This thread seems to be about 2 separate camps of musicians; Those who play for themselves and those who play gigs....

I do both. I prefer the sound of my guitar unamplified when I am at home or in an informal jam. But I use the Baggs pickup/microphone combo thru the PA system or a guitar amp in a gig.

This weekend our celtic band (10-12 instruments) played a very noisy pub. The PA system was necessary. Even then, the crowd sometimes overpowered the band. Playing for noisy conversationalists is not my favorite kind of gig!

All instruments in the band are "acoustic"---but most of us have pickups or built in mics. We have found they are the most reliable way to get a good sound without PA feedback. -And it's the easiest way to set the tone and levels to give a reasonably good balance between instruments.

Rich