Behringer AM400

In the past couple of years Behringer has made something of a splash with its compact pedals, mainly because of its extremely low prices. Here we have a new addition to the range in the form of the AM400 Acoustic Modeler. It boasts a fair few options for one so cheap, including four acoustic models to choose from (Standard, Large, Bright, and Piezo) with Resonance, Attack and Reverb controls accompanying the master volume. It's got two outputs, so you can send the modelled sound to the PA. A power supply costs extra, but you'll need one.

SOUNDS
Now obviously we're not expecting the sweet, dulcet tones of a vintage Martin to emerge from a little plastic box, and they don't... but the range of sounds available isn't bad at all. Engaging the AM400 adds a degree of warmth to an otherwise cold electric clean tone, with the Attack control giving a smooth variance between soft and harsh. The reverb is acceptable, but like most of the controls you won't want to set it to any extreme. We found the Standard setting to be good for general strumming, while the Piezo mode comes into its own for fingerpicking.

If you want to mess around with acoustic modelling or simply have the option for one song in your set, then the AM400 could be a wise choice. It's not going to change your life, but it could make it easier onstage.