Do you know what the difference is between an acoustic guitar and a trampoline? One of my favorite music jokes. The truth is that acoustics can be a pain. Getting a good acoustic sound in the studio usually involves several condenser microphones, some compression, a room mic, and a lot of attention to detail. In a live setting, most acoustics get plugged into a direct box and are given very little thought. The result is usually a dull, unatural ’nylon’ sound. To combat this we have to follow one of my #1 rules in doing sound.