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Guitar Pedals & Guitar Effects Explained

Few subjects in the realm of electric guitar are as deep and endless as guitar pedals and effects. An industry unto themselves, players still use everything from old amps with built-in reverb and tremolo to brand-new technology such as Line 6’s Helix multi-effects units. Guitar effects are so pervasive that just about every guitarist always keeps several in their rig. From single guitar pedals designed to enhance your guitar’s tone to otherworldly designs that create sounds never heard before, there are enough types, brands, and formats of guitar pedals to keep every guitarist’s gear addiction satiated for a very long time.

Overdrive, Distortion, and Fuzz Pedals

The type of guitar pedal you should add to your collection depends entirely on the tone you’re aiming for. But one style of guitar pedal that almost all of us use at some point is drive. Drive pedals include overdrive effects like the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, distortion pedals such as the BOSS DS-1, and fuzz effects like the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi.

What do they all have in common? Metal guitarists who want to punch their preamp harder and fusion guitarists looking for a thick, sustaining lead tone rely on these pedals to get their message heard. See Nick Bowcott break down the differences between drive pedal types in our “Boost, Overdrive, Distortion, & Fuzz – What’s the Difference?” video.

Modulation Guitar Effects

Modulation guitar effects, such as chorus, flanging, phaser, vibrato, and rotary effects, are where the sonically adventurous tread. The chorused sound of “Message in a Bottle,” the jet-plane flange of “Unchained,” and Hendrix’s Uni-Vibe-soaked “Star-Spangled Banner” simply wouldn’t have had their genre-defining impacts without the tones generated by iconic guitar pedals and effects. Whether you prefer subtler tones or timbral anarchy, you’ll find it here.

Delay and Reverb Guitar Pedals

Time-based guitar effects are another popular pedalboard addition. These are your delay and reverb effects pedals. Pedal companies such as MXR, JHS, Line 6, and TC Electronic all make stellar examples of these guitar effects. Delay pedals (which may be analog or digital) are incredibly popular for adding ambient repeats to your sound or creating a rhythmic element. Reverb pedals, on the other hand, imbue your sound with the sonic signature of a massive cathedral, a ‘60s spring tank, and everything in between.

How to Shop Guitar Effects Pedals

So, you know the sound you want and the effect type you need. Now you just need to figure out what type of guitar pedal you’ll get it from. Single pedals are more popular than ever. Each stompbox offers its own signature tone. And these pedals can be mixed and matched to achieve the exact tone in your head. Or maybe the ease of use and sheer versatility of a multi-effects unit is for you.

Today, there are so many exciting aspects to consider when looking for guitar pedals and effects that the journey feels never-ending. Do you want true bypass or buffered? Do you need to incorporate a looper pedal into your setup? Should you consider one of the many mini guitar pedals to save on board real estate? Often, the answer to all these questions is yes. So, whether you’re looking for a go-to stomp for a bit more sustain or an endlessly powerful multi-effects unit such as the Line 6 Helix, give our Sales Engineers a call and let them help you on your personal road to sonic discovery.

Learn More About Sweetwater Guitar Pedals

If you’d like to dive deeper into the vast world of guitar effects at Sweetwater or are interested in capturing the tones of your favorite guitarists, see the following guides from our pedal experts.

Guitar Pedal Buying Guide

Choosing the right guitar pedal doesn’t have to be difficult. If you’re wondering where to begin on your pedal journey, then Sweetwater’s content team has created a guitar pedal buying guide for you.

Which Pedals Should Every Guitarist Have?

If you’re seeking first-time pedal pointers or are building a travel board with only the bare essentials, “Best Guitar Pedals for Beginners” will give you the raw ingredients to cook up a plethora of classic tones.

Best Guitar Pedals — Our Absolute Faves!

“What pedal should every guitarist have on their board?” This is a question our Sales Engineers are asked daily. See our best guitar pedals article (updated regularly) for top picks curated by our pedal community.

Explore Pedals by Genre

Are you diving into fusion or shoegaze tones for the first time? Be sure to check out Sweetwater’s genre-specific buying guides, which range from ferocious metal distortion pedals to twangy country compressor pedals.

What Is the Best Pedal Order?

The order in which you connect your pedals can yield wildly different results. See Sweetwater’s article, “What Is the Best Pedal Order?,” to learn more about pedal order and how it can affect your tone.

How Many Drive Pedals Do You Actually Need?

In a world where third-stage stacked overdrive pedals exist, it’s not always obvious which drive pedals are genuine must-haves. See our “How Many Distortions...?” article for a look at how the Stones and Sabbath achieved their legendary dirt tones with a single pedal.

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