Gain Serious Credibility as a Guitarist with the Best Guitar Pedals.
Gaining credibility as a guitarist comes with time, practice, and the perfect selection of gear. You’ve most likely heard the saying “it’s all about the tools”. Well, this couldn’t be more true when it comes to being a professional guitarist! One of the most important tools for any guitarist is the effect pedal board. This can be the difference-maker in your sound, allowing you to give your overall guitar performance better expression.
So what are the best guitar pedals? Well this answer will depend on your style, genre, and the tone you’re trying to achieve. That being said, there are some key pedals every guitarist should consider when building out their pedalboard.
What are the Best Guitar Pedals?
Distortion Pedals – The first type of pedal we need to mention is a distortion pedal. This will give you more sustain when playing and allow you to emphasize the low-end tones of your guitar. It’s perfect for the classic ’80s rock sound and can instantly give your tone a more aggressive feel. The classic stompbox distortion pedals are the Boss DS-1 and the Pro Co RAT.
Delay Pedals – If you’re looking to achieve an ambient sound or bring new life to modern contemporary tracks, delay pedals are essential. The classic delay pedal to consider is the Boss DM-2. Echo and reverb effects are also achievable via Delay pedals.
Overdrive Pedals – Overdrive pedals work to generate tube-like tones and are useful for creating vintage sounds for an old school rock vibe. A great choice here is the Maxon OD-808.
Wah Pedals – Another classic effect pedal that gives guitarists the ability to add a unique flavor to their sound. The Crybaby Wah is a popular choice here and used by many famous guitarists including Jimi Hendrix, Slash and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Volume Pedals – Volume pedals are great for giving your guitar performance extra emphasis. When used correctly, they can also be used as a way to create swells and transitions between verses and chorus’.
Compressor Pedals – Compressor pedals reduce or “squash” the dynamic range of your sound. This gives clarity to your tone and can be especially useful when playing leads or solos. The classic stompbox compressor is the Boss CS-2, which provides smooth compression.
These are the main pedals every guitarist should consider for their pedalboard. Of course, there are so many other pedals out there, and our advice here is to experiment and see what works for you and your sound. One of the main benefits of effect pedals is that a wide range of tones and effects can be achieved from the one pedal.
To achieve the perfect sound, you need the perfect combination of pedals. This can take time and patience, but once achieved, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a professional guitarist. Try out a few, experiment, and find the right combination of pedals – you’ll thank yourself later!