Finding Your Perfect Nylon String Guitar Sound
Guitar tone is a vast world, especially for those of us who play nylon-string guitars. If you’ve ever wondered how to shape and refine your sound, here’s my journey and experience with different guitars, amplification systems, and preamps. Hopefully, this will help you find your own sonic identity!
The Journey Begins: My First Amplified Nylon-String Guitar
I started my amplified guitar journey with a Camps guitar from the 2000s. These guitars, handmade in Girona, Spain, come with an integrated piezo and microphone system, which you can blend through a Fishman preamp built into the guitar.
Camps guitars offer a fantastic price-quality ratio. If you’re looking for a reliable, well-balanced guitar for live performances, this is a great option—especially for playing in a band where you need versatility for different venue settings.
The Importance of a Good Preamp
A built-in preamp isn’t always enough; you need an external preamp suited for acoustic instruments. My first choice was the Headway EDB-2 H.E., a fantastic unit also used by our violinist and double bassist. This preamp allows you to blend a line/piezo signal with a microphone signal, such as a DPA mic, offering a more natural sound.
🔗 Headway EDB-2 H.E. – Thomann España
Finding the Ultimate Preamp Solution
After experimenting, I settled on my favorite preamp, which I’ve been using for five years now: the T-Rex Soulmate Acoustic.
🔗 T-Rex Soulmate Acoustic – Thomann España
This unit is perfect for guitars with only one output channel and includes:
- Integrated tuner (adjustable from 430Hz to 450Hz, crucial when playing with non-440Hz instruments like traditional accordions).
- Boost switch (for switching between rhythm and solo playing).
- High-quality hall reverb with shimmer effect (though I personally don’t use the shimmer).
- Precise equalizer (I usually keep it flat, only adjusting for the venue if necessary).
- Stereo delay effect (great for solo performances, widening the sound).
- Easy-to-use compression knob (smooths out the dynamics beautifully).
- Built-in looper (not my style for live shows, but excellent for practice).
Handmade in Denmark, the Soulmate Acoustic is an all-analog, metal-built tank that’s made to last!
Upgrading to a Luthier Guitar
After years of searching for an upgrade, I decided to commission a custom-made guitar from a luthier. Finding a superior guitar to my Camps model within my budget was a challenge, so I went for a custom cutaway model (which, fun fact, took some convincing to get the luthier to agree to!).
Choosing the Right Pickup System
With my luthier guitar in hand, the next step was selecting a high-quality pickup system. I finally chose a system similar to the K&K Trinity Pro Mini:
🔗 K&K Trinity Pro Mini System – Thomann España
This system features three different pickup elements that you can blend to your taste. While I usually avoid using the piezo due to ground noise, the overall system captures the guitar’s natural sound beautifully.
For those looking for an alternative European option, I highly recommend Carlos Juan Pickups, which I also use on my Selmer-style guitar. Their sound is incredible:
Final Thoughts: Finding YOUR Sound
Remember, your perfect sound isn’t just about the guitar—it’s also about the right amplification system. Both the K&K and Carlos Juan systems offer at least two output channels, allowing you to send one signal to a stage amp for personal monitoring and another directly to the mixing desk.
In the end, shaping your guitar tone is a personal journey. Experiment, try different setups, and most importantly—trust your ears. I hope this deep dive into my gear and experience helps you refine your own sound.
Got questions? Feel free to reach out—I’d love to hear about your own experiences with guitar tone!
— Julien Chanal