Donner Acoustic Guitar “APL” Multi Effects Pedal
Features:
- 6 IR Body Simulations: Quickly switch between classic acoustic tones.
- 8 Effects Mod: Enhance your sound with a variety of effects.
- OTG Outputs: Capture high-fidelity audio directly to your device.
- Loop Recording: 8-minute loop for creative layering.
- Auto Notch: Prevent feedback with automatic frequency sweep.
- Tuner: Accurate tuning with Bypass or Mute options.
Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars
From the bedroom to the stage Donner’s “APL Multi Effects Pedal” has everything you need to elevate your acoustic instrumentation to the next level. At first glance the “APL” looks like just another compact all in one floor unit however, after further inspection we found that underneath the brightly colored heavy duty housing was a smorgasbord of options that other pedals in this price range don’t even come close to offering.
Effects wise you get 8 classic effects including chorus, tremolo, phase, overdrive, echo, hall reverb, plate reverb and delay & reverb. Each effect has its own set of parameters which users can adjust to their individual liking via an easy to use multi-knob. Also available are 8 dedicated parameters knobs which control bass, mid, treble, compression, gain, mix, impact and range. Having these dedicated knobs certain made dialing in sounds a breeze however it did take a minute or two to figure out that the impact and range knobs actually work in conjunction with the effects select knob allowing you to control your effects levels via those two knobs. Users also have access to onboard tuner by simply holding down the left toggle switch.
If you have ever played an acoustic instrument in an amplified setting then you know how difficult it can be to control feedback. Thanks to the APL’s Automatic notch & Anti-howling feature you can quickly eliminate or reduce specific frequencies helping you have a more stable performance with just the push of a button. Even at lower volumes where feedback wasn’t as much of an issue this was a welcomed addition to the unit.
The “APL” right toggle button controls the looper which is capable of 8-minutes of recording time along with an infinite amount of overlay tracks and thanks to the units USB connectivity loops can be easily exported to a computer via USB for secondary editing and creation. I really enjoyed this feature as it made the recording and transferring of riffs quick and easy and eliminated the need for additional equipment. The “APL” has a variety of interfaces, including TRS, AUX, OTG, PHONE, which can be connected to mobile devices, speakers, headphones, etc furthering the units versatility.
If all that wasn’t enough Donner also chose to include IR Modeler. This was probably my favorite feature of this whole things as the modeler allows you to replicate practically any guitar body out there. All the favorites are from Taylor, Martin and Gibson come pre-programmed and many others can be downloaded and emulated giving your guitar even more tonal capabilities.
If you have been looking for an all in one multi-unit and interface then look no further than the Donner “APL”. From its sturdy build quality and bright led display screen to its robust tonal features and a multitude of connectivity options you will be hard pressed to find another unit of this quality. With an MSRP of just $218.99 you get a lot of bang for your buck. Though I would have liked to have seen a few more controllable effects and parameters the units overall ease of use and build quality far out weighed this minute short coming.