thanks very much for your help ... I have only plugged in accoustics and have been plugging the mic into the single pin plug not the xls socket as this is what came with the mic so i assumed it pluged into the matching socket on the amp....the mic is a Shure sm48 and was told its of reasonable quality...all this gear was only purchased new last weekvia a phone order and came delivered with no manuals etc. The accuostic and mic have brand new gold leads and the pickup in the guitar itself is in good working order when tried in a little practice amp.... again thanks for listening to my lame questions