To start off, I have been really impressed with this acoustic amp since I first heard it in 1998. I consider it to be the best lower end acoustic amp and a fine choice for most players who can't afford an expensive amp like Fishman's Performer Pro. (which is a wonderful amp in terms of clarity)

Let me state off the bat that all of my playing on this amp has been through Undersaddle and dual source pickup systems: mostly Fishman, some L.R. Baggs, and my personal favorite, EMF B-band. The first channel is meant for instruments with piezo pickups (Fishman natural; LR Baggs Ribbon transducer, LB6; Highlander; EMF B-band) and I had my doubts about a "specialized" channel. It blew my socks off. I was only playing a decent sounding Taylor but the amp really sang. I plugged in a nice Larrivee and I was surprised. This has been the case everytime I've tried this channel with an under-the-saddle pickup. Absolutely wonderful.

Not that the other channel is bad by any means. I own a dual source system and having the 2nd channel for instrument/mic means that this channel is absolutely clear for guitar mics. (I have not tested a voice mic, though I would definitely think its possible since I have done that with a Trace TA35R) The second channel is good if you also want to play finger style and have a quiet, clean sound. When blended, this is a fine sounding amp. Very reminiscent of an amp that often receives rave reviews: the SWR California Blond, but it sounds a lot warmer.

Lastly, the reverb and chorus are fairly standard issue. I am terribly picky about the sound of a chorus and have often ridiculed chorus boxes like Boss' CE-5 Chorus Ensemble. I own a TC Electronics SCF original issue, so that tells you about how much I value a good chorus. I was really surprised by the reverb + chorus units that are built in. They sound very good, though again, its a bit warm.

I highly recommend this amp to anyone in the low end market and even in the high end market. It sounds good, is made specially for piezos (which dominate the market), has a lush chorus, and sounds clear and warm. if you want a sharper sounding amp, I say buy a Fishman or SWR Blonde. But if you want an excellent value and like warm amps (like for bluegrass and acoustic folk rhythm players), this is an excellent buy. Note this: I normally hate Fender equipment because I think the quality is pretty mediocre.

Recommended: Yes