One Pedal, No Second Guitar Required
You know the situation: you're deep into a set, the song calls for acoustic guitar, and your actual acoustic is sitting at home. That's exactly the problem the Boss AC-3 was built to solve. Stomp it on, and your electric immediately takes on the character of a strummed acoustic — no extra guitar stand, no mid-set swap, no explaining to the sound person why you need another DI channel.
At the heart of the AC-3 is Boss's COSM acoustic modeling technology, the same platform that powers their more elaborate acoustic processing units. Four simulation modes — Standard, Jumbo, Enhanced, and Piezo — cover a real range of acoustic body characters, from the familiar warmth of a dreadnought to the bright, cutting presence of a direct piezo signal. It's not a one-size-fits-all box; you actually get to pick your acoustic voice.
This pedal fits naturally on any pedalboard and works especially well for players who want to move between electric and acoustic sounds within a single set without hauling a second instrument to every gig.
Four Acoustic Voices, Two Controls to Shape Them
The Mode knob selects between Standard, Jumbo, Enhanced, and Piezo simulations. Standard delivers the classic dreadnought acoustic tone, Jumbo thickens things up with more low-end resonance, Enhanced adds brightness and presence, and Piezo captures the direct, transparent sound of a guitar with a saddle pickup running straight into a PA — that tight, present quality you hear on acoustic performances where there's no microphone in front of the guitar.
Once you've picked your mode, the Top and Body knobs let you fine-tune the result. Body controls how much low-end resonance and soundhole-character comes through, while Top adjusts the upper-range brightness — similar to how a recording engineer might position a condenser microphone relative to the soundhole and fretboard of an acoustic. A few small adjustments can make a meaningful difference, especially when matching the simulation to the pickups on your specific electric guitar.
Built-In Reverb and Dual Outputs
The AC-3 includes a built-in digital reverb optimized specifically for acoustic simulation — not just a generic room verb dropped on top. The Reverb/Level knob handles both reverb amount and overall output level, keeping the control layout simple. For most live acoustic-simulation applications, having reverb already onboard means one fewer pedal to add to the chain.
The dual output arrangement is one of the AC-3's most useful practical features. A standard Guitar Amp Out feeds your guitar amplifier as usual, while a separate Line Out sends the acoustic-simulated signal directly to a PA system, acoustic amplifier, or recording interface. This means you can run a wet acoustic signal to the house and a dry signal to your amp simultaneously — a clean, flexible routing option for both live and studio use.
Buffered Bypass and 9V Power
The AC-3 uses buffered bypass, which is consistent with Boss's compact pedal design philosophy. This keeps your signal strong across long cable runs and a densely-populated pedalboard — a practical benefit, particularly when the AC-3 is positioned earlier in your signal chain, which is the common recommendation for acoustic simulation pedals.
Power comes from a 9V alkaline battery or a standard 9V DC adapter (PSA series, sold separately). No proprietary voltage or special power requirements to sort out — it plays nicely with most standard pedalboard power supplies.
Product Features:
- Effect Type: Acoustic guitar simulator using COSM modeling technology
- Simulation Modes: Standard, Jumbo, Enhanced, and Piezo
- Controls: Mode, Top, Body, and Reverb/Level knobs
- Built-in digital reverb optimized for acoustic simulation
- Dual outputs: 1/4" Guitar Amp Out and 1/4" Line Out for PA or acoustic amp
- Input: 1/4" phone type
- Bypass: Buffered bypass
- Circuit type: Digital (COSM modeling)
- Power: 9V alkaline battery or PSA-series AC adapter (sold separately)
- Compact Boss stompbox enclosure
Brand: Boss
Model: AC-3 Acoustic Simulator
SKU: AC-3
Condition: New
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
