Best Acoustic Guitar Multi Effects Pedals – Complete Tonal Control!

To begin with, I love that this pedal features dual inputs. It made it much easier for me to have both my acoustic guitars plugged in all the time. The downside of the dual input is that the resulting audio can’t be divided into two different channels for the mixer. They go out as one.

Once you plug in, you have access to a four-band EQ with a low-cut filter, the ability to choose the midrange besides how much of it you want in the sound, and also the capability to bypass the whole section.

I love the presence control on amps, but also on pedals. In my opinion, a 4-band EQ allows you to capture the best of your guitar’s brightness and growl while keeping the mids under control.

Another thing that’s super handy while playing live is the Anti-Feedback function. You can apply it to two different frequencies, and its interplay with the Acoustic Resonance and Ambience controls gives you a lush, open, roomy tone with zero buzzing.

On top of that, I just loved the compressor. If you want that in-your-face, powerful, clean tone that can mix well with the band without disappearing, just dial in some more. Without it, the Ambience and Acoustic Resonance wouldn’t be so clear. It helps polish the tone by rounding it up.

I tried it with “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak and the Boost function, along with the delay, which worked wonders for the intro and the solo while the strumming part remained huge and pristine. Also, since you can create banks as well as use it in manual mode, you can dial different sounds for different songs.

I dialed in some classic acoustic tones and went for Green Day’s “Good Riddance”. It sounded just perfect. To finish the sound test, I engaged the chorus and played “Friday I’m In Love” by The Cure, nailing it pretty close.

The only thing I didn’t like about this XLR and TRS-ready unit was the looper. Specifically, I couldn’t believe you can’t undo or redo. I mean, if you want to take out your last layer and put it back in, you just can’t do it. It goes back to zero.

That’s a big no-no for a looper pedal, Boss should know better (and does, judging by their outstanding, pioneer, always-growing, RC line).

Finally, the effects loop, ground lift, ability to use it as an interface for recording, and the dual inputs make this one of the most powerful acoustic multi-effects pedals on the market today.

Before you even think about it, the answer is yes; it sounds much, much better than it did in the old days.

So, to begin this test, I plugged my Martin straight into it and played through all the available acoustic guitar factory presets. This pedal can also accommodate violin, double bass, trumpet, harmonica, and saxophone. Furthermore, there are dedicated presets for those instruments.

The core of the unit is the IR engine. You can make any guitar sound like a mic’ed up, expensive pre-war Martin on the stage without the hassles of a microphone. I went for some big, proud chords playing “The Gardener” by the Tallest Man on Earth, and the result was bright, punchy, and with enough edge to cut through without being shrill.

Once I had that going, I figured I could mess with the tone a bit to make it more fun. So, I went into edit mode and added some modulation, a bit of delay, and some compression. I was playing “Hotel California” by The Eagles in no time.

But to make things extra fun, I engaged the rhythm section and moved the wheels (the drum machine comes with 68 rhythmic patterns) until I found something that matched my mood and played for a while in the company of an obedient drummer.

In that setting, I engaged the looper side of the pedal, and I have to say that, although it’s not as useful or powerful as a standalone looper, it helps while jamming. On the not-so-good side, you can only access the rhythm machine and the looper by pressing those buttons with your fingers, which isn’t the handiest modus operandi.

In my opinion, for the size and price, you get a lot. That said, it’s not the most stage-ready unit with a plastic carcass and the need to activate functions with your fingers. Bowing down on stage should only be to receive a standing ovation, right?

That said, this unit holds great sounds, will fit inside your gig bag, can run on batteries, and won’t break the bank. Just like the old school 505 opened doors for me, this is an outstanding beginner-oriented acoustic multi-effects pedal that can show you a new sonic world. Especially if you’re a beginner.

It features all you need to play an entire show in a piece of gear that can even go between the guitar’s neck and the gig bag. It weighs 1.29lbs (585 grams), but it’s entirely made of aluminum. Furthermore, this tiny unit even features FET technology to make the compressor warmer, crisper, and punchier.

But let’s take it from the top, shall we? You go in with a regular guitar cable and have two outputs, a ¼” and an XLR. Conveniently, the quarter-inch jacks are above while the XLR goes to the side. Believe me, crowded stages with lots of cables are thankful for this feature.

As soon as your signal goes in, it meets the compressor. It’s warm sounding but also very punchy, so it’s great to cut through the mix or fatten solos. Right next to that, you have the boost. Believe me, that thing breathes fire. I felt like I was being pushed to the center of the stage by the League of Justice. It makes the guitar take off. There’s a level control for it, so you can tell Superman just how hard to push you forward, and a notch control (moving between 100 and 200Hz) so you can also tell the big guy where to put you.

Next in line is the SansAmp, which is great to make any regular guitar sound great and to fine-tune and polish your tone. I went in with my Baby Taylor (I figured they’re a match; great travel buddies), and it sounded much bigger and fuller through the speakers. The midshift control works wonders for that. You can fatten the lower mids, adding zero mud.

Speaking of which, the low-pass filter works wonders to stop the low buzz. You won’t have to worry about the rumbly noises of the old, beaten-up speaker system in any venue.

The SansAmp side of the pedal, in my opinion, is something to leave on throughout the show. That said, you can turn it off whenever you want.

The reverb and the effects are great for a little added momentum. I have to say I left the reverb always on. You can choose between a small and a large room and adjust its level.

Finally, delay (with a tap) and chorus sound great, are easy to use, and very intuitive to dial.

I’m telling you, folks, these engineers at Tech21 knocked it out of the park again. If I were the chief of marketing there, I would call it guitar essentials, because it covers all fronts and fits the inner pocket of a jacket.

To make things more interesting, I went through a Jerry Cantrell moment playing leads on my Martin with some delay and reverb, and it was a very believable, pushed tone. I left the effects on to go for some arpeggios, and the trails were musical and nice.

You can hold the switch to adjust the tap tempo for the delay. Holding the reverb switch turns the knob into a trail control so you can decide how long or short you want it.

I’m telling you, I had so much fun playing with this little thing that time just flew by playing covers of “Wanted (Dead or Alive)” using the chorus for a 12-string effect and old country tunes with a lot of reverb.

I would say that, even if you buy or have a fancier setup, this could be a great backup, taking up virtually no space. It’s portable, affordable, and it can save you from a catastrophic performance if your setup decides to die at the last minute.

Truth be told, it’s twice the size of the Tech21 model, but it also offers a few more features that can push your creativity into new territory.

To begin with, let me tell you this right away: The preamp sounds great. I heard its warmth and looked it up. The compressor and preamp are fueled by FET technology. It feels like home, it rounds the highs and beefs up the lows.

I loved the compressor to play with the feedback killer and keep the sound punchy, clear, and feedback-free. It feels beautiful to play a full, big major chord, or a whispered arpeggio, and enjoy dynamics without volume loss.

I’ve played without a compressor for a long time and learned its worth the hard way. I could spend weeks perfecting a soft, melodic arpeggio that nobody heard!

The chorus was also great when combined with the compression, because at high settings, you get an instant eighties sound.

Things get even more interesting when you engage the reverb and put it into shimmer mode. Playing with a stereo signal surrounds you with lush sound tails that dance all around your sound. Speaking of which, I know this is primarily a live pedal, but no headphones out? Come on, T-Rex!

The parametric EQ worked wonders to bring my Baby Taylor’s sound closer to Martin’s tone and took away some of the boomy low end from my dreadnought. Also, it’s directly aimed at sound nerds like us. It doesn’t say bass, treble, or high; it just displays the frequencies.

The boost and tap functions are great for changes on the fly and solos. It has an adjustable level via a very cool knob you can press and lock in the back panel. Back there, you can also find dual ¼” outputs, stereo XLR outputs, volume and expression pedal inputs, a phase inverter, and a Hi-Z button.

Finally, I had some fun building some loops, and I do have to say, those buttons are not so comfortable sitting on the top right end of the unit. I mean, I understand it for the tuner, but the looper? Those are the most important switches to step on while playing live!

I had lots of fun playing with this great acoustic guitar multi-effects pedal and would go on tour with it as my only signal-processing gizmo.

I had more fun playing through this (tiny) huge music arsenal than I had in a long time.

The first thing I did was set it up in stereo and look for factory presets dedicated to acoustics. I have to tell you; the tube preamp and parametric EQ are incredible for tailoring a guitar’s sound. You have many more bands to fine-tune your sound than any of the competition.

One thing I have to say right now is that I enjoy going on menus and moving things around. But if you’re after a simple, knob-driven pedal to just embellish your tone, this is not it. This unit has a steep learning curve. The good news is that once you pass the summit, it’s all downhill.

Yes, I used the preset as a base to build the tone I wanted and played with some reverbs, delays, and modulations. You can assign each footswitch a function, so I created banks for songs and just had my song list at my feet, one switch away.

If you take the time to properly program it, this is a very powerful unit.

Also, the looper function can be used in single-button mode, which requires the hideous double-tapping loop-stopping dance or three-button mode. That way, you can record and stop using different footswitches.

Furthermore, with stereo in and stereo out capabilities, you can even plug in two guitars. I love to play in open G with my Baby Taylor and standard with the Martin. Unplugging the guitar only to realize I had forgotten to engage the tuner is something that happened to me in the past.

So, for those in search of virtually limitless potential who don’t mind (or enjoy, like yours truly) tinkering the night away, the HX Stomp can’t be beaten. For a simple, easy-to-use pedal, you’re better off somewhere else.