The Sound Board

Acoustic Guitar 2 has long been one of my "go to" sampled guitars and this is a significant upgrade.

In case anyone is interested, Andrea announced a flash sale today: all 13 Pettinhouse libraries are selling for $79 (including AcousticGuitar 3.0). The sale ends on August 27. After that, AcousticGuitar 3.0 will be $99; and the full bundle will be $149.

Available at: https://www.pettinhouse.com/html/bundlebf.html

I've also gotten a lot of use out of Pettinhouse products over the years. IMHO, the current sale price is a great value.

Best,

Geoff

I might be the only one hearing it like this, and I don’t enjoy saying it, but I find that the Pettinhouse products sound worse with every update. l really don’t know why, cause Andrea clearly overflows with passion and dedication and is obviously totally committed to make his products the best they can be.

But the thing is, whenever I use a Pettinhouse library — I’ve got quite a few of them and like what I have —, it’s *always* the very first version I purchased. In the case of the electric guitars, it’s the old Direct Guitar 2 which, to my ears, sounds way, way better than any iteration which followed, and for the acoustic guitars, it’s also some early version I'll load rather than a more recent one.

As for Acoustic Guitar 3: I honestly can’t imagine anyone being even mildly impressed with that video above. Unpleasant sound (brittle, harsh, aggressive), I find, and a painfully clumsy, unconvincing strumming simulation.

Strange.

__

Reluctantly, I know what you mean, Piet. He had an acoustic guitar playable strumming patch 10-15 years ago that was magical. Incredibly basic but it somehow worked and sounded great in a mix. But I never got the same feeling when he updated it.

Agreed on Acoustic Guitar 3, unfortunately.

I love Andrea’s early efforts-I don’t use them much nowadays as I’ve forced myself to play more live acoustic guitar, but the demos for 3 sound bad, harsh and choppy…I couldn’t even consider upgrading, which makes me sad.

I always turn off the FX and amp sims, and use my own on his libraries, and they work fine for what I do. YMMV.

Ashermusic wrote: ↑Aug 23, 2025 3:01 pm I always turn off the FX and amp sims, and use my own on his libraries, and they work fine for what I do. YMMV.

I like that advice, Jay, both in this case and in general. We have so many great sound sculpting tools that we know well. Why rely on the ones that came with the VI?

The main problem I have with the demo above is that it's too bright, which should be a relatively easy fix when using the product. Perhaps Andrea is compensating for some gradual high-end hearing loss? That would explain an evolving change in timbre with newer releases. I hope that's not it, but it's not uncommon to lose some hearing in that range as we age.

Best,

Geoff

Geoff Grace wrote: ↑Aug 23, 2025 5:20 pm

Ashermusic wrote: ↑Aug 23, 2025 3:01 pm I always turn off the FX and amp sims, and use my own on his libraries, and they work fine for what I do. YMMV.

I like that advice, Jay, both in this case and in general. We have so many great sound sculpting tools that we know well. Why rely on the ones that came with the VI?

The main problem I have with the demo above is that it's too bright, which should be a relatively easy fix when using the product. Perhaps Andrea is compensating for some gradual high-end hearing loss? That would explain an evolving change in timbre with newer releases. I hope that's not it, but it's not uncommon to lose some hearing in that range as we age.

Best,

Geoff

Yup, I certainly have in one ear, and I know that exact night it happened, when I was on stage and the drummer’s ride cymbal was close to my ear.

I should have been wearing ear plugs, but I was stupid in those days.