Yamaha AG Stomp

A fully programmable acoustic guitar stomp-box style pre-amp with mic modeling, basic effects, EQ, feedback reduction, MIDI control, expression
pedal input, digital output, stereo line output, headphone output and more. Download the PDF from Yamaha and you can get the full low-down.
With plenty of knobs, it is very easy to tweak the various parameters. There is a shift function which adds additional functionality to many of the knobs,
but it only takes you one extra level deep and it is very straightforward. It is very nice to have a fully programmable, 3 band parametric EQ which can
be saved with the other patch data. There is extensive MIDI implementation including an input for a standard expression pedal. I wish the reverb had
more settings....as is, there are simply 3 choices and a reverb level. There is a built-in guitar tuner which is passable, but not very responsive. The tuner
could definitely be improved. The manual is fine. My unit is just off the assembly line. I'm unaware if there could be future firmware upgrades.

Ok...the sound: There are going to be a lot of opinions on this one. I wasn't sure at first, but it grew on me. I'm mainly using it with a Martin acoustic with
an LR Baggs piezo and an Alvarez archtop with a P90 style single coil. Both work, though the unit seems to respond better to the active piezo output.
The unit is very quiet unless you crank the treble or presence --which would make most piezos & jazz axes sound like crap anyway. I like to crank up the
bass, roll back the mids, & set the treble & presence about midway or slightly lower. The mic modelling is the main ticket being sold here and, well,
I'd have to say it does offer some cool sounds. I also own the DG Stomp, and, like all digital amp modeling pedals, it does not sound like real tubes--
but it does sound good. The one thing the AG stomp (as well as the DG) needs is a true tube output stage to warm things up a bit. I plan on checking
out some inexpensive tube preamps, such as the Presonus Blue Tube, to pass the AG's output through. If you are doing digital recording utilizing the
dig output of the AG, then I'd probably use a plug-in to avoid adding noise. The programmable functions of the mic modelling section include a spread
function for a pseudo dual mic effect and a blend function for the amount of effect in the mix. The compressor is clean and seems functional for having no
programmable functions. The chorus and delay are crisp and fully programmable. A bonus feature is feedback reduction, which I haven't utilized yet...and may not have to because of the coffee house style gigs for which I will be using the pedal.
Bottom line....listen to one with your own axe and make up your own mind. Use headphones as well as an amp....The headphone output really shows
off how clean and sparkly the unit is....but also how much it could use a tad of tube warmth. And just for the halibut, I ran a microphone through the unit
using a simple XLR transformer/adapter and, you know what, it did some pretty cool things to my voice and was very clean. I think it could be useful for
some experimental voice or percussion samples.

Very rugged, steel housing. Yamaha is known for fine products....I have other Yamaha products and have never had any problems.

I've never dealt with Yamaha, so I can't respond. (Though they have emailed me back regarding questions on other products.)

If it had a tube output stage, I'd say it was a great deal for $400 smackers. As is... I'm definitely going to hang on to this unit--It packs a lot of
punch and functionality in a small package and will enhance my acoustic rig. Right now, I'm running it into a Peavey Kosmos to pump up some
bass and feed a subwoofer while the mains are going to a Hafler 1600 amp feeding a pair of custom 10" JBL full range cabs with EV horns.
Take your axe and your headphones and try it out. I will be having music samples at my web sight (www.friendlyspider.com) which will have
utilized the AG. I haven't compared it to any of the other acoustic preamps out there... It's not going to sound as good as a professional tube mic
or two in a great room, etc., etc., but.... Something it is missing is an aux send and return. This would have enabled patching in a tube pre-amp or
other effect and having it return just prior to the digital and line output section.
I find it has an inspiring sound..... I just want those tubes even if they are all hype ! Oh yeah, and a padded gig bag (with room for that darn wall-wort power supply--better if it had been an in-line unit) would have been a great added accessory.

Very easy to use. All knobs and switches are straight forward. There are only a few special controls, but are covered thoroughly in the manual. I was dialing in the tone I needed right away.

The sound quality is excellent. I have a Martin 6 string and a Taylor 12 string; both have LR Baggs RT Pickups. The two have dramatically different EQ requirements, so having great tone and the presets works very well for me. I use the AG Stomp for playing live. EVERYONE in the band noticed the improvement in my tone. The best way to describe the change is that it adds "air" to the sound. This box allows you to sound like your guitar is mic'd. Of course, you need a good guitar and pickup as a foundation.

The Mic modelling is by far the most impressive part of the AG Stomp. The variety of models will allow you to customize the AG Stomp to match the guitar you have and your style of music. The Reverbs are very nice. Very simple controls. The chorus and delay are nice too, but I don't use them that much. It would have been nice for them to have a tap tempo on the delay, which would allow for more application in live situations. I have not used the automatic feedback reduction yet, but it seems like it will come in handy when the situation presents itself.
The one letdown is the tuner - it's not very good. It's doesn't track very well and jumps all over the place. Very hard to tune my guitar with it.

All in all, this thing is a MUST HAVE for any live acoustic player. It adds so much to your tone. Plus, it's incredibly easy to use. If I lost it or it got ripped off, I'd replace it immediately.

Haven't used it that long to form an opinion. It's made of metal. It seems incredibly sturdy.

If you need to improve your acoustic tone in live settings... buy this thing.

My number one concern was how the mic modelling sounds. I can not say that it can make a piezo-equipped acoustic sound exactly like a mic'ed one, but the mic simulations do make the guitar sound MUCH better than just a straight piezo, without a doubt. I played a nylon string through the AG Stomp, and with a little reverb and the classical guitar mic setting, I was definitely enjoying listening to the instrument much more than just as a DI'ed instrument.

The EQ was also VERY good. It was quasi-parametric (could adjust frequency, but not width), and did a great job of taking the shrill piezo and warming it up a lot. The limiter, chorus, and reverbs were also quite good. I could not test the feedback elimination circuitry as I was listening through headphones.

I had a chance to spend an hour with the AG Stomp at Guitar Center today. Overall, I think it is an impressive piece of equipment and extremely versatile. Hall,Plate,Room Reverb, I lush Stereo-Chorus, 5 stage feedback reduction, limiter, and mic modelling. For the live player, this is the one to beat. For a studio...not sure yet.

I have a lot of Yamaha stuff, and I'd be very surprised if this didn't stack up in terms of reliability.

Never dealt with Yamaha because none of their equipment has ever failed on me.

This looks like the Acoustic Pre-Amp to beat. But at $400, it seems a little pricey for the studio player, but totally worth it if you play your acoustic out.