (needs phantom power)or a standard Shure 58, EQ flat in both cases. Gain on song is close to the limit and on the guitar not so close to balance the sound (better singer than guitarplayer!!??).

The sound from the SoloAmp is very clean and crisp and spreads almost 180 which means you dont have to play loud for the treble to get through. The sub is a bit weak but better than expected. I would probably in the end get an active sub whith it.

My Fishman SoloAmp shut down after playning for 2x40 minutes (I usually play 3 times 40 minutes), overheated??? I paniced for a second then I turned the main powerswitch off and then on again and it started working. I took as break anyway and turned it off to let it cool down for 20 min. When I played set 3 it took about 30 min and then the Soloamp shut down again. I got it working again but only for 5 min. I played with the master volume on max 11 o'clock.
This was my premiere gig with the SoloAmp!!!!!!! I figurered this must be a manufacturing defect so I sent it back an got a new one. This time I was more careful and turned the power off in every break but in my third set same thing again. What an anticlimax in my grand final. It must be some kind of fault in the construction.

I sent a mail to Fishmans support through their website explaining what had happend and asking what to do, if they think it's a manufacturing defect or something else, and I hope it was my spamfilter that blocked them because i never heard anything from them.

I loved everything about it until that moment, but I can't use gear that shuts down just before the final.

The weird thing is that I haven't decided to sent it back yet, I can still use it at corporate dinner gigs. I have till 10 July to make up my mind. Maby if a get an answer from Fishman.........

I'm not sure when this one was made, but I got it in early April 2009. Others have covered all the I/O info already. I will say that I really like the Monitor send feature for two people each using their own, or you can send to a larger house system. I also really appreciate the AUX input. VERY handy.

I play solo with acoustic guitar using a Baggs M1 soundhole p'up, a Fender FR48 metal body biscuit cone resonator with a Lace Ultra Thin pickup, a metal tricone resonator with a Lace Ultra Thin pickup, and a 1938 Epiphone electric lap-steel (not all at the same time, of course ;-). I needed something easy to set up, had ample bass (but didn't have to be disco thumping), and could handle a variety of instruments. I've used it on several gigs so far, and it's been great both times. I think at 220 watts, it's enough for most of the coffee shop type venues I play. It definitely doesn't have the "carry" as the Bose L1, but does a decent job for under a grand.

With a mic in one channel and guitar plugged straight in the other channel, this thing is QUIET (i.e., almost no hiss). Very nice. When I put my DG Stomp in front of it however, then I get noise, although it's the Stomp that's responsible.

The EQ voicing for each channel is very musical and effective, and I like the addition of reverb options for each channel. I would have loved to see a delay setting, but that's an easy fix with the FX loop.

It's got a lot more bass and is louder than you might think looking at it. In fact, I was asked to turn down at an outdoor gig (under a tent), and I still had plenty of headroom. If you put it up so that the top of the unit is around 7', the sound REALLY carries a good way! I give it a 9, but it's dang close to a 10. I only give a 10 if something is perfect, and well... nothing is ever perfect. ;-)

This thing seems pretty solid and well built. I like that the two separate amps power up at different rates, too.

Fishman has a great rep. Never had to call them, though.

I've been playing music for about 35 years (I'm 49), and playing solo for about 5 years. If it were lost/stolen, I'd consider another one, or if I had the dough, maybe the Bose L1. But at three times the dough, the Bose is pretty pricey (albeit great unit). I see Bose now has a product to go after the "under $1K" market in their L1 Compact. I may check that out at some point for comparison.

I think the SoloAmp is NOT for everyone, but if you're a guitarist/singer and want a highly portable Amp/PA in one, and play venues of up to around 100 people, this is a great piece of gear. Crystal clear sound and ample carry with more than enough bass for acoustic guitar. I've had nothing but good comments on it since I started using it.

Made in 2008. Very versatile. Back panel is like a Swiss army knife. Dual Channel, effects loops... Same as my Loudbox, pretty much. Reverbs are exceptional. Good power, decent bass response. I play bars, coffee shops, some outside patio jobs, about 3 nights a week. The portability is what made me buy this thing. Very much worth it for that alone. (I don't like the bag much. I think they forgot you need a microphone and there is no real place to put one, much less anything else without stressing the seams.

Using Ovations. (I know, I know...) Does a great job. I don't like the little transient pop when you first turn it on. For this much money, etc etc. Not noisy at all. I use a Fishman AFX Chorus with it as well. (Go buy one. Just do it.)

So far so good.

Had one question, they answered via Email within 24 hours.

I would replace it, reluctantly. Simply because of the price. It's about 200.00 too much. (Just an opinion.) I do love it. Been waiting for something like this for years.

Nothing different here.....Fishman Solo Amp as described in their promo material. Designed for the solo acoustic musician to be an all-inclusive live performance package.....and it delivers. Good power, great features for the most part. I would only suggest making the mids eq parametric for better control in different situations.

Used with a Gibson SJ200 Western Classic, K & K Sound Western Mini pickup system....completely passive guitar signal path. The pickup pushes the Solo's input fine without preamping and sounds very natural. The Western Mini pickup is a bridge plate transducer system and it captures body noise as well as string sound, giving the amplified guitar tone all of the nuances, "breath" and presence of the unamplified tone, hence the very natural, "real" amplified sound. (I highly recommend the K & K Mini!) Like all soundboard transducer systems, the K & K is subject to body resonance feedback at higher volumes, but a soundhole feedback buster cures that quickly enough. I use thick, extra-heavy, round edged Red Bear picks that deliver a somewhat glassy sound from the high strings and require a little cut in the treble eq band for smoothing, but that is the nature of a thick, round edged pick, no fault of the Solo. The 200 Jumbo (rosewood, not maple) is HUGE in the low end and needs no eq bump to come across full and with authority, and the Solo delivers every bit of the bottom. Fear not the smallish speakers in the amp - if your guitar has bottom this amp will reproduce it faithfully. I am experimenting with a Fishman Pro Platinum EQ preamp (powered by the 48V phantom power available from the Solo) but I am very impressed with the sound reproduction without anything between guitar and amp but a George L cable.

Fishman has a good track record with me and while this is a new product in their line I have no doubt it will perform over the long haul. That said, electronic gear of any kind is always subject to failure for unknown reasons in live settings. Backup? Never. Do you carry a backup car in your trunk? Do you keep a backup microwave oven at the house? Never understood the "backup" way of thinking. Either you trust your gear or you don't.......if you don't get some new gear that you do.

Overall this is an excellent piece of gear for the working musician. I use mine in a band setting doing country/country rock rhythm work. It's very portable, stupid easy to setup and run with anywhere. It delivers a huge, full sound indoors or out. I also own a Bose PS1 system that also works well with acoustic guitar amplification but involves much more hauling/setup work, requires outboard eq control and does not deliver a better live sound. Sure the Bose has more power, but that is overkill in almost any club venue. I have used other acoustic amps in the past (Genz Benz, Fender, Genz Benz, Trace Elliot and even the short-lived Seymour Duncan acoustic amp of some 20-25 years ago) and none of them approaches what the Solo does. The Solo is light, one-piece, powerful and accurately reproduces what the guitar sends it without a lot of tweaking and outboard equipment - who could ask for more? If you're in the market for an acoustic amp system I strongly recommend you try the Fishman Solo.

Features already listed, so...this is the best acoustic guitar amp I've ever heard. I've owned and gigged with acoustic amps from Fishmans (also nice), Shertler, Roland, Crate, Marshall, SWR, and Fender, and this beats them all. Clean, pure, naturalistic sound for instruments and vox that fills a big room. Set up is quick. The bag is ok, not great. Everything I ever wanted in an acoustic amp....buy it now if you gig or need a compact practice room PA. BTW, I have the Bose system and it's pretty nice, but doesn't compare to the SoloAmp.

My Fishman Loudbox has been super reliable, SoloAmp should be similar

Seem pretty good when i called with a question...

been playing for 25 years, professionally for 15

2 Imputs XlR 1/4 inch option on both
Post effect to the house
Effect loop
Perfect for coffe house gigs
Gyms with attentive audiendces

THE GIG BAG IS NOT RELAIBLE!-- Awkward to pull..wheels too small.and tips off to one side or the other..Picked the Bag up VIA straps the strap broke--Anp was ok-I ened up spending $50 on a luggage dolly works fine.

You may look strange in a band situation with the tower behind you ..or is the start of something new? They laughed at Leo Fender

SOUND IS AMAZING!

Lots of Headroom

I play an EMERALD GRAPHITE Acoustin B Band A7
Sounds warm and balanced

Just got it Don't know