There’s nothing quite like the sound of an overdrive or boost pedal that you’ve dialed in perfectly to get the tone you hear in your head. Getting there, however, can require a lot of trial and error, and knowing some basic tips on how to start can save a lot of time. Here are some suggestions for how to start dialing in that new stombox:
First, set the gain as low as possible and the output level for “unity gain” — that is, the point at which the volume is the same when the pedal is off and the pedal is on. If your goal is to use the pedal as a boost, you’ll ultimately want the volume to jump when the pedal is on. Likewise for pushing the gain up to get dirt. But for now, start at unity gain with the overdrive low.
With your pedal set clean, slowly raise its output level/volume. To really get to know your pedal, you’ll want to raise the level to where you think it sounds amazing, and then keep going until you’ve gone too far. The idea is to learn the range of output level/boost the pedal offers clean, as well as how your amp responds when you’re hitting the front end hard with the pedal. (You may want to do this on both the clean and crunch channels of your amp.) Once you’ve gone past the output volume “sweet spot,” turn it back down to where you preferred it. Now repeat with the gain control. Take care to adjust (decrease) the output as you increase the gain to maintain the same volume when the pedal is on and when it’s bypassed. You want to get a feel for how much gain is on tap and how the gain in the pedal sounds versus using the pedal as a clean boost to overdrive your amp’s front end.
If your pedal has EQ, filters, or tone controls, sweep them slowly through their respective ranges to learn what they can do. Then adjust them to taste once you have the volume and gain dialed in.
There’s no right or wrong when it comes to setting up pedals. But being methodical as you familiarize yourself with your gear can help you start your journey of experimentation in a way that helps you get results faster.