We All Do It. Plug Guitar Into Amp, Crank the Volume and Gain to 10 and Leave It at That.
Neighbours across the country rue the day. But what if we want something extra, something a little special to give our playing some sparkle and magic that the amp by itself can’t provide? Enter the ever-expanding world of effect pedals. With one stomp we can go from dreamy landscapes to harsh nightmares. If you’re looking into your first pedal purchase, let us recommend some that you should consider before you take the plunge!
Lush and Dreamy, Reverb is One of the First Effects That Most of Us Will Run Into.
Most modern amps come with it built in the box. These Reverbs, while convenient, are often limited to a single wet/dry knob.
With a pedal not only can we expand the controllable parameters, we can even build multiple types into one box. Hall, arena, spring, space, you name it; it’s probably been built. Some pedals come with different kinds of spaces as well like shimmer, lofi, modulated etc so you can get huge amounts of use out of a single pedal.
Our pick is the TC Electronics Hall of Fame 2. Not only do you get 8 types of reverb, you also get 3 TonePrint selectors that can be completely customized over the USB port and a PC. The pedal also has the unique feature of MASH, putting more or less pressure on the pedal switch will engage different features of each preset. It also has the all important stereo in and out so really fill out a space.
Chorus Will Give Your Guitar that Real Wavy Feel.
The hallmark of 80’s production and the cornerstone of genres like dreampop and indie rock. Not all pedals, especially Chorus ones, are created equal though.
All gear was once only made from analogue circuitry, but now that digital effects dominate the industry the choice can be overwhelming. Analogue will give you a truly fine-tuned effect but can lack extra features like multiple types of chorus that are only available in digital formats. Realistically though, the only controls you need on a basic Chorus are depth and rate. The rate can vary pedal to pedal, but if it ranges from low waves to intense wobbles then you’ll be able to find a sweet spot.
Our pick is the Mooer Ensemble King, a tiny pedal with one huge knob for rate so you know exactly where it’s set at all times, plus it’s a completely analogue circuit for the truest tones.
Maybe These Effects Aren’t Enough Though, You Want to Get WEIRD With Your Sound.
This is where a Synth pedal comes in. These pedals don’t just modify your guitar, they turn it into a completely different instrument.
Want to sound like an old Moog synth? Easy. Alien Mothership flying through space? Done. Droning wave pads? No stress. A Synth pedal has unlimited tonal options available and can drive you to create completely unique sounds and styles with one stomp. Some can require special pickups or configurations to work, some can be plugged into any signal chain.
Our pick is the Boss SY-1 as it has the convenience of a plug and play platform and the expandability of bigger, more expensive pedals. It can be used with footswitches and expression pedals, has a parallel send/return loop for use with other pedals and includes 121 sounds in the box that include leads, pads, sequences, organs and more.
The wide world of pedals is so expansive it’s hard to list only a few here, not to mention all the unique combinations and mashups from both boutique and high quantities builders. If something on this list doesn’t grab your attention but you’re still after something different give us a call or message and we’ll find the best pedal to suit your style!
