Why is an Acoustic Guitar so much LOUDER than an Electric Guitar?

[spoondini]

All of my accoustic guitars have pickups in the bridge and mics in the body. For plugging into a pa system.  The reason for comparing both amplified is because you simply can't hear how long the electric guitar string vibrates without amplification.  Figured I'd make an even comparison of sustain. The 'sucking' effect is because the body of an accoustic will rapidly absorb the sound(vibration) of the string.  It's not a hard experiment to replicate.

[WilbyInebriated]

All of my accoustic guitars have pickups in the bridge and mics in the body. For plugging into a pa system.  The reason for comparing both amplified is because you simply can't hear how long the electric guitar string vibrates without amplification.  Figured I'd make an even comparison of sustain. The 'sucking' effect is because the body of an accoustic will rapidly absorb the sound(vibration) of the string.  It's not a hard experiment to replicate.

so you are suggesting an amplified hollow body resonator to amplified solid body resonator comparision is apples to apples? and you are comparing sustain by how long you can hear with your ear?

[poynt99]

The proper way to experimentally test this is to amplify both instruments, but monitor (if desired) via headphones.

Then set a VU meter (monitoring the input level on a mixer for eg.) such that an open-stringed strum hits 0dB peak and time how long it takes the VU level to decay down to -60dBu or -40dBu or so. Compare the two times.

You will most likely see that the electric solid-body guitar sustain is much longer than the acoustic's.

.99

[WilbyInebriated]

The proper way to experimentally test this is to amplify both instruments, but monitor (if desired) via headphones.

Then set a VU meter (monitoring the input level on a mixer for eg.) such that an open-stringed strum hits 0dB peak and time how long it takes the VU level to decay down to -60dBu or -40dBu or so. Compare the two times.

You will most likely see that the electric solid-body guitar sustain is much longer than the acoustic's.

.99

that is not a proper test. how does turning an acoustic guitar into an electric one make for an apples to apples comparision? by amping an acoustic it becomes electric and therefore no longer acoustic... this is obvious. furthermore, you need a picking method that inputs a precise and repeatable amount of energy, as well as a listening method that involves more than a VU meter and your eyes or headphones and your ears.

[spoondini]

The proper way to experimentally test this is to amplify both instruments, but monitor (if desired) via headphones.

Then set a VU meter (monitoring the input level on a mixer for eg.) such that an open-stringed strum hits 0dB peak and time how long it takes the VU level to decay down to -60dBu or -40dBu or so. Compare the two times.

You will most likely see that the electric solid-body guitar sustain is much longer than the acoustic's.

.99

Only thing I did differently was used a speaker (15 w horn, wedge monitor) to monitor the sustain.  Was using a mixer with a visual db level.  Of course set input to 0 db on the input for both as you would normally do setting the trim on any input.  Ovation accoustic via DI box, BC Rich Mockingbird through a PODXT heavy distortion setting.  As long as you don't have the accoustic pointing directly at monitor there are no noteable feedback issues.  In this case both were laying on the floor and I plucked the thin E's simultaneously.  Can hit the solo button to view each independently.  Accoustic sustain is over within a couple of seconds.  You can go take a shower and come back and the electric is still going strong (only a slight exageration).  Hell, if I forget to unplug/mute my axe during a set break at a gig and somebody bumps the guitar on it's stand, it will make sound until I get up there to mute it.  Accoustic's don't do that unless a feedback loop is created.  Granted the mockingbird is as solid body as they come, heavy, neck through, made for sustain.  Actually it is well know the heavier/more solid an electric guitar is, the more sustain it creates, but it probably makes it even quieter when unplugged.