Want to give your acoustic guitar playing an extra “kick”? Plugging it into an amp will work, but that ends up restricting your movement. Instead, slap on the Shamp, a compact 4-watt amplifier and 3-inch speaker set that fits neatly around your instrument’s sound hole.
Created by Aussie Laurie Nicoll, the device fits snugly in guitar sound holes that measure between 3.75 and 4 inches. It installs without any modification to the six-string – just remove the strings, secure it using the mounting strips and put the strings back in.
The Shamp uses wood for the outer component (so it looks good with acoustic guitars) and PVC for the parts that mount inside the hole. It’s lightweight (just 8oz) and installs centrally, so it doesn’t affect the guitar’s balance whatsoever. A bridge-type pickup is required for it to work (you connect it via external cable), whether it has a pre-amp or not (it has built-in modes for either). The interface has four controls – Power, Volume, Treble and Bass.
Power is provided by an 18-volt battery pack that you can mount on either the strap or your belt. Two rechargeable 9-volt batteries, good for up to 75 minutes of play, are included. It supports use with pedals and effects too, effectively expanding your acoustic playing horizons.
According to Nicoll, the Shamp won’t affect sound quality, because it has two vent slots that allow natural sound from inside to blend in with the amplified sound coming from the speaker. It’s available for AUD299 (approx. US$268). Check out the video below to see it in action.