Does the Line 6 HX Stomp Work with an acoustic Guitar?
Yes, though there's more focus on other instruments.
The Line HX Stomp is billed for electric guitars, acoustic guitars, keyboards, and bass, so it will absolutely work with acoustic rigs, either going direct to a PA system or an acoustic amp. The issue is how many of the features, amp models, and effects you might use. It could be a lot more than you need.
The Line 6 HX Stomp works with acoustic guitars and has several effects and amp models that are either dedicated for acoustic guitars or can work amicably with an acoustic guitar rig. Things like basic EQ, noise suppression, compression, and modulation effects are commonly used with an acoustic guitar.
You can checkout Bobby's take for a deeper dive into all of the Stomp's functionality.
Read the full review: Line 6 HX Stomp
Per the HX Stomp's owner's manual, here are some of the listed acoustic guitar features:
- EQ model: Acoustic sim based on Line 6 Original
- Bass Amp Model: Woody Blue Acoustic 360
- Cab Model: Woody Blue 1 x 18 Acoustic 360
This doesn't seem like much, but where you can get a lot more is with the HX Edit software. There's a great video by Jason Sadites that covers some of this. He gets into the acoustic stuff around the 11 minute mark.
The Line 6 HX Stomp can replace multiple rigs, including an acoustic guitar. But is it more than you need?
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So the power of the HX Stomp isn't necessarily in factory presets, but in the ability to tweak and customize your sound, which can absolutely work for acoustic guitar.
Simple Factory Use (non-software)
For those of you not wanting to get into the software (I imagine many of you), one poster on this Line 6 forum discussion outlines some acoustic-friendly basics, all of which are included in the HX Stomp:
- Noise gate
- Studio tube preamp
- EQ
- LA Studio Compression
- Chorus (multiple algorithms)
- Reverb (multiple algorithms)
This could make up a fairly standard acoustic guitar rig. The question is whether you want to consolidate all that into the HX Stomp. It might be simpler just to have these elements separated out, since you probably don't need all the flexibility of the HX Stomp, which is the biggest issue to consider.
You should also think about how many effects you want to use with your acoustic guitar. Chorus, reverb, delay, tremolo, phaser, and basic EQ are some of the most "acoustically amicable" though not everyone will use all of these.
Read more: Best pedals for acoustic guitar
Is it overkill?
Is it too much for an acoustic rig? Is it overkill?
I would say, yes - for most people.
While the the HX Stomp can be used for acoustic guitar, that pedal is far more focused on electric guitars and bass. It's not even remotely close. So I would argue that you're paying a lot more for features that you don't need, rather than those you do.
A different situation would be if you play acoustic guitar and electric guitar or bass. In that situation, the Line 6 HX Stomp could be a great fit because it could handle multiple roles.
For acoustic only, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.
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Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Pedals & Roundups
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Pedals & Roundups
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