Acoustic Simulator?

jmh151

Active member
I have all electrics and I want an acoustic, trying to hold off for a Taylor 200 series next year. In the meantime , with the acoustic guitar simulators on the market, does anyone suggest one ?
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

The Boss one sounds good enough for the price. However, for the same price, you can get a used acoustic that will work fine for all practical purposes, until you can afford a better one. I've had the same Fender acoustic that I started with and it sounds great to me. Not Taylor or Martin great, but it works well enough and stays in tune.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Good point but many of the lower priced acoustics tend to have higher action than I want that I cannot lower. I played a Taylor 100 and 200 series recently and loved the tone and playability. I'll check out the boss pedal, thanks
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

I bought a Boss Acoustic Simulator pedal (AC-3) years ago, tried it a while then put it back in the box and it's sat on a shelf untouched for years now. Didn't sound anything like an acoustic guitar IMO.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Acoustic simulators are usually a heavy EQ and a little reverb. I'd prefer to have those two pedals, since they are capable of so much more.

I also agree with Johnny, my bro got one of those $299 Fender acoustics on sale for $199, I got it playing sweet with a set of light PB strings, and a neck relief setup. If I wanted it lower I could have sanded down the saddle a bit. Again, sounded pretty good and played pretty good. Not Martin D-28 sound and Taylor 700 playability, but for $199 new it was pretty good.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Acoustic simulators are usually a heavy EQ and a little reverb. I'd prefer to have those two pedals, since they are capable of so much more.

I also agree with Johnny, my bro got one of those $299 Fender acoustics on sale for $199, I got it playing sweet with a set of light PB strings, and a neck relief setup. If I wanted it lower I could have sanded down the saddle a bit. Again, sounded pretty good and played pretty good. Not Martin D-28 sound and Taylor 700 playability, but for $199 new it was pretty good.

Do you remember which Fender acoustic? Or else I'll just look in the $200 range and have a good setup done on it
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Do you remember which Fender acoustic? Or else I'll just look in the $200 range and have a good setup done on it

Just try all the stuff in the $200 range. Fenders and Epiphones can be had for $200 all day long and most of them play well enough.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

IMO piezo pickups are the only way to get even in the same ballpark with an electric. combine that with some sort of acoustic preamp pedal (like the Radial, or the boss acoustic simulator) and you will be much happier.

go see if your store has a MM JP6 hanging up and you'll see what I mean. If you have a strat in your arsenal I'm sure you can find a replacement bridge with them built in.

EDIT: What the purpose? Live? Recording? Just effin around at home? TBH I don't agree with the $200 epi's or Fenders being any good. A $3-400 Godin acoustic is going to give you a solid top and much better tone.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

IMO piezo pickups are the only way to get even in the same ballpark with an electric. combine that with some sort of acoustic preamp pedal (like the Radial, or the boss acoustic simulator) and you will be much happier.

go see if your store has a MM JP6 hanging up and you'll see what I mean. If you have a strat in your arsenal I'm sure you can find a replacement bridge with them built in.

EDIT: What the purpose? Live? Recording? Just effin around at home? TBH I don't agree with the $200 epi's or Fenders being any good. A $3-400 Godin acoustic is going to give you a solid top and much better tone.

My purpose is just to eff around at home. I've bought a few cheap acoustics over the years and was never happy with how they played, or any acoustic did till I played the Taylor. Godin I don't see in any stores- I know of them so I'll hunt them down- thanks
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Acoustic simulators are even less fun than bad acoustics.
Why don't you get some cheapie and set up the action until you are happy with how it plays? Bone bridge blanks only cost a couple of bucks and they are easy to shape using 150 grit sandpaper. Most modern steel strings have adjustable truss rods too. Go for some lightish strings like 11-52 and you will be sounding great. Easy squeezy.
There are a bunch of really good solid topped axes coming out of china these days for not much coin. Cort and LAG among others play and sound fine. You can probably snag a second hand one from some lazy kid who never practiced for lots less. Its also worth bearing in mind that no acoustic (not even a martin d28 or the top of the line from taylor) will play the way you are used to your electric. That is a good thing, once you get used to having to use a little muscle and extra callus you will develop new ways of phrasing and creating timbres and textures. You don't need a super axe for that, certainly in the short to medium term and you will learn how to get the best out of the wooden box before you spend big bucks on something really special.
The other benefit is that after playing you acoustic for a few months, when you grab your electric you will feel like you have been on steroids.
 
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Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Acoustic sims are weak overall. You CAN find a decent cheap/used acoustic - you are just too lazy to look!!!!!!!!

That said - My roland cuber, with a SuperDistortion loaded Les Paul….who knew?!?!?!? SuperD….seriously.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Acoustic simulators suck, straight up. To get them to sound half decent you can't use them with a regular guitar amp (my best results were with a keyboard amp) and you need an electric that already sounds very acoustic. Plus you still can't dig in and hit the strings the way you would on a real acoustic. I'd rather play a beat to **** pawn shop special than spend much time with an acoustic simulator. . . Which is why I traded the Boss AC-2 for an acoustic.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

I heard Daughtry using a Semi Hollow and one that sounded pretty good. Probably a Roland Midi based modeler….
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Yamaha apx 500 ii
Neck is thin and electric like
Action is low


The lower the action on an acoustic
The less tone
There may be some trade off
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Hey, I actually had a good sound out of mine ...

Guitar --> AC-3 --> Behringer ADI21 --> mixer

I used the ADI21 to do a little tweaking on the signal and it sounded quite convincing.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

Acoustic simulators don't do what the name says it will. You're better off just using the clean channel on your amp (set really clean) with maybe a bit of chorus/delay if you want to simulate a 12-string. Some amps will do these crystal cleans better than others - most of the classic Fender amps or Vox AC's. Perfect excuse to buy yet another amp.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

12 String sim?

Digitech Mosaic.

But nothing beats a real 12 string.
 
Re: Acoustic Simulator?

12 String sim?

Digitech Mosaic.

But nothing beats a real 12 string.
Tuning and changing strings 12 string is beyond painful, though. I like using a guitar in Nashville tuning and layering it with a standard guitar. Doesn't sound like a 12 sting, but doesn't NOT sound like one. The intonation differences beteen the guitars causes subtle phase shifting that sounds really cool.
 
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