PCA Forums

Just wondering how this will work before I fry something trying.

I have an Old electric guitar from in the mid or early 70's. I don't have an amp for it though. Just wondering if I can use the computer and sound card for an amp and also maybe record it with something like Music Match.

This guitar has a couple switches in it. I think 2 dails, a tone and volume, and 2 slide switches I think ones for like solo/rythym and the other for Bass/???

As I recall the original patch cord was like just a large stereo jack on each end as normal, it's lost now though. So could I get a cord for the guitar with a mini pin for the sound card and just use the PC and mixer for my amp? Will just plugging into the soundcards line in work?
Being dails and switches on the Guitar, does the real amp normally feed a bit of power to a guitar?

Other question, I geuss a guitar would be a mono input, would I use the line in, or the mic in?

A guitar is a high impedance low level output, and a microphone jack on a computer is also high impedance so you may be able to connect it directly to the microphone jack. You definitely won't damage anything.

Since the impedance won't be a perfect match, and guitar amps work by distortion, it probably won't sound very good at all, though.

You'll need a 1/4 inch to 1/8" mini mono patch cord. Radio Shack should carry it.

Ok, I will get a cord and try it, need a cord anyway.

If it don't sound good, any other ideas besides getting a cheap amp and using the line in?

This is just something to play with I don't want to put much money into yet.

Send Hypnotic Tranz a PM, he did something like that with good results..