Effects Pedals suitable for acoustics

Just_chillin

I'm looking to expand upon my playing, so can anyone suggest which effects pedals would be suitable for use with an acoustic guitar.

I know nothing about these tools and have never used any before, however, I was thinking along the lines of using Chorus and Reverb.

I'm not looking for an array of effects to use, just a couple. Your advice will be appreciated.

stickyfiddle

Reverb and delay are the obvious ones, plus loopers for Ed Sheeran-type fun and games. 

Modulations might get a little messy unless used very sparingly, and it's very rare to hear dirt pedals end up anything but messy on acoustic (though some have managed it - Damien Rice and Wheatus off the top of my head...)

JezWynd

Chorus works with acoustic, fills out the sound and sweetens it some. Perhaps start with a Boss Chorus Ensemble to see if it's a sound you like, as it's quite adjustable with a separate hi and lo cut.

Bluesman1989

Check out Jon Gomm's and Mike Dawes' pedal board run downs. If you're just running one pickup you might find yourself a little limited (microphones HATE distortion and sub ocvatves! )

pintspiller

You could always play it into a Marshall stack just like Kim Deal of the Breeders

downbytheriver

TC G Natural - does everything I could possibly need. 

richardhomer

Chorus, reverb and delays are the obvious ones - but if you fancy something more sonically challenging - the late John Martyn ran his D28 through an EH Big Muff, a Gibson Boomerang, a Mutron III envelope filter and others during the 70s.

ICBM

Chorus usually sounds horrible on an electro-acoustic… that nasty artificial 90s 'unplugged' sound.

Reverb and delay sound nice, and gentle phasing can too.

Overdrive/distortion *can* work, but you need to be very careful - firstly you need one with a 'guitar speaker emulated' or 'mixer' output if you're going to DI it or go through an acoustic amp (or it will not only sound horrible, there's a risk of damaging the speakers), and secondly it tends to cause feedback at anything above very low drive levels.

Octaves can also work but again tend to need care or they can cause boomy feedback.

A looper pedal - or a delay which can also do looping - would probably be the first I would buy.

CHRISB50

pintspiller said:

You could always play it into a Marshall stack just like Kim Deal of the Breeders

And John Butler

Sassafras

ICBM said:

Chorus usually sounds horrible on any guitar… that nasty artificial 90s 'unplugged' sound.


Corrected for accuracy.

Spikeedog

I hate chorus 

Just_chillin

Thank you to all who responded and for the advice. Really appreciate it.

crunchman

POG type stuff can be fun as well.