Best Acoustic Guitar Pedals: 12 Pedals Acoustic Players Should Check Out

By Guitar Player Staff
last updated

12 outstanding pedals to take your acoustic guitar tone to the next level

A man plays acoustic guitar
(Image credit: Getty/Kay Fochtmann / EyeEm)

The acoustic segment of the guitar effects kingdom is a different beast. Plenty of acoustic cats take pride in sounding as pure as possible as they travel along a traditional path. Many others are seeking the best acoustic guitar pedal to wash the woodiness right out of their acoustic tones. In addition, loopers, high-tech direct boxes, beat boxes, and all-in-one multipurpose machines can be godsends as practice tools, as well as to raise live performances to new heights. 

Looking at the effects beast from all angles, I selected 12 pedals for their innovation, price, controls, connectivity, and, of course, tone. This list is by no means meant to be comprehensive, but, hopefully, each pedal represents the kinds of processing today’s acoustic guitar player should consider.

BOSS
Waza Craft CE-2W Chorus
$199 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Boss Waza Craft CE-2W Chorus

(Image credit: Future)

Chorus is the tried-and-true modulation effect for acoustics, because a good one can make your 6-string sound as big and beautiful as a 12-string, and a 12-string sound like a symphony. The CE-2W combines the chorus and vibrato effects of the fabled BOSS CE-2 and CE-1 pedals.
boss.info

D’ADDARIO
Chromatic Tuner Pedal
$69 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: D'Addario Chromatic Tuner Pedal

(Image credit: Future)

Even if you’re only messing around with different tunings, you need a quick, accurate chromatic tuner, and it’s absolutely essential for open-tuning aficionados. This one is affordable, small, and has a fine full color display. A reliable tuner has to be one of the best acoustic guitar pedals you can own.
daddario.com

EARTHQUAKER DEVICES
Avalanche Run
$295 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Earthquaker Devices Avalanche Run

(Image credit: Future)

The Avalanche Run produces a rich stereo reverb and delay with tap tempo, and it offers oodles of sound-shaping controls with six functions assignable to an expression pedal. Bound to inspire creativity.
earthquakerdevices.com

ELECTRO-HARMONIX
Tone Corset
$89 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Electro-Harmonix Tone Corset

(Image credit: Future)

Compression is essential for acoustic fingerpickers, harmonic slappers, and body tappers alike. This great-sounding, yet affordable analog compressor/sustainer features controls to dial in specific amounts of attack, sustain, and overall blend. Plus, it’s quiet in operation, and has true-bypass switching.
ehx.com

ERNIE BALL
Ambient Delay & Expression Overdrive
$199 street each

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Ernie Ball Ambient Delay & Expression Overdrive

(Image credit: Future)

Adding just the right amount of effect is paramount for acoustic performance, and these expression-based pedals are fab for finding the perfect dose of digital delay or acoustic-appropriate overdrive on the fly.
ernieball.com

FISHMAN
Aura Spectrum DI Preamp
$349 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Fishman Aura Spectrum DI Preamp

(Image credit: Future)

The Aura transforms the sound of an undersaddle or soundhole pickup into the sound of a well-miked acoustic. It also offers tons of tone-sculpturing capabilities and a tuner. This is easily one of the best acoustic guitars pedals on the market.
fishman.com

L.R. BAGGS
Session Acoustic DI
$224 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: L.R. Baggs Session Acoustic DI

(Image credit: Future)

This active direct box and preamp with analog saturation and multiband compression/EQ was designed to bring the high-fidelity sound of a professional studio session to the stage.
lrbaggs.com

ONE CONTROL
BJF Series Granith Grey Booster
$125 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: One Control BJF Series Granith Grey Booster

(Image credit: Future)

The Granith Grey is a remarkably quiet mini-sized pedal that’s just big enough to house a 9V battery, and it simply boosts or cuts whatever signal it receives up to 15dB without altering your acoustic’s tonal character.
one-control.com

PIGTRONIX
Infinity Looper
$449 street; $49 street for SPL-R remote switch

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Pigtronix Infinity Looper

(Image credit: Future)

High-fidelity sound, flexible I/O (including Loop Only Aux Out and slave MIDI clock), plus all the features a live-looping lover could ever ask for. Add the remote switch for Reverse and Undo.
pigtronix.com

SINGULAR SOUND
BeatBuddy
$299 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Singular Sound BeatBuddy

(Image credit: Future)

A great-sounding drum machine in a stompbox can help transform a solo singer-songwriter into a one-man band.
mybeatbuddy.com

TONEWOODAMP
$249 direct

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Tonewoodamp

(Image credit: Future)

This innovative multi-effects processor magnetically attaches to the back of any acoustic-electric, adds lush digital effects, and then shoots the signal out through the sound-hole. The TWA is electrifying at a campfire jam, and it doubles as fine stage D.I.
tonewoodamp.com

TRACE ELLIOTT
Transit A Preamp Pedal
$299 street

Best acoustic guitar pedals: Trace Elliott Transit A Preamp Pedal

(Image credit: Future)

Here’s practically everything for the acoustic player all in one groovy-looking portable package, including 3-band EQ, boost, chorus, tap-tempo delay, reverb, tuner, and a software bundle.
traceelliot.com

Guitar Player Staff
Guitar Player Staff

Guitar Player is the world’s most comprehensive, trusted and insightful guitar publication for passionate guitarists and active musicians of all ages. Guitar Player magazine is published 13 times a year in print and digital formats. The magazine was established in 1967 and is the world's oldest guitar magazine.


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