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  #1  
Old 06-11-2019, 05:41 AM
ruger9 ruger9 is offline
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Default Not much on the new(er) Zoom AC-3 Acoustic Creator...why?

Finally buying a preamp/effects unit, and I'm surprised how little info I can find (especially reviews from users) on the newer Zoom unit... I realize it's not the $$$ T-Rex Soulmate, and doesn't have a looper, but I'm a little surprised that a unit that ticks so many boxes doesn't seem to be used alot?

Personally, I wanted 3 things:

-a compressor [check]
-reverb [check]
-additional EQ [double check, I'm including the modeling technology in with the EQ functionality... I'm not expecting to turn my GC into a 000 or anything, I just see it as another way to re-shape the tone to get something you like)

Everything else is just gravy: various effects, footswitchable, automatic feedback control....

With the exception of not having a looper, the Zoom unit seems to have everything... even a tuner...and the interface is much easier to use on the fly than the A3 or other Zoom boxes with their digital/scrolling menus... just wondering if there's some reason the unit doesn't get much love?

(mine arrives tomorrow LOL)
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  #2  
Old 06-11-2019, 07:15 AM
Pine Pine is offline
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Ruger, I use mine whenever plugged in. I wanted a unit that had no menus, and knobs and buttons for each function. Very easy to get the tone and effect(s) I'm looking for.

I think there are a lot more users of the AC-3 than you might think. It's just that satisfied users tend to be less vocal than those who are still looking.
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  #3  
Old 06-12-2019, 02:18 PM
ruger9 ruger9 is offline
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Well, since there's not much here on this unit, I'll post a mini-review:

It's quite nice. Easy to use. Tuner is fast. Compression is subtle. All the different guitar models are interesting, some sound better than others, and I'm sure this changes with each guitar used....

I do find it best-sounding to set the "Source guitar" to the one that most closely matches yours (in my case, for my Walden Grand Auditorium single cutaway, this was the "Orchestra" model, NOT the "single cutaway" model which is supposedly like a Taylor)...

...then scrolling through the "Target guitars" until you find something you like (including "off" lol), and only then adjusting the EQ controls to fine-tune.

The effects are nice... there are no studio-quality reverbs or anything, but they are nice especially for live use, and in most cases on the subtle side, which I also think is better for live use: it makes them easier to dial-in quickly because you don't have "touchy" controls or crazy sounds to avoid like on many guitar pedals.

Since my guitar has a piezo, this unit works well... it has settings for piezo and magnetic (soundhole) pickups... which of these would you use for the K&K under bridge type?

Also... not sure what you would do if your guitar also had a microphone in it... there's no setting for that. But then, I think most of these pedal devices are designed for getting the best possible sounds out of piezo/magnetic pickup guitars, not ones with mics in them, which already sound quite authentic on their own.

Anyway, I was using a small little Zoom MS-50G, just for compression and reverb, and for that it worked quite well... as good as the bigger Zoom AC-3. But I hate the digital menus, there's no adjusting it on the fly, and the ease of use (and extra features) definitely make the AC-3 more worthwhile.
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Old 06-12-2019, 06:25 PM
Ten Ten is offline
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Appreciate the write up on that. I made an offer on one that didn’t go through and wound up with the VE-8, but I was curious to know a real opinion on it. Glad it’s working out so far. Id expect the piezo setting to be the best for your K&K.

If you have any thoughts after playing it for awhile please come back and share, like you said, not a ton of info on it from real world users.
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  #5  
Old 06-12-2019, 07:57 PM
ruger9 ruger9 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ten View Post
Appreciate the write up on that. I made an offer on one that didn’t go through and wound up with the VE-8, but I was curious to know a real opinion on it. Glad it’s working out so far. Id expect the piezo setting to be the best for your K&K.

If you have any thoughts after playing it for awhile please come back and share, like you said, not a ton of info on it from real world users.
No no, my guitar has the piezo. I just know alot of people use K&K's, and was wondering what type of pickup that is/what setting they would use.
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  #6  
Old 06-12-2019, 10:15 PM
Ten Ten is offline
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The K&K is a piezo pickup: https://kksound.com/support/pickups101/piezoinfo.php, ie, you are correct in choosing the piezo setting.
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  #7  
Old 06-13-2019, 04:20 AM
ruger9 ruger9 is offline
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Interesting... I never knew the K&K was a piezo, yet seems to produce a much more natural sound than the under-saddles piezos do. Interesting.

(my guitar has an undersaddle piezo, I thought the K&K was maybe a different type. Thanks for the info.)
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  #8  
Old 06-13-2019, 06:43 AM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ruger9 View Post
Interesting... I never knew the K&K was a piezo, yet seems to produce a much more natural sound than the under-saddles piezos do. Interesting.

(my guitar has an undersaddle piezo, I thought the K&K was maybe a different type. Thanks for the info.)
Although the K&K Pure Mini is a piezo transducer it is a SBT, or soundboard transducer as opposed to a UST, or under-saddle transducer. The material that transduces the string energy from vibratory to electrical may be basically the same, but it's the location that makes all the difference.

I've used several USTs and never liked any of them, but I've installed at least half a dozen K&K Pure Minis and have always found them reliable, consistent, and produce a good facsimile of the acoustic sound of the instrument.
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Old 06-13-2019, 07:14 AM
ruger9 ruger9 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudy4 View Post
Although the K&K Pure Mini is a piezo transducer it is a SBT, or soundboard transducer as opposed to a UST, or under-saddle transducer. The material that transduces the string energy from vibratory to electrical may be basically the same, but it's the location that makes all the difference.

I've used several USTs and never liked any of them, but I've installed at least half a dozen K&K Pure Minis and have always found them reliable, consistent, and produce a good facsimile of the acoustic sound of the instrument.
Yes, I've given serious consideration to putting a K&K in my Walden, which would render void the onboard preamp... but now that I have the AC-3, it could be a worthwhile endeavor...
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  #10  
Old 06-13-2019, 07:25 AM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
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I owned the Zoom AC-2. My reason for moving on was that I was primarily using K&K pickups at the time. The Zoom products use a standard 10M Ohm input impedance, which pairs well with under saddle transducers, Dazzos, Schatten HFN, etc. But, K&K recommends 1M Ohm impedance. I found that the sound was still very good, but maybe a touch on the muddy side when used with K&K. I ended up standardizing on 1M Ohm preamps like the ToneDexter and the K&K Pure preamp.

Since last year, I have been experimenting with Schatten HFN and Dazzo transducers. Both benefit from a higher input impedance. I should have kept the Zoom product because it had all the features I would look for in a DI. EQ, compressor, and reverb. It's an intelligently designed unit. The only features that would make it better would be longer battery life, a sweepable mid frequency control and possibly an 1M/10M impedance selector.

I think these new Zoom products are less popular on AGF because we don't have any of the "influencer" members promoting them. Also, some members prefer all analog gear.

However, I do think these new units are well designed and executed.
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Last edited by martingitdave; 06-13-2019 at 07:46 AM.
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  #11  
Old 06-13-2019, 07:47 AM
ruger9 ruger9 is offline
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That's great info, thanks Dave!
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Old 05-05-2020, 07:32 AM
JackB1 JackB1 is offline
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Anyone think this pedal would be compatible with a Anthem SL equipped guitar?
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  #13  
Old 05-05-2020, 02:52 PM
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ljguitar ljguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ruger9 View Post
Finally buying a preamp/effects unit, and I'm surprised how little info I can find (especially reviews from users) on the newer Zoom unit... I realize it's not the $$$ T-Rex Soulmate, and doesn't have a looper, but I'm a little surprised that a unit that ticks so many boxes doesn't seem to be used alot?
Hi ruger9

I don't mind boxes which are emulators but the Zoom AC-3 (and units like it) are wasted boxes for me. I'm not looking for an effects processor - I never use compression, reverb, chorus, echo, or tremolo. Not every player wants an effects pedal with preamp capability.

Units like the Zoom AC-3 have simple Low/mid/Hi tone adjustment, and no sweepable midrange. And they don't provide power to internal mics for those who have dual source rigs (till recently all my rigs had a Sound Board Transducer plus an internal mic).

So where the AC-2 or AC-3 are good for someone who likes the effects, for a straight acoustic player who just wants a better sounding guitar, it's not a fit.

I want my guitars to sound like as much like my guitars as possible through whatever amp or PA I'm using, so I spent more money than the AC-3 costs on just a Plain Jane preamp…for better preamp quality, and connectable options. If I wanted/needed effects, I'd add them as outboard units/pedals.

Perhaps the answer to why more players are not using units like this are two-fold.
  • One reason is people don't know it exists.
  • The other reason, is it's not ticking off the right things.

And if it's reviews you want, try YouTube. There are ton of them there.

Hope this adds to the discussion.




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  #14  
Old 05-06-2020, 08:13 AM
Foss38 Foss38 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ljguitar View Post
Hi ruger9

I don't mind boxes which are emulators but the Zoom AC-3 (and units like it) are wasted boxes for me. I'm not looking for an effects processor - I never use compression, reverb, chorus, echo, or tremolo. Not every player wants an effects pedal with preamp capability.

Units like the Zoom AC-3 have simple Low/mid/Hi tone adjustment, and no sweepable midrange. And they don't provide power to internal mics for those who have dual source rigs (till recently all my rigs had a Sound Board Transducer plus an internal mic).

So where the AC-2 or AC-3 are good for someone who likes the effects, for a straight acoustic player who just wants a better sounding guitar, it's not a fit.

I want my guitars to sound like as much like my guitars as possible through whatever amp or PA I'm using, so I spent more money than the AC-3 costs on just a Plain Jane preamp…for better preamp quality, and connectable options. If I wanted/needed effects, I'd add them as outboard units/pedals.

Perhaps the answer to why more players are not using units like this are two-fold.
  • One reason is people don't know it exists.
  • The other reason, is it's not ticking off the right things.

And if it's reviews you want, try YouTube. There are ton of them there.

Hope this adds to the discussion.




Hello Larry ~ What preamp did you decide on?
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  #15  
Old 05-06-2020, 09:24 AM
lkingston lkingston is offline
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I have two complaints about the Zoom AC-3:

1) you can’t bypass the mic modeling. I use dual mic/pickup systems in my acoustic guitars and that plus the modeling is too much.

2) You can’t blend the modeling and straight pickup sound. I really like the sound of blending a little real or modeled mic in with a pickup. Having a bit of pickup in with the mic gives the sound more clarity. With the AC-3, you are stuck having to choose a model and having that model full on.
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