# Acoustic simulator pedals



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Before I hit the classifieds, what's everyone's favourite acoustic simulator pedal? The only one I know is the Boss AC-2.

Please don't suggest that I use an acoustic, that's not in the cards, besides I have the gear necessary for that. This is a matter of convenience and signal manipulation, ie rapid switching during a tune, live, and possible use in a two amp system where the signal gets split. 

So, what's the word on acoustic simulators?

Thanks.

Peace, Mooh.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The Behringer clone of the AC-2 is certainly much cheaper than the AC-2 if it's the sort of pedal you only want for the odd experiment, rather than a core part of your rig. As with most Behringer pedals it has a plastic chassis. It tends to be noisier than the original AC-2, largely because Behringer chose to use the TL064 for its op-amps. Not an awful op-amp, but they trade off current consumption for a bit more noise. In other words, a battery will last longer, but you will experience a but more hiss than with an AC-2.

If you're up for a DIY project, I designed this little beast a couple of years ago, and for a simple noncommercial design it sounded surprisingly good. The zipfile contains a soundfile, so I'll let you be the judge of how it sounds.

http://hammer.ampage.org/files/Woody.zip


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

mhammer...Very cool idea. Any hope of either a 9 volt model or a wall wart power supply?

Yes, the Behringer, I'd forgotten that one. Not highly recommended by one shop I know. I do have other Behringer products, a small mixer, an acoustic preamp, and a bass preamp. I am hoping for something better.

Peace, Mooh.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Mooh said:


> mhammer...Very cool idea. Any hope of either a 9 volt model or a wall wart power supply?


Yes. A guy in Germany liked it and decided to re-engineer it to be 9v-friendly. I'll have to post the schematic he sent me as part of the zip-file. Gimme a day and I'll see what I can do.



> Yes, the Behringer, I'd forgotten that one. Not highly recommended by one shop I know. I do have other Behringer products, a small mixer, an acoustic preamp, and a bass preamp. I am hoping for something better.


There are some products they make where the corner-cutting doesn't impede sonic quality, and others where it does. Behringer's corporate philosophy is to provide lots of features for the money, and they do that well. Of course, sometimes its not about how many features for the money. Sometimes one is more concerned with sound or build quality. No shame in either.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Wow, there sure doesn't seem to be many choices. I've no problem with the Boss, or for that matter a custom effect, but are there others?

Peace, Mooh.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Scholz R&D (Rockman, etc) had one, and I think there are several others out there too. The problem is that there was only a brief historical period where they were a solution to an existing problem. Once it became easier to buy a solid-body or semi-acoustic electric with piezo saddles that could let the user do elctric, acoustic, and combinations on the same guitar (see Godin, Parker, and many others), it simply made little sense to waste time on a pedal that would squeeze a humbucker pickup through multiple hoops (many of them noisey) to provide a less accurate approximation of an acoustic.

Please note that there is a difference between floor pedals intended to be *used* by acoustic or electric/acoustic guitars (e.g., Trace-Elliot or Fishman pedals), and those intended to make a mag pickup on a solid-body instrument sound vaguely acoustic-ey.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

I could be wrong, but I think there is an AC-3 that is supposed to be a lot better.


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

keefsdad said:


> I could be wrong, but I think there is an AC-3 that is supposed to be a lot better.


I have the AC-2 and yes, the AC-3 is way better. I would look no further then the AC-3. A demo at the Boss booth at the TMX show blew me away. Only reason I don't have one is because........I don't even use my AC-2.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

mhammer...This is entirely about layering and switching parts mid-tune and doing so without changing guitars or trying to make a flattop sound electric. I have all the necessary acoustic stuff, preamps, amps, guitars, pedals...so that's not what I need. My band is currently a (very loud) three piece and I'm the only guitar player so expanding my tone and timbre is what I'm after on select tunes where a vaguely acoustic tone is needed for some parts. I'll likely use a two amp rig, one for acoustic tone, one for electric. 

I'm close to ordering the Boss pedal.

Anyone got one to sell before I hit the classifieds?

Peace, Mooh.


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## Mr. David Severson (Feb 3, 2006)

I just purchased the AC 3 from evil bay..I like the fact the pedal has reverb function on it.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

That's one of the many reasons why big companies like Boss are migrating to digital pedals. It is simply easier to add a ton of features using DSP without appreciably upping the cost and production difficulty of the pedal.


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