Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator 

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

I bought this to stop switching guitars mid set. It has helped me a lot! I find it works best with single coil guitars or humbuckers w/ coil splitting to get more of a "authentic" acoustic sound. The direct output works great with the PA system or with a acoustic amp. If you are using the PA you better have good monitors. I recommend using a separate amp. Overall it sound ok but the Piezo mode is no to impressive. For me the best modes are the standard and jumbo settings.
I also recommend putting it first or second in the signal chain so that once activated it mutes everything else in the chain and you just get clean acoustic sound. This helps a lot when going from clean acoustic to lead guitar since you can have both pedals on simultaneously. All you have to do is disengage the AC-3 and you have your drive already present no need to stomp around.

I use this a lot and I recommend it if you don't want to bring so much gear to gigs.

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

This is a good pedal, but must be played gently. I play by ear and every little or large sound is captured. Play like a acoustic guitar, and sounds are true. COSM works well. If you kill it and play too aggresively, sound will degrade. I enjoy the pedal and would recomend it. Great BOSS sound and construction. A keeper.

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

I can see that this one won't get packed away. Even though it is not a perfect carbon copy of a real acoustic it does come close. and what it lacks there can be a + for new tonal ground. I think it's the Best boss pedal yet.

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

This would be a 10 if I didn't have to experiment to find the sound. You need a boost pedal or similiar to bring it forward in the mix. I used a Boss GE-7 eq pedal to boost and tweak the eq. This makes it work with any guitar. I know more people know this as you can look at the prices on Ebay that these pedals are being scarfed up. I used my USA Strat w/lace sensors, a 72 Thinline tele RI with humbucking pup's, and my Gibson Humminbird. Into a Deluxe Reverb RI, and a Behringer 450 acoustic amp. I made all the electrics sound good and then used this pedal to enhance my Hummingbird. Lastly, I use my Feluxe Deluxe Teleacoustic guitar into the Deluxe Reverb with this pedal and eq and nailed the acoustic guitar sound. Don't give up. Try this.

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

Really, I'll say it again. Look at the other ratings, and please look for this issue online. I
I'm very disappointed in this unit. I just sent it back for a full refund today. There is an incredibly loud "hiss" that is always present. You can reduce the "hiss" if you turn the volume on your guitar down to about 5, and dial back the "TOP" knob on the AC-3 to almost zero. However, when you do this, you loose any resemblence of a true acoustic guitar sound.

I have a Standard American Strat, a Delux American Strat, and a Delux American Tele. They all had the same result. I only play through monster cables (no shortage of quality there), and through the required Boss 9v adaptor. I tried all my guitars, different cables, and differnt adaptors. Same result.
Do you homework on this before buying it. You'll see comments like mine all over the internet.
Honestly, I wouldn't use this in a live, studio, or practice scenario even if it were give to me for free.

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

If must have an acoustic sound from an electric guitar, and your in a band on stage where the hiss isn't as noticable, I guess it would work ok. I returned mine.
Features are OK, but it has a very "Processed" Sound. Lots of "Hiss" in the background
No pedal is made better than a Boss.
If it didn't have so much background hiss, I would have rated it a 10

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

I bought one of these because i was tired of having to switch from playing electric to having to walk up to an awkard stand so that i could play acoustic. This pedal has alot to offer. The setting i use most is the jumbo setting. This really gives me a bright, cut-through-mix, sound that isn't too harsh or "pointy" sounding. I also like that it has a separate output for the acoustic sound, which makes it easier for switching b/w electric and acoustic. I also like the piezo setting, it makes the guitar sound like a dobro (sp?). It's definitely worth the money!

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

I play in an acoustic duo and decided to try this with my Strat in leiu of my acoustic guitar with a Fishman soundhole pickup. Amazing, the AC-3 and Strat sound more "acoustic" than the real acoustic guitar. People do a double take when they see me playing the Strat, getting that full lush acoustic tone. I love it!! And the bonus is that leads are soo much easier to play on the Strat than on the acoustic!! I've been using it about a month now. Awesome!!

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

A few days ago I bought that pedal from my usual music dealer who recommendend it instead of a possible Epiphone LesPaul Ultra II with acoustic integrated sound. His advice is usually very good. Well this time I thought he was wrong. The same day I wanted to return the pedal, so hard it was to get anything decent from it. A few days passed and I thought I would give it another try. Meanwhile I had discover on a parallel research that using my new Gretsch Electromatic G5122 with a MXR Micro Amp pedal (signal boost) was giving the pick-ups the kick they needed to sound great (no more apetite to upgrade to costly TV Jones PU?s). I thought maybe I should try it before the AC3 in the pedal chain since that pedal was absorbing a fair bit of the signal strength when switched on. Well Bingo! It changed my opinion on the pedal, I could get a fairly decent acoustic-like sound from it, more output, more brightness, a little more of everything. But, but : only with my Strat (FMT American De Luxe HSS), not the Gretsch and only on the neck pick-up or better, with the neck/middle p.u. combination ( I agree here with previous posts that humbucker type PU?s don?t sound too good with this pedal). I also found that the pedal had to be tweaked a lot, to me the best setting so far is the Jumbo sound at full effect volume, body at 11 o?clock, top at 10 and a bit of reverb. The whole thing has to go through a P.A. system, not the tube amp. Another hint from my dealer is to pass the signal through a direct box with a XLR cable to the console to get rid of some of the background noise. I think I may have decreased that noise with the signal boost in the first place. Of course this is all personal taste but it could give some ideas to those who want to throw the AC-3 in the garbage in the first place.

Comments about Boss AC-3 Acoustic Simulator:

I've had this pedal for about a week now and only recently tried putting my gibson j200 through it. i thought my gibby sounded good by itself through an amp, but when i used the enhance feature on this bad boy it breathed new life into my sound. My only complaint is that if you re using a guitar with passive pickups you get a hiss from this pedal that is hard to cover up even with a noise reduction pedal. Overall its worth the investment if you're looking to add some dimension to your sound.Bravo Boss!