You might be wondering what kind of guitar effects to add to your arsenal after venturing into the world of electric guitar. There are plenty of options, and each one offers new sounds that can help you add depth and flair to your playing. So, to figure out which ones are right for you, consider whether you want to buy individual effects or an effects processor with a variety of effects built into one board.
The right guitar effects can greatly improve your playing, but the wrong ones can add little depth or simply cause more frustration. If you’re looking for a guitar effects processor, you want it to be simple to use and have preset modes so you can start playing right away. Individual guitar effects, also known as stomp boxes, give you more flexibility in terms of sound customization and nearly infinite adjustments, but they will cost you more money in the long run than an effects processor. Before you start worrying about which guitar effects you’ll need, figure out which one is best for you.
Distortion and overdrive pedals are the most common guitar effects. They should be the first guitar effects you add to your arsenal because they are a must-have for any guitarist. To get the tone you want, experiment with a few different ones. If you’re not sure where to start, look into Boss Corporation’s services. They’re hard-hitting guitar effects with a pro-sounding tone. The Jekyll and Hyde pedal from Visual Sound is a great choice for players who want both distortion and overdrive in one easy-to-adjust pedal.
Wah-wah pedals are perhaps the most popular guitar effects, aside from distortion units. If you’re a beginner player, however, you might want to hold off on buying a wah-wah pedal because it takes a lot of coordination to use one effectively. Invest in a delay pedal instead. These guitar effects are usually available in two types: digital and analog. Digital delays are more versatile than analog delays, but analog delays have a warmer sound. Instead, try Dunlop’s Crybaby, a Vox Auto Wah, or any variety of Snarling Dogs Wah if you’re dead set on mastering the wah-wah pedal.
For a guitarist looking to boost volume or change tone at the flick of a switch, a graphic equalizer guitar effects pedal can be one of the most useful pedals. Equalizer pedals from Boss and MXR are worth checking out. Phaser, chorus, tremolo, and flanger pedals all add interesting and sometimes psychedelic sounds to the guitar tone; for some great options and versatility, try Ibanez phasers, Visual Sound chorus, Voodoo Lab tremolo, and Line 6 flangers.
While the effects pedals listed here are a great place to start, there are a plethora of other options available, ranging from simple one-trick pedals to extremely complex synthesizers like the Electro-Harmonix micro synthesizer. It’s best to figure out what kind of playing you prefer, then look into what guitar effects pedals artists in that genre use. Also, because each guitar effects pedal is slightly different from the others, it’s a good idea to try a variety of brands.